Refer to Card Issuer
"Refer to Card Issuer" is a generic response instructing the merchant that only the cardholder's bank can explain or resolve the decline. It's one of the most common catch-all decline codes merchants encounter, alongside "Do Not Honor," and gives no specific reason for the refusal.
Decline code by card network
| Card network | Code | Network's wording |
|---|---|---|
| Visa | 01 | Refer to Card Issuer |
| Visa | 02 | Refer to Card Issuer — Special Condition |
| Mastercard | 01 | Refer to Card Issuer |
| Mastercard | 02 | Refer to Card Issuer — Special Condition |
Common causes
- The issuer wants to speak directly with the cardholder before allowing the transaction, often for identity verification.
- The account has a special condition or hold that the issuer doesn't disclose in the decline response itself.
- The issuer's system routed the decision to manual review rather than an automatic approval or denial.
What merchants should do
- Direct the customer to call the number on the back of their card, since only the issuer can explain the specific condition.
- Offer an alternative payment method to keep the sale moving while the customer resolves the issue with their bank.
- Avoid immediately retrying the same transaction, as it typically requires the cardholder to take action with their issuer first.
How to prevent this
- Provide clear, friendly guidance in your checkout error messaging pointing customers to contact their card issuer.
- Support multiple payment methods so a single generic decline doesn't stall the entire checkout.
- Track this decline rate by issuer to spot patterns, though because it's inherently non-specific, resolution mostly falls to the cardholder rather than the merchant.
The “02” variant, flagged as a special condition, often indicates the issuer has a more specific internal reason than the standard “01” response, but merchants cannot distinguish the two operationally since both simply require the cardholder to contact their bank.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between "Refer to Card Issuer" and "Do Not Honor"?
Both are generic, non-specific declines from the issuer. "Refer to Card Issuer" more explicitly signals the issuer wants the cardholder to contact them directly, while "Do Not Honor" is simply a refusal without that specific instruction. In practice, merchants should treat both the same way operationally.
Can the merchant find out the real reason for the decline?
No. The specific reason is known only to the issuer and is intentionally not shared with the merchant. The cardholder must contact their bank directly to learn more.