PayPal · Decline codes
What does PayPal processor response code PPEX mean?
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PayPal processor response code PPEX (EXPIRY_DATE) means the payment was refused because of the card's expiry date: the card has expired, or the date entered is wrong. The shopper should check the date on the card in hand, use a replacement card if one arrived, or pay another way. Resubmitting the same date won't work.
- PayPal label
- EXPIRY_DATE
- Type
- Data error
- Who declined
- PayPal or the card's bank
- Retry
- No, a new or updated card is needed
- Shopper action
- Check the expiry date or use the new card
- Merchant action
- Ask for updated card details
- PlatformDTC renewal
- No retry; one-click update-card link and reminders
What PlatformDTC does
PlatformDTC records PayPal PPEX as an expired card (expired_card). Expired cards are never retried automatically: on either retry schedule (the default Fixed schedule or Smart retry), the renewal is held past due, the card is marked blocked, and the customer is emailed a signed one-click link to add a new card, with no login. The link is re-sent up to 4 times per billing cycle, at least 3 days apart.
Why it happens
PayPal's label names only EXPIRY_DATE: an expired card or a date that doesn't match.
What the shopper can do
Enter the expiry date printed on the card you're holding, or use your replacement card.
What the store can do
Ask subscribers to update their card instead of retrying.
Check that your form sends month and year in the expected format.
For developers
PayPal returns PPEX 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 EXPIRY_DATE.
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
- Is PPEX the same as 5400 EXPIRED_CARD?
- Closely related; PlatformDTC treats both as an expired card.
- Can I retry PPEX without new details?
- No. The date needs to be corrected or the card replaced.
Sources
Related
- 5400 — Expired card: the card is past its expiry date.
- 1380 — Invalid expiration: the expiry date sent doesn't match a valid card.
- PPEF — Expired funding instrument: the card or account used to pay has expired.
- PPFR — Restricted funding instrument: the card or account has a restriction on it.
- INSTRUMENT_DECLINED — Instrument declined: the card or bank in the buyer's PayPal was refused.
- PAYER_ACTION_REQUIRED — Payer action required: the buyer must go back to PayPal to finish the payment.
- PAYER_CANNOT_PAY — Payer cannot pay: this buyer's and this seller's PayPal settings don't allow the payment.
- TRANSACTION_REFUSED — Transaction refused: PayPal refused the request without a specific reason.