Can a code 02 payment go through later?

Yes, once the cardholder has spoken to the bank. Visa allows the merchant to reattempt, up to 20 times in 30 days.

Does code 02 mean fraud?

Not necessarily. It is a referral without a stated reason. Suspected fraud has its own code, 59.

Card issuer response codes (ISO 8583) · Decline codes

What does card decline code 02 mean?

Checked October 31, 2026

Code 02 is a Visa issuer response code from the ISO 8583 set meaning "refer to card issuer, special condition". The cardholder's bank declined and is asking the cardholder to contact it, flagging a condition on the account that it does not explain to the store. Visa treats 02 as Category 4, a generic response, so reattempts are allowed up to 20 in 30 days, but the shopper calling the bank is what usually clears it.

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: Once, after the shopper contacts the bank
Shopper action: Call the bank, then try again or use another card
Merchant action: Offer another payment method; don't loop retries
PlatformDTC renewal (Smart retry): One retry 48 to 72 hours later

What PlatformDTC does

PlatformDTC treats a raw 02 exactly like 01: one polite retry. With Smart retry on, the renewal is tried once more 48 to 72 hours later at the store's local charge hour, and if the bank refuses again the subscription is held past due while the customer gets a signed link to switch cards. It is never put on the longer funds calendar.

Why it happens

The "special condition" is something on the cardholder's account that the bank wants to discuss with them directly. The bank does not share what it is with merchants, so guessing at the cause from the store side is not useful.

What the store can do

Show a clear message asking the shopper to use another card or contact their bank. A stream of 02 declines from many different cards points at something on the store side worth raising with your processor; a single one is just a cautious bank.

For developers

On Stripe the raw issuer code arrives in charge.outcome.network_decline_code (here "02"), 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. 02 appears in Stripe's Visa table; Mastercard's table does not list it. PlatformDTC maps 01, 02, 05 and 85 to the same retry-once bucket.

Frequently asked questions

Can a code 02 payment go through later?: Yes, once the cardholder has spoken to the bank. Visa allows the merchant to reattempt, up to 20 times in 30 days.
Does code 02 mean fraud?: Not necessarily. It is a referral without a stated reason. Suspected fraud has its own code, 59.