Tabs Pay: Troubleshooting Failed Payments

Last updated: October 9, 2026

This article covers the payment problems merchants run into most often, what each one usually means, and what to do about it.

A card was declined

Your customer sees one of four general messages—payment declined, incorrect card information, insufficient funds, or processing error—while your payments report shows the specific reason behind it. That's why your customer often can't tell you much: the detail is on your side, not theirs. This is to prevent fraudulent activity i.e. stolen cards or data.

A bank account failed on the first payment

Bank details are now verified in real time at the moment your customer saves the payment method, rather than through microdeposits over several days. A mismatch stops the payment immediately instead of leaving it pending.

Have your customer re-enter their routing and account numbers. Most of these are a mistyped digit. For anything else, check the reason against ACH return reasons below.

A bank account fails every single time

If an account fails on every attempt—particularly one that has paid you successfully before—the details probably aren't the problem. A bank account can carry a standing block that refuses every ACH debit sent to it, however the details are entered.

Ask your customer to pay from a different bank account. The block applies to one account only, so a different account, even at the same bank, goes through normally. This resolves almost every case and it's by far the fastest route.

Tabs can request that a block be lifted by the processor, but it's worth understanding the path before you offer it to a customer. The request needs official documentation from your customer's bank confirming the account is in good standing and able to accept ACH debits.

Card decline reasons

Every card decline reason you may see in your payments report, what your customer saw on screen, and what to do about it.

Code	Reason	Your customer sees	What to do
2	Refused	Payment declined	The issuer refused it without giving a reason. Your customer should contact their card issuer or use a different card.
3	Referral	Payment declined	The issuer wants a voice authorization, which which isn't supported through the platform and is rare. Treat it as a decline and have your customer use a different card or have them reach out to the issuer directly.
4	Acquirer error	Processing error	A temporary fault in processing, not a problem with the card. Your customer can try again after a short delay.
5	Blocked card	Payment declined	The issuer has blocked the card—usually lost, stolen, or frozen. Your customer needs a different card.
6	Expired card	Incorrect card information	Your customer should update the expiry date or add a new card in the payment portal.
7	Invalid amount	Payment declined	The amount didn't match what the issuer would accept. Not something your customer can fix. Have them try again, and contact Tabs if it repeats.
8	Invalid card number	Incorrect card information	Your customer should re-enter the card number. If it fails a second time the number is genuinely wrong—have them use a different card rather than keep trying.
9	Issuer unavailable	Processing error	The issuing bank couldn't be reached. It could be a temporary network error and the customer can try again momentarily.
10	Not supported	Payment declined	The issuer doesn't allow this type of transaction on this card—common with prepaid, corporate, and non-US cards. Your customer should use a different card or pay by ACH.
12	Not enough balance	Insufficient funds	Your customer needs to add funds or use a different card.
14	Acquirer fraud	Payment declined	Declined on suspected fraud. Don't retry.
15	Cancelled	Payment declined	The transaction was cancelled before it completed. No fault on either side; your customer can start the payment again.
16	Shopper cancelled	Payment declined	Your customer abandoned the payment themselves, so this isn't a payment failure. They can retry when ready.
20	Fraud	Payment declined	Blocked by risk screening before authorization.
21	Not submitted	Processing error	The transaction wasn't submitted correctly. Nothing your customer can fix—have them try once more, and contact Tabs if it repeats.
22	Fraud-cancelled	Payment declined	The same as code 20, triggered by risk screening that combines checks from before and after authorization.
23	Transaction not permitted	Payment declined	The issuer doesn't permit this payment on this card. Your customer should ask their bank to authorize this type of payment, or use a different card.
24	CVC declined	Incorrect card information	Your customer should re-enter the security code—three digits on the back of the card, or four on the front for Amex.
25	Restricted card	Payment declined	The card is restricted, or isn't valid for use in this country. Since Tabs Pay is US-only, a non-US card is a likely cause.
26	Revocation of auth	Payment declined	Your customer has told their bank to stop payments on this method. Turn off autocharge for it if applicable and contact your customer to set up a new payment method.
27	Declined non generic	Payment declined	A generic issuer decline with no usable detail behind it. Your customer should contact their issuer or use a different card.
28	Withdrawal amount exceeded	Payment declined	The payment is over a per-transaction limit on the card, which isn't the same as running out of money. Common on large invoices. Your customer can ask their bank to raise the limit, split the payment, or pay by ACH.
29	Withdrawal count exceeded	Payment declined	The card has hit the number of transactions allowed for the period. Your customer can wait and try later, and autocharge will re-attempt on the next cycle.
31	Issuer suspected fraud	Payment declined	The issuing bank flagged this as suspected fraud. Only the bank can clear it, so your customer needs to contact them.
32	AVS declined	Incorrect card information	The billing address doesn't match what the issuer holds. Your customer should re-enter their ZIP code on the payment portal.
34	No checking account available on card	Payment declined	The issuer needs a linked checking account that this card doesn't have. Your customer needs a different card.
35	No savings account available on card	Payment declined	The issuer needs a linked savings account that this card doesn't have. Your customer needs a different card.
40	Current AID is in penalty box	Processing error	The payment network couldn't be reached. Send your customer to a different card rather than re-attempting the same one. Contact Tabs if you see this across several customers.
46	Blocked to prevent excessive retry fees	Payment declined	This card has already been attempted too many times, and further attempts would incur card network penalties. Stop retrying it and ask your customer for a different method.
50	Token revoked	Payment declined	Your customer has disabled the saved payment method for recurring charges. Contact them to collect a new one.

ACH return reasons

Every ACH return reason shows your customer the same generic message—payment declined.

Code	Reason	What to do
R02	Account closed	The bank account has been closed. Your customer needs to pay from a different account and update their saved method.
R03	No account / unable to locate account	The details don't match any account at that bank. Your customer should check the routing and account numbers, or use a different account.
R04	Invalid account number	The account number is wrong. Have your customer re-enter it.
R12	Account sold to another DFI	Your customer changed banks and the account moved with it. They need to add their new account.
R13	Invalid ACH routing number	The routing number is wrong. Have your customer re-enter it.
R14	Representative payee deceased or unable to continue	The person authorized to act on the account can no longer do so. Contact your customer directly rather than retrying.
R15	Beneficiary or account holder deceased	The account holder is deceased. Contact your customer directly rather than retrying.
R20	Non-transaction account	The account can't accept ACH transactions, because of regulation or the bank's own policy. Your customer needs a different account.
R34	Limited participation DFI	A regulator has limited that bank's ability to process ACH. Your customer needs an account at a different bank.