generated: '2026-07-24'
method: searched
source: https://modulr.readme.io/docs/decline-reasons
notes: Card transaction decline reasons surfaced by Modulr card issuing. Decline messages appear on the
  card authorisation/transaction record. The published list may not be exhaustive and is supplemented
  over time.
envelope_field: decline message on the card authorisation/transaction
masked_to_buyer: Cardholders/merchants see a generic decline at the terminal; the detailed reason is available
  to the card programme via the API/portal.
decline_codes:
- message: Account has insufficient funds
  reason: Account has insufficient funds
- message: 'Declined due to Card Status: Card Destroyed'
  reason: Cardholder is attempting to use cancelled card
- message: 'Declined due to Card Status: Short-term Debit Block'
  reason: Cardholder is attempting to use blocked card
- message: 'Declined due to Card Status: Expired card'
  reason: Cardholder is attempting to use expired card
- message: 'Declined due to Card Status: Restricted card (Card is not active)'
  reason: Cardholder is attempting to use the card before activation
- message: Authorisation would exceed card limit
  reason: Cardholder is attempting a transaction that would cause the card to exceed its lifetime spend
    limit
- message: Declined due to CardUsageGroupCheck
  reason: Cardholder is attempting an unsupported transaction type for the card product e.g. balance inquiry
    at ATM
- message: Requires SCA, Card
  reason: Cardholder is attempting a contactless transaction but due to limits on the number they can
    do in a row/accumulative amount they can spend, they temporarily aren’t permitted for contactless
    and need to use PIN / SCA.
- message: Card expiry check failed with Emboss Expiry date
  reason: Cardholder has entered incorrect expiry date as part of ecommerce transaction
- message: Expiry Date missing
  reason: Cardholder has not entered expiry date as part of ecommerce transaction
- message: Card CVV2 not matching with cvv2 in auth request
  reason: Cardholder has entered incorrect CVC2 as part of ecommerce transaction
- message: CVC2 tries exceeded
  reason: Cardholder has used incorrect CVC2 the max number of times and now the CVC2 is blocked
- message: CVV2 Not Present
  reason: Cardholder has not entered CVC2 as part of ecommerce transaction
- message: Incorrect PIN
  reason: Cardholder is attempting transaction with incorrect PIN
- message: Offline PIN incorrect
  reason: Cardholder is attempting transaction with incorrect PIN
- message: Online / offline PIN try limit exceeded
  reason: Cardholder has used incorrect PIN the max number of times and now the PIN is blocked
- message: Declined due to GroupMCCCheck
  reason: Cardholder is attempting transaction at a merchant type that is not permitted (MCC restriction
    in place)
- message: Invalid Merchant
  reason: Cardholder is attempting transaction at a merchant type that not permitted
- message: Exceeds withdrawal amount limit
  reason: Cardholder is attempting a transaction which would exceed the card velocity (daily/monthly/annual
    or lifetime limit)
- message: Exceeds Max Per Transaction limit
  reason: Transaction value exceeds the limit currently set on the card per transaction
- message: 'Processor declined: DR: Declined due to Card Status: Security Violation'
  reason: Transaction attempted on Suspended Account / Card
- message: Timeout
  reason: Network / System Related outage at Processor. Cardholder Should retry transaction
- message: 'Processor declined: DR: Requires SCA. Transaction Amount (X) higher than Authentication Amount
    (Y) by up to 20%'
  reason: a pre-authorization has been taken for a specific amount, acting as a hold that the merchant
    can draw from the card. However, the final authorization amount may vary. The Strong Customer Authentication
    (SCA) is provided during this initial pre-auth. Subsequent authorizations may be either approved or
    softly declined, depending on certain parameters. If soft declined, the SCA process must be redone.
    In e-commerce scenarios, this will involve going through the Cardinal system and supplying the Knowledge
    Based Authentication (KBA).