Find Out What Do Not Honor Credit Card Decline Means

Understanding a "Do Not Honor (05)" Decline

What It Means

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 to protect the cardholder's privacy.

Common Causes

This decline can be caused by many different issues, including:

• Insufficient funds in the account.

• The bank's fraud protection system was triggered (e.g., the charge is from a new location or is for an unusually large amount).

• Incorrect card details were entered (like the CVC code, expiration date, or zip code).

• The card has been reported lost or stolen.

• The account has been closed or frozen.

What to Do

You cannot fix this issue on your end. The only solution must come from the customer.

1. Inform the customer that their card was declined by their bank with a "Do Not Honor" message.

2. Explain that they will need to contact their bank directly to find out the specific reason and approve the transaction.

3. Ask the customer for an alternative payment method, such as a different card or a checking account (ACH), to complete the payment.