Stripe decline code
do_not_honorThe issuing bank has flagged the charge, usually for a fraud or risk reason, and will not approve it right now.
Type
Recoverable
Frequency
Commondo_not_honor is a common ISO 8583 response code (05) that the bank returns when it suspects the charge is risky but does not want to explain why. The card is often valid and in good standing, but the issuer has blocked this specific attempt. Retrying aggressively can get your merchant account flagged by card networks for abuse.
Retry at most once after 24 hours. If it fails again, stop and ask the customer to contact their bank or use a different card. Unlike insufficient_funds, retrying do_not_honor aggressively hurts your account standing.
Avoid saying "your card was declined for fraud" because most do_not_honor flags are not fraud. A neutral message ("the bank declined the charge; please try again later or use a different card") is safer.
Temporary issue. The card is still valid. High recovery rate with proper retry timing.
No. do_not_honor is a general risk flag, not a confirmed fraud determination. Only fraudulent and stolen_card indicate actual fraud suspicion. Most do_not_honor declines are bank risk heuristics, not fraud.
Common causes: a charge amount higher than usual, a new billing descriptor, a geography change in your customer base, or a recent merchant account change. Review your recent charges and Stripe Radar signals.
How Rebounce handles do_not_honor
Rebounce classifies every failed payment by its Stripe decline code and applies the optimal recovery strategy automatically. For do_not_honor, that means a limited retry window combined with customer outreach. Multi-channel follow-up through email, SMS, WhatsApp, and in-app banners ensures the customer actually sees the message.
generic_declineSoft declineThe card issuer declined the charge but did not provide a specific reason. This is a catch-all soft decline used when the bank will not say why.
card_declinedSoft declineA generic decline from the card issuer. Very similar to generic_decline: the bank said no without giving a specific reason.
fraudulentFraud or securityThe card issuer has flagged this specific card as fraudulent. The card is compromised and cannot be charged.