PayPal · Decline codes
What does PayPal processor response code 5920 mean?
Checked
PayPal processor response code 5920 (ISSUER_NOT_AVAILABLE_RETRIABLE) means the card's bank was unavailable to approve the payment, and PayPal marks it as retriable. Nothing is wrong with the card. Trying again later normally works. The shopper can retry in a few minutes or use another method; merchants can schedule a later retry.
- PayPal label
- ISSUER_NOT_AVAILABLE_RETRIABLE
- Type
- Technical error
- Who declined
- The card's bank was unreachable (via PayPal)
- Similar Visa code
- 91 (Issuer or switch inoperative): Visa Category 2: reattempts allowed, up to 20 in 30 days
- Retry
- Yes, later; it usually clears with time
- Shopper action
- Try again shortly
- Merchant action
- Retry later; the card is likely fine
- PlatformDTC renewal (Smart retry)
- Retried 2, 5 and 8 days later, 4 attempts at most
What PlatformDTC does
On a PayPal card payment, 5920 becomes try_again_later in PlatformDTC, which counts it as something that clears with time. With Smart retry on, renewals get the short ladder: 2, 5 and 8 days after the first decline, 4 attempts at most, then the subscription waits in past due for the customer.
Why it happens
The bank's authorization system didn't respond in time, for example during maintenance or an outage.
What the shopper can do
Wait a few minutes and try again, or use another card.
What the store can do
Keep the order open and retry later; don't ask the customer for a new card.
For developers
PayPal returns 5920 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_RETRIABLE.
Visa has a similarly named raw response code, 91 ("Issuer or switch inoperative"); in the Visa Core Rules (24 October 2026, Table 7-2) that code is category 2: reattempts allowed, up to 20 in 30 days. PayPal's code list doesn't map its codes to Visa's, so treat this as context, not a translation.
Declined card payments can also carry payment_advice_code in processor_response, the card network's advice; store it next to the response code.
Frequently asked questions
- How soon can I retry 5920?
- PayPal doesn't give a time. For checkout, minutes; for renewals, a day or more apart is safer.
- Is 5920 the shopper's fault?
- No. It describes the bank being unavailable, not the card or the funds.
Sources
Related
- 5910 — Issuer not available, not retriable: the bank couldn't be reached and PayPal says don't retry.
- 9100 — Declined, please retry: a temporary decline; PayPal's advice is to retry.
- 0960 — System malfunction: a technical fault stopped the payment, not a bank refusal.
- 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.
- 8000 — Processor system error: a technical fault at the processor stopped the payment.