- Stripe decline code
generic_decline- Can a retry work?
- Yes, at the right time
- What to do
- Retry a couple of times over a few days; then ask the customer to contact their bank or use another card.
What it means for a subscription payment
Stripe: "The card was declined for an unknown reason or Stripe Radar or Adaptive Acceptance blocked the payment." Most declines arrive like this; issuers keep the details for the cardholder.
If Stripe Radar or Adaptive Acceptance blocked the charge, the payment never reached the bank, and Stripe's advice code says not to retry.
Should you retry?
Sometimes. When the issuer declined, a retry a few days later can succeed, the same way as with do not honor. When Radar blocked it (advice code do_not_try_again), don't retry: ask the customer.
What to send the customer
Don't speculate about why. Give the customer two easy options: another card, or a word with their bank.
Your Acme Analytics payment was declined
Hi Maya, your card issuer declined the $49.00 renewal for Acme Analytics.
You can add another card, or contact your bank to approve the payment and we'll try again.
Update payment methodHow LastRetry handles it
LastRetry treats generic declines as soft: spaced-out retries on weekdays, then emails with a card update link. Every attempt is logged on the case timeline.
Questions
What does it mean when a payment is declined by the card issuer?
The customer's bank refused the charge. Issuers rarely tell merchants why; the cardholder can ask their bank directly.
Why is a card declined when the customer has money on it?
Because the balance isn't the only check. The bank can also decline for its own fraud rules (an unattended charge from abroad, for example), a daily or per-merchant limit, or a card that's been replaced. Only the bank can tell the customer which one it was.
How do you fix an issuer decline?
Retry once or twice over a few days. If it still fails, the customer should contact their bank or use another card.
Decline codes vary by card network, issuer and processor; the meanings here follow Stripe's documentation and common network usage. Updated October 4, 2026.