Updated June 2024
Decline Code 05
A decline code 05 is a formal way of a bank saying a credit card transaction was denied. As a merchant, you'll see this on your monthly statements, and it can occur for a number of common reasons. So let's dive into the details when it comes to decline code 05 and figure out why your online payments got declined. Overall, it's not very complicated and can even be reduced by implementing a few strategic changes.
Why Do Credit Card Decline Codes Happen?
When a credit card is declined, the merchant is given a two-digit credit card declined code so that they know why the customer's credit card account can't process the transaction. This allows the merchant to know if they should run the card again.
When a credit card is swiped and transaction details sent, the information goes through multiple entities. First, it goes to the payment processor, then to through the payment gateway, and finally to the customer's issuing bank. Any of these institutions can send back decline codes.
