- Stripe decline code
do_not_honor- Network response code
- 05
- Can a retry work?
- Yes, at the right time
- What to do
- Retry a few times, spaced out over days. Email the customer if it keeps failing.
What it means for a subscription payment
Stripe describes do_not_honor as a card declined "for an unknown reason": the issuing bank refused the charge and didn't share why. Banks only discuss the specific reason with their own cardholder.
On a subscription renewal, the usual causes are temporary: the bank's fraud checks flagged an unattended charge, a daily limit was hit, or the issuer had a short problem. The card itself is usually still valid.
Should you retry?
Often, yes. Visa groups 05 with its generic declines, which may be retried within the network's limits (15 attempts in 30 days for Visa's retryable categories). Stripe doesn't treat do_not_honor as a hard decline, so its own retries keep trying it.
Space retries out instead of firing them in a row: a few days apart, on weekdays, during banking hours. If Stripe's advice code on the charge says do_not_try_again, stop retrying and ask the customer instead.
What to send the customer
If two or three retries fail, the customer has to step in. Keep the email short, don't guess at the reason, and point them to their bank or to a different card.
Your payment for Acme Analytics didn't go through
Hi Maya, your bank declined the $49.00 renewal for Acme Analytics. It didn't say why, which is common for automatic payments.
You can add another card, or ask your bank to allow the payment and we'll try again.
Update payment methodHow LastRetry handles it
LastRetry treats do_not_honor as a soft decline: short back-off retries on weekdays during banking hours, then an email in your name with a card update link if the retries don't work.
Questions
What does decline code 05 mean?
Do not honor: the issuing bank declined the payment without giving a reason. On a recurring charge it's usually a fraud check, a limit or a temporary issuer problem, and a later retry often works.
What does "do not honor" mean on a credit card decline?
The card issuer declined the payment without giving a reason. It doesn't mean the card is cancelled; for recurring charges it's usually a fraud check, a limit or a temporary issuer problem.
How do you fix a do not honor card error?
Retry a few days later. If it keeps failing, the cardholder should call their bank to allow the charge, or use another card.
Is decline code 05 a hard or a soft decline?
Usually soft. Visa treats 05 as a generic decline that can be retried within its limits, and Stripe doesn't list do_not_honor among its hard declines.
Decline codes vary by card network, issuer and processor; the meanings here follow Stripe's documentation and common network usage. Updated October 4, 2026.