Find Out What Do Not Honor Credit Card Decline Means

Modified on Sun, 12 Apr at 10:01 PM

Overview

A "Do Not Honor (05)" message is the most common and general decline code sent by a customer's bank (the card issuer). It simply means the bank is refusing to validate the transaction. The bank will not provide a specific reason for the decline in order to protect the cardholder's privacy.

Common Causes

This decline can be triggered by many different issues, including but not limited to:

Insufficient funds in the account
The bank's fraud protection system being triggered (for example, the charge is from a new location or is for an unusually large amount)
Incorrect card details being entered (such as the CVC code, expiration date, or zip code)
The card having been reported lost or stolen
The account having been closed or frozen

What to Do

This issue cannot be fixed on your end — the resolution must come from the customer. Follow the steps below to resolve the situation.

Notify the Customer — Inform the customer that their card was declined by their bank with a "Do Not Honor" message.
Direct the Customer to Their Bank — Explain that they will need to contact their bank directly to find out the specific reason and to approve the transaction.
Request an Alternative Payment Method — Ask the customer for an alternative payment method, such as a different card or a checking account (ACH), to complete the payment.

⚠️ IMPORTANT

You cannot resolve a "Do Not Honor (05)" decline on your end. The bank will not disclose the specific reason for the decline to anyone other than the cardholder. The customer must contact their bank directly.

Need Additional Help?

Our Customer Success team is here to assist you.

Phone: 847-405-9517 x1
Email: customer.success@alarmbills.com