Knowledge Base › Payments & cards
A card was declined
What a decline message means, how it differs from a card reader problem, and what to do next.
A message that starts with Declined came from the card's bank: the card reader and the POS worked, but the charge was refused. Nothing was charged. Ask the guest for another card or another way to pay.
Declined or reader problem?
| You see | What it means |
|---|---|
| Declined Error followed by a code and a reason | The bank refused the card. Try another card. |
| Transaction Canceled | Someone pressed Cancel on the POS or the reader. Try again. |
| The card reader didn't answer or The card reader sent no answer. | The terminal couldn't talk to the reader. See The card reader isn't responding. |
| This terminal has no card reader set up | This terminal has no reader assigned. Use a terminal that has one. |
Good to know
- Don't keep re-running a declined card. The guest's bank decides; trying again rarely changes the answer.
- The error text and code are worth writing down if you need help from a manager or your dealer.
- If a check has several payments, the ones already approved stay on it under Tendered. Only the balance still needs paying.
Related: Take a card payment.