Summary
It might be difficult to understand the reason why a payment transaction has been declined. The Bank Response Code (BRC) will help the Merchant to identify the exact reason behind the decline.
A bank response code is a code that is returned by a bank or financial institution in response to a transaction request. This code indicates whether the transaction was approved, declined, or requires further action.
Bank response codes can vary depending on the type of transaction and the specific bank or financial institution involved.
This article provides a list of the most common Credit Card BRCs and their description.
Table of BRC Codes
| Card issuers bank response codes | ||
| BRC | Short Description | Long Description |
| 000 | Approved | No further action is required. Transaction is approved |
| 100 | Do not honor | There are various reasons why a card issuer may decline a transaction with BRC 100, including insufficient funds in the account, suspicion of fraudulent activity, the transaction amount is higher than the card's limit, the card has been reported lost or stolen or the account is closed or has been frozen. Suggested action: The cardholder should contact the card issuer to inquire about the reason for the decline. Once this is done, the transaction can be resubmitted. |
| 101 | Expired card | The card being used for the transaction has reached its expiration date and is no longer valid. When a card expires, the card issuer will typically send a replacement card with a new expiration date to the cardholder. |
| 102 | Address verification failed | BRC 102 typically indicates that the billing address provided during a transaction does not match the address on file with the cardholder's bank or financial institution. Suggested action: The cardholder should ensure that the address provided during the payment transaction matches the address on file with their bank or financial institution. |
| 103 | Invalid card verification code | BRC 103 typically indicates that the card verification code (CVC) provided during a transaction does not match the code on file with the cardholder's bank or financial institution. The CVC is a three (VISA, MC) or four (AMEX) digit code printed on the back of most payment cards (credit, debit, and prepaid cards), or sometimes on the front of American Express cards. Suggested action: The cardholder should double-check the CVC provided and ensure that it matches the code on their payment card. They may need to correct the code and try the transaction again, or use a different payment method to complete the transaction. |
| 104 | Restricted card | BRC 104 typically indicates that the card being used for the transaction has been restricted by the card issuer. There are various reasons why a card issuer may restrict a payment card, including the card has been reported lost or stolen, the account has been closed or has been frozen, tThe card has reached its limit or has been overused or the cardholder has requested the card to be restricted. Suggested action: The cardholder should contact their card issue to inquire about the reason for the card restriction. |
| 106 | Allowable PIN tries exceeded | BRC 106 typically indicates that the maximum number of attempts to enter a PIN (personal identification number) for a payment card has been exceeded. If the customer enters an incorrect PIN too many times, the card may be locked or deactivated, and the transaction may be declined. Suggested action: The cardholder should contact their bank or financial institution to resolve the issue. |
| 107 | Refer to card issuer | The cardholder should contact their card issuer to inquire about the reason for the referral. There could be various reasons why a card issuer may require a transaction to be referred to them, such as the cardholder's account is over its credit limit, the card has been reported lost or stolen, the card is blocked or restricted, the transaction amount is unusual or exceeds the cardholder's spending patterns or the cardholder's account has been closed or is inactive. Suggested action: The cardholder should contact their card issuer to inquire about the reason for the referral. |
| 109 | Invalid Merchant | BRC 109 typically indicates that the merchant identifier (MID) used in a transaction is invalid. Suggested action: The merchant should contact the bank, financial institution or acquirer that issued to MID to verify that the merchant information is accurate and correctly set up. |
| 110 | Invalid amount | BRC 110 typically indicates that the transaction amount entered is incorrect or invalid. There could be various reasons why the transaction amount may be considered invalid, such as the amount entered is too high or too low for the type of payment card being used, the amount entered contains decimal points or other non-numeric characters that are not allowed, the amount entered is not in the correct currency or format for the transaction or the amount entered is outside of the cardholder's spending limits or patterns. Suggested action: The merchant should verify that the transaction amount is accurate and formatted correctly. The cardholder may need to contact the bank or financial institution that issued the payment card to verify any spending limits or restrictions that may be in place. |
| 111 | Invalid card number | BRC 111 typically indicates that the payment card number entered is incorrect or invalid. There could be various reasons why the card number may be considered invalid, such as the card number is mistyped or contains incorrect digits, the card number is expired or inactive, the card number is not recognized by the bank or financial institution that issued the card, the card number has been reported as lost or stolen, the card number is not supported by the acquirer or payment network being used for the transaction. Suggested action: The merchant should verify that the card number is accurate and entered correctly. The cardholder may need contact the card issuer to verify any issues related to the card or account. |
| 112 | PIN data required | BRC 112 typically indicates that the transaction requires a PIN (Personal Identification Number) to be entered by the cardholder, but the PIN data was not provided or was incorrect. The cardholder should ensure that the PIN data is entered correctly. The cardholder may also need to verify with the card issuer that the card is enabled for PIN-based transactions. Suggested action: The merchant should ensure that the correct transaction type is being used. |
