Nowadays nearly all of us use credit cards. But when we get an error from a POS or an ATM, do we actually know what that error means?
The response codes returned for POS transactions in particular are very important for resolving the issue or deciding what action to take.
Below are the error codes that can appear in authorization messages, along with a plain-language description and the standard ISO 8583 description for each:
Authorization error codes and their descriptions
| Code | Description | ISO 8583 Description |
| 00 | Transaction Successful | Successful |
| 01 | Contact your bank (issuer) | Refer to card issuer |
| 02 | Contact your bank, special condition (issuer) | Refer to card issuer, special condition |
| 03 | Invalid Merchant | Invalid merchant or service provider |
| 04 | Capture the card | Pickup card |
| 05 | Transaction not approved. (One of the most frequently used codes when a bank declines a transaction.) | Do not honor |
| 06 | General Error | Error |
| 07 | Capture the card, special condition | Pickup card, special condition (other than lost/stolen card) |
| 08 | Honour with ID | Honour with ID |
| 09 | Try Again | Try Again |
| 10 | Partial Approval | Partial Approval |
| 11 | Approved – Special | V.I.P. approval |
| 12 | Invalid Transaction | Invalid transaction |
| 13 | Invalid Amount | Invalid amount (currency conversion field overflow) |
| 14 | Invalid Card Number | Invalid account number (no such number) |
| 15 | Issuer Not Found | No such issuer |
| 17 | Customer Cancellation | Customer cancellation |
| 19 | Re-enter the Transaction | Re-enter transaction |
| 20 | Invalid Response | Invalid response |
| 21 | No Action Taken | No action taken (unable to back out prior transaction) |
| 22 | Suspected Malfunction | Suspected Malfunction |
| 25 | Record not found in file, or the account number is missing from the inquiry | Unable to locate record in file, or account number is missing from the inquiry |
| 28 | File Temporarily Unavailable | File is temporarily unavailable |
| 29 | Original Not Found | Original not found |
| 30 | Format Error | Format Error |
| 33 | Expired Card | Expired card, pick -up |
| 36 | Restricted Card, Capture | Restricted card, pick-up |
| 38 | PIN Tries Exceeded, Capture the Card | Allowable PIN tries exceeded, pick-up |
| 41 | Lost Card, Capture | Pickup card (lost card) |
| 43 | Stolen Card, Capture | Pickup card (stolen card) |
| 51 | Insufficient Limit. | Insufficient funds |
| 52 | Account Not Found | No checking account |
| 53 | Account Not Found | No savings account |
| 54 | Expired Card | Expired card |
| 55 | Incorrect PIN | Incorrect PIN |
| 57 | Issuing bank did not permit the transaction | Transaction not permitted to cardholder |
| 58 | Acquiring bank did not permit the transaction | Transaction not allowed at terminal |
| 59 | Suspected Fraud | Suspected fraud |
| 61 | Maximum Transaction Limit Exceeded | Activity amount limit exceeded |
| 62 | Restricted Card | Restricted card (for example, in Country Exclusion table) |
| 63 | Security Violation | Security violation |
| 65 | Maximum Transaction Count Exceeded | Activity count limit exceeded |
| 68 | Response Received Too Late | Response received too late |
| 75 | PIN Tries Exceeded | Allowable number of PIN-entry tries exceeded |
| 76 | RRN Mismatch | Unable to locate previous message (no match on Retrieval Reference number) |
| 77 | Original Message Mismatch | Previous message located for a repeat or reversal, but repeat or reversal data are inconsistent with original message |
| 78 | Card Could Not Be Unblocked | 'Blocked, first used'—The transaction is from a new cardholder, and the card has not been properly unblocked. |
| 79 | ARQC Error | ARQC Failed |
| 80 | Date Error | Visa transactions: credit issuer unavailable. Private label and check acceptance: Invalid date |
| 81 | PIN Decryption Error | PIN cryptographic error found (error found by VIC security module during PIN decryption) |
| 82 | Negative CAM, dCVV, iCVV, or CVV Result | Negative CAM, dCVV, iCVV, or CVV results |
| 83 | Unable to Verify PIN | Unable to verify PIN |
| 85 | PIN Operation Approved | No reason to decline a request for account number verification, address verification, CVV2 verification, or a credit voucher or merchandise return |
| 91 | Issuer and Acquirer Unavailable. | Issuer unavailable or switch inoperative (STIP not applicable or available for this transaction) |
| 92 | Routing Destination Not Found | Destination cannot be found for routing |
| 93 | Transaction Could Not Be Completed | Transaction cannot be completed, violation of law |
| 94 | Duplicate Transaction | Duplicate Transmission |
| 95 | Batch Close Error | Reconcile error |
| 96 | System Malfunction | System malfunction, System malfunction or certain field error conditions |
| 98 | Duplicate Reversal | duplicate Reversal |
| B1 | Surcharge Not Permitted on Visa Cards | Surcharge amount not permitted on Visa cards (U.S. acquirers only) |
| N0 | Force STIP | Force STIP |
| N3 | Cash service not available | Cash service not available |
| N4 | Cash Withdrawal Request Exceeds Issuer Limit | Cashback request exceeds issuer limit |
| N7 | Declined Due to CVV2 Error | Decline for CVV2 failure |
| P2 | Invalid biller information | Invalid biller information |
| P5 | PIN Change/Unblock Request Declined | PIN Change/Unblock request declined |
| P6 | Unsafe PIN | Unsafe PIN |
| Q1 | Card Authentication Failed | Card Authentication failed |
| R0 | Payment Order Stopped | Stop Payment Order |
| R1 |
Revocation of Authorization Request | Revocation of Authorization Order |
| R3 |
Revocation of All Authorization Requests | Revocation of All Authorizations Order |
| XA | Forwarded to Issuer | Forward to issuer |
| XD | Forwarded to Issuer | Forward to issuer |
| Z3 | Unable to Go Online | Unable to go online |