Should I keep retrying a code 01 decline?

No. Visa allows reattempts, but a referral rarely clears by itself. One retry after a couple of days is reasonable; after that ask for another payment method.

Is code 01 the same as code 05?

No. 01 asks the cardholder to contact the bank, 05 (do not honor) is a plain refusal. Both give no reason and both are Visa Category 4.

Card issuer response codes (ISO 8583) · Decline codes

What does card decline code 01 mean?

Checked October 31, 2026

Code 01 is an ISO 8583 issuer response code that Visa and Mastercard both define as "refer to card issuer". The cardholder's bank declined the payment and wants the cardholder to contact it. It gives no further reason. Visa files 01 under Category 4, generic responses, so a merchant may reattempt up to 20 times in 30 days, but the fix usually sits with the shopper calling their bank.

Type: Soft decline (issuer referral)
Who declined: The card's issuing bank
Visa category: Category 4 (generic response): up to 20 reattempts in 30 days
Retry: Only after the shopper has spoken to the bank, or once after a couple of days
Shopper action: Call the number on the back of the card, then pay again
Merchant action: Ask the shopper to contact their bank or use another card
PlatformDTC renewal (Smart retry): One retry 48 to 72 hours later

What PlatformDTC does

PlatformDTC files a raw 01 under refer-to-issuer. With Smart retry on, a renewal declined 01 gets exactly one more attempt 48 to 72 hours later; a second refusal stops the ladder and emails the customer a one-click link to add a new card. Repeating a referral on a schedule only adds refusals to the store's record with that bank.

Why it happens

A referral means the bank's system would not decide on its own. It often follows an unusual purchase for that card, such as a new merchant, a new country or a larger amount than normal, but the bank does not tell the store which. Only the cardholder can find out by calling.

What the shopper can do

Call the bank using the number on the back of the card, confirm the purchase is genuine, then try again. Paying with a different card or PayPal works straight away.

For developers

On Stripe the raw issuer code arrives in charge.outcome.network_decline_code (here "01"), next to Stripe's own decline_code. Read it together with the card brand: the same two characters can mean different things on Visa and Mastercard. Mastercard's table lists 01 with the same meaning. PlatformDTC only reads the raw code when the processor's code is itself retryable, so a hard processor code always wins.

Frequently asked questions

Should I keep retrying a code 01 decline?: No. Visa allows reattempts, but a referral rarely clears by itself. One retry after a couple of days is reasonable; after that ask for another payment method.
Is code 01 the same as code 05?: No. 01 asks the cardholder to contact the bank, 05 (do not honor) is a plain refusal. Both give no reason and both are Visa Category 4.