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Your card was declined
Exact error
Your card was declined. (code: card_declined)
What it means
The card issuer (or Stripe Radar) declined the payment. The decline_code field gives more detail, e.g. insufficient_funds or generic_decline.
Likely causes
- Insufficient funds, issuer fraud rules, or a blocked card.
- Using a real card in test mode, or a test card in live mode.
- Radar rules blocking the payment.
How to fix it
Read error.decline_code and show the customer a clear message asking for another payment method.
In test mode use Stripe test cards, e.g. 4242 4242 4242 4242 (succeeds) or 4000 0000 0000 0002 (declines).
Check Dashboard → Payments → the payment for the decline reason and any Radar rule.
Prevent this next time
- Test webhooks locally with `stripe listen` and the Stripe test cards before going live.
- Check webhook delivery attempts in the Stripe Dashboard after each deploy, and keep test and live keys clearly separated per environment.
FAQ
What does "Your card was declined" mean?
The card issuer (or Stripe Radar) declined the payment. The decline_code field gives more detail, e.g. insufficient_funds or generic_decline.
What usually causes it?
Insufficient funds, issuer fraud rules, or a blocked card. Using a real card in test mode, or a test card in live mode. Radar rules blocking the payment.
How do I fix it?
1. Read error.decline_code and show the customer a clear message asking for another payment method. 2. In test mode use Stripe test cards, e.g. 4242 4242 4242 4242 (succeeds) or 4000 0000 0000 0002 (declines). 3. Check Dashboard → Payments → the payment for the decline reason and any Radar rule.
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