| 116 | Not sufficient funds | BRC 116 typically indicates that the transaction was declined because there are not enough funds available in the account linked to the card to cover the transaction amount. Suggested action: The cardholder should ensure that their account has enough funds to cover the transaction or use an alternative payment method. |
| 117 | Incorrect PIN | BRC 117 typically indicates that the PIN (Personal Identification Number) entered by the cardholder for the transaction was incorrect or did not match the PIN on file for the payment card. Suggested action: The cardholder should verify that the correct PIN has been entered and try again. It's important to note that after a certain number of incorrect PIN attempts, the card may become blocked or disabled for security reasons. |
| 118 | No card record | BRC 118 typically indicates that the payment card number provided in the transaction is not recognized by the bank or financial institution that issued the card. Suggested action: The cardholder should verify that the payment card number is accurate and entered correctly. The cardholder may also need to contact the card issuer to verify any issues related to the card or account. |
| 119 | Transaction not permitted to cardholder | BRC 119 typically indicates that the transaction was declined because the card issuer has restricted the type or category of transactions that the cardholder can perform (such as cash advances, international transactions, or certain merchant categories). Suggested action: The cardholder should verify that the card issuer has not restricted the type of transaction they are attempting to perform. |
| 120 | Transaction not allowed for terminal | BRC 120 typically indicates that the transaction was declined because the payment terminal used for the transaction is not authorized or configured to perform the type or category of transaction being attempted (such as cash advances, refunds, or certain merchant categories). Suggested action: Merchant should verify that the payment terminal is authorized and configured to perform the type of transaction being attempted. You may also need to contact your payment processor or the payment terminal manufacturer for additional information or assistance. |
| 125 | Card not effective | BRC 125 typically indicates that a card is not effective or is not authorized for use. This response code is generated by the bank's system when there are issues with the card or account being used. There could be several reasons why a bank response code 125 is generated. For example, the card may have expired, been reported lost or stolen, or the account may have insufficient funds. It could also be due to a technical issue with the card or account, or a problem with the bank's system. Suggested action: The cardholder should contact the card issuer to find out why the transaction was declined and how to resolve the issue. The cardholder may need to request a new card, update their account information, or resolve any outstanding issues with their account before they can use the card again. |
| 130 | Invalid terminal | BRC 130 typically indicates that the terminal or device used to process the transaction is not authorized or recognized by the bank. This can occur if the terminal is not registered with the bank, or if there is an error in the information provided to the bank. Suggested action: The merchant should contact their payment processor or their acquirer. Merchant may need to update their terminal information or register the device with the acquirer in order to process transactions successfully. |
| 190 | Switch to chip & PIN | BRC 190 typically indicates that the bank is requiring that the transaction be completed using a chip-enabled card and a PIN, rather than a magnetic stripe and signature. This response code is generated by the bank's system when a transaction is attempted using a magnetic stripe card or when the cardholder has not entered a PIN for a chip-enabled card. Suggested action: The cardholder should verify that their card is chip-enabled, or that there is no issue with their PIN. The merchant should verify that the terminal is chip-enabled. |
| 191 | SCA required | BRC 191 typically indicates that the bank requires Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) for the transaction to be completed. SCA is a regulatory requirement introduced by the European Union to increase the security of online transactions and reduce the risk of fraud. This response code is generated by the bank's system when a transaction is attempted without the required level of authentication. This could occur, for example, if a transaction is attempted using a card that has not been enrolled in a 3D Secure program. Suggested action: The cardholder should follow the instructions provided by the bank to complete the required authentication steps. The merchant should also confirm with their payment processor and acquirer that their Merchant ID is 3DS enabled. |
| 200 | Do not honor | BRC 200 typically indicates that the bank has declined a transaction due to a risk-related reason. The bank has identified a potential risk associated with the transaction, such as a high likelihood of fraud or insufficient funds in the account. Suggested action: The cardholder should contact their card issuer to find out why the transaction was declined. |
| 202 | Suspected fraud | BRC 202 typically indicates that the bank has identified a potential risk of fraud associated with the transaction. This response code is generated when an unusual or suspicious activity, such as an unusually large transaction, a transaction from a new location, or a transaction that does not fit the cardholder's typical spending patterns has been identified. Suggested action: The cardholder should contact their bank or financial institution immediately to report the suspected fraud and take steps to protect their account. |
| 207 | Special conditions | BRC 207 typically indicates that there are special conditions associated with the transaction that require further action or attention from the bank. When a transaction meets certain criteria that require additional review or approval (for example, if a transaction is above a certain dollar amount, if it involves an unusual or high-risk merchant category, or if it is part of a series of transactions that are outside the cardholder's normal spending patterns), this bank response code will be generated. Suggested action: The cardholder should contact the card issuer for more information about the special conditions. |
