What is a PayPal reference transaction?

A charge against a buyer's saved PayPal agreement, such as a subscription renewal.

Braintree · Decline codes

What does Braintree 2087 “PayPal reference transactions not enabled for your account” mean?

Checked October 31, 2026

Braintree 2087 “PayPal reference transactions not enabled for your account” means your PayPal API permissions do not allow reference transactions, the kind used to charge a saved PayPal account again. It is a hard decline. Contact PayPal Support to enable them, then try again.

Type: Hard decline (PayPal account setting)
Who declined: Your PayPal business account
Retry: Not until PayPal enables them
Shopper action: Use another method
Merchant action: Ask PayPal to enable reference transactions

What PlatformDTC does

PlatformDTC does not connect to Braintree. Its own PayPal rail renews subscriptions by charging a PayPal billing agreement or a vaulted PayPal account, so PayPal must allow that for the store's account just as it must for Braintree.

Why it happens

Saved-PayPal charges need a PayPal permission your account does not have yet.

What the store can do

Contact PayPal Support to enable reference transactions.

For developers

Braintree returns processor_response_code 2087 with processor_response_text “PayPal reference transactions not enabled for your account” and processor_response_type “hard_declined” on the Transaction object.

Frequently asked questions

What is a PayPal reference transaction?: A charge against a buyer's saved PayPal agreement, such as a subscription renewal.
Who enables reference transactions?: PayPal Support.

Sources

Declines: authorization decline codes — Braintree (PayPal)
Transaction response object — Braintree (PayPal)