PayPal · Decline codes
What does PayPal processor response code 5910 mean?
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PayPal processor response code 5910 (ISSUER_NOT_AVAILABLE_NOT_RETRIABLE) means the card's bank couldn't be reached to approve the payment, and PayPal marks this case as not retriable. The shopper should pay another way or try much later; the merchant should not fire immediate retries. PayPal uses 5920 for the retriable version.
- PayPal label
- ISSUER_NOT_AVAILABLE_NOT_RETRIABLE
- Type
- Technical error
- Who declined
- The card's bank was unreachable (via PayPal)
- Retry
- Once, after 2–3 days; a second refusal means ask for another payment method
- Shopper action
- Use another method or try much later
- Merchant action
- No immediate retries; ask for another method
- PlatformDTC renewal (Smart retry)
- One retry after 48–72 hours, then an update-card request
What PlatformDTC does
PlatformDTC records PayPal 5910 as card_declined, a bank refusal with no stated reason. With Smart retry on, a subscription renewal declined this way gets exactly one more attempt 48–72 hours later at the store's local charge hour. If the bank refuses again, retries stop and the customer is emailed a one-click link to add a new payment method. The raw 5910 stays in the failure message for support.
Why it happens
The bank's system didn't answer. PayPal splits this into a retriable code (5920) and this not-retriable one; it doesn't explain the difference beyond the label.
What the shopper can do
Pay with another card or your PayPal balance.
What the store can do
Offer another method at once instead of looping on the same card.
If many orders show 5910 together, the fault is upstream, not with your customers.
For developers
PayPal returns 5910 in processor_response.response_code on the capture (purchase_units[].payments.captures[]) or authorization of a card payment. PayPal's own name for it is ISSUER_NOT_AVAILABLE_NOT_RETRIABLE.
Keep the raw code with the order. PayPal's label is the only official meaning, and the exact code tells support which branch of PayPal's table fired.
Frequently asked questions
- Why would a bank outage be not retriable?
- PayPal doesn't explain. Its label simply tells merchants not to retry this response.
- How does PlatformDTC handle 5910?
- It records it as card_declined. With Smart retry on, that allows one renewal retry 48–72 hours later, never a quick loop.
Sources
Related
- 5920 — Issuer not available, retriable: the bank couldn't be reached; try again later.
- 0960 — System malfunction: a technical fault stopped the payment, not a bank refusal.
- 8000 — Processor system error: a technical fault at the processor stopped the payment.
- 5930 — Card not activated: the card hasn't been activated by the cardholder yet.
- 5950 — Updated account: an updated card has been issued, so the old details were declined.
- 6300 — Account not on file: the bank has no record of this card account.
- 7710 — Authentication failed: the 3-D Secure check didn't pass.