Card issuer response codes (ISO 8583) · Decline codes
What does card decline code 05 mean?
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Code 05 is the ISO 8583 issuer response code "do not honor", used by Visa and Mastercard. The cardholder's bank refused the payment without saying why. Typical triggers are the bank's own fraud model, an unusual purchase or a restriction on the account. Visa classes 05 as Category 4, a generic response, allowing up to 20 reattempts in 30 days. A sensible pattern is one later retry, then ask for another card.
- Type
- Soft decline (no reason given)
- Who declined
- The card's issuing bank
- Visa category
- Category 4 (generic response): up to 20 reattempts in 30 days
- Retry
- Once, a day or two later
- Shopper action
- Call the bank or pay with another card or PayPal
- Merchant action
- Offer another payment method; don't hammer the card
- PlatformDTC renewal (Smart retry)
- One retry 48 to 72 hours later
What PlatformDTC does
PlatformDTC files a raw 05 as refer-to-issuer. With Smart retry on, a renewal gets one retry 48 to 72 hours later, never the funds calendar, because re-asking a bank that refuses on judgement only raises the store's decline rate there; a second refusal emails a card-update link. At checkout, a do_not_honor decline can be offered to the store's backup card processor (PayPal card payments) when one is set up.
Why it happens
Do not honor is the bank's catch-all. It is used when the bank's risk system is unsure, when the card has a block the bank won't name, or when nothing more specific applies. The store cannot see which, and the bank only explains to the cardholder.
What the shopper can do
Call the bank, confirm the purchase, and try again. Or use another card, PayPal, or a wallet like Apple Pay, which often goes through straight away.
What the store can do
Keep the checkout message friendly and suggest another payment method. Collect the CVC and billing postcode, and use 3-D Secure where it is available, since better data lowers bank-side refusals.
For developers
On Stripe the raw issuer code arrives in charge.outcome.network_decline_code (here "05"), 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 sends 05 with Merchant Advice Codes 01, 03 or 21; MAC 03 or 21 means do not try again, and PlatformDTC stops on them. Visa 59 (suspected fraud) can reach Stripe as do_not_honor too, which is why PlatformDTC reads the raw code.
Frequently asked questions
- How many times can I retry a code 05 decline?
- Visa permits up to 20 reattempts in 30 days for Category 4 codes, but each refusal is a mark with the bank. PlatformDTC retries once after 48 to 72 hours, then asks for another card.
- Is code 05 fraud?
- Not by itself. It is a refusal with no reason. Suspected fraud is code 59, and on Mastercard a MAC 03 or 21 alongside 05 means stop.
Sources
Related
- 01 — Refer to card issuer: the bank wants the cardholder to contact it before it approves.
- 59 — Suspected fraud: the bank's fraud system declined the payment.
- 51 — Not sufficient funds: the balance or credit limit couldn't cover the payment.
- 06 — Error: the issuer returned a general error instead of an approval.
- 07 — Pick up card, special condition: the account is flagged for fraud. Never retry.
- 12 — Invalid transaction: the issuer will not accept this kind of transaction on the card.
- 13 — Invalid amount: the issuer rejected the amount or the currency conversion.
- 14 — Invalid account number: no such card number exists at the bank.