| 208 | Lost cards | BRC 208 typically indicates that the transaction was declined because the card being used has been reported as lost. Suggested action: The cardholder should contact their card issuer to request a replacement card and will need to complete the payment transaction using a different card or method of payment. |
| 209 | Stolen card | BRC 209 typically indicates that the transaction was declined because the card being used has been reported as stolen. Suggested action: The cardholder should contact their card issuer to request a replacement card and will need to complete the payment transaction using a different card or method of payment. |
| 400 | Reversal accepted | BRC 400 typically indicates that a previously authorized transaction has been reversed or voided by the bank. |
| 401 | Reversal failed | BRC 401 typically indicates that a previously authorized transaction reversal request was not successful. This can occur if the transaction has already been settled, if there are insufficient funds in the cardholder's account, or if the transaction was not authorized in the first place. It is important to ensure that all reversal requests are processed correctly and promptly to avoid disputes or chargebacks. Suggested action: The cardholder should contact their bank or financial institution for more information about why the reversal request was not successful. |
| 501 | Stop payment order one time recurring payments | BRC 501 typically indicates that the cardholder has requested to cancel a single recurring payment associated with their account per the cardholder's request when the cardholder no longer wants to receive the goods or services associated with the recurring payment, or if they have experienced unauthorized charges or fraud on their account. The merchant will not be able to charge the cardholder's account for that particular payment. Suggested action: Merchant should contact the cardholder to confirm the cancellation and to advise them of any outstanding payments or balances that may still be owed. Failure to comply with the bank's request may result in disputes or chargebacks and can damage the merchant reputation. |
| 502 | Revocation of Authorizations for all recurring payments | BRC 502 typically indicates that the cardholder's bank has cancelled or revoked all future recurring payments associated with the cardholder's account per the cardholder's request or when the bank has reason to believe that the cardholder's account may be compromised or at risk of fraud. It's important to comply with the cardholder's bank's request to cancel recurring payments and to ensure that no additional charges are made to their account. Failure to comply with the bank's request may result in disputes or chargebacks and can damage the merchant reputation. Suggested action: The merchant should contact the cardholder to advise them of the issue and to determine if they would like to provide a different payment method or to cancel the service or subscription associated with the recurring payment. |
| 503 | Revocation of all Authorizations for all recurring payments (closed account) | BRC 503 typically indicates that the cardholder's account has been closed by the bank and all future recurring payments associated with the account have been cancelled or revoked. This can occur if the cardholder has requested to close their account, if the account has been inactive for a long period of time, or if the bank has determined that the account is at risk of fraud or suspicious activity. Failure to comply with the bank's request may result in disputes or chargebacks and can damage the merchant's reputation. Suggested action: The merchant should contact the cardholder to advise them of the issue and to determine if they would like to provide a different payment method or to cancel the service or subscription associated with the recurring payment. |
| Technical Response Codes | ||
| 902 | Invalid transaction | BRC 902 typically indicates that a transaction was declined because the transaction details were invalid or incomplete. Suggested action: The merchant should contact their payment processor for this technical error. |
| 903 | Re-enter transaction | BRC 903 typically indicates that the transaction was not completed successfully, and the merchant needs to re-enter the transaction to try again. Suggested action: The merchant should contact their payment processor for this technical error. |
| 904 | Format error | BRC 904 typically indicates that the transaction request was not formatted correctly or was missing required information. Suggested action: The merchant should contact their payment processor for this technical error. |
| 907 | Card issuer or switch inoperative | BRC 907 typically indicates that the card issuer or payment processing switch is currently experiencing technical difficulties and is unable to process the transaction at this time. Suggested action: The merchant should contact their payment processor for this technical error. |
| 909 | System malfunction | BRC 909 Bank response code 909 typically indicates that the payment processing system is experiencing a technical malfunction or outage, and is currently unable to process transactions. Suggested action: The merchant should contact their payment processor for this technical error. |
| 980 | Cannot connect to connector | BRC 980 typically indicates that the payment processing system is unable to establish a connection with the connector or gateway that processes the transaction. Suggested action: The merchant should contact their payment processor for this technical error. |
| 981 | Connector error | BRC 981 typically indicates that there is an error with the connector or gateway that processes the transaction. Suggested action: The merchant should contact their payment processor for this technical error. |
| 982 | Cannot connect to acquirer | BRC 982 typically indicates that the payment processing system is unable to establish a connection with the acquirer. Suggested action: The merchant should contact their payment processor for this technical error. |
| 983 | No response from acquirer | BRC 983 Bank response code 983 typically indicates that the payment processing system did not receive a response from the acquirer when attempting to process the transaction. Suggested action: The merchant should contact their payment processor for this technical error. |
| 984 | Error reading acquirer response | BRC 984 Bank response code 984 typically indicates that there was an error in reading the response from the acquirer when attempting to process the transaction. Suggested action: The merchant should contact their payment processor for this technical error. |