05 | Do not honor
This code indicates the card issuer declined the transaction without providing a specific, publicly detailed reason.
What This Code Means
Response code 05 (“Do not honor”) is a general issuer decline used when the issuing bank rejects an authorization request but does not supply a more specific decline category through the response code alone. The decision is made by the issuer based on internal risk controls, account status checks, transaction attributes, and authorization rules. This code does not necessarily mean the card is invalid; it means the issuer chose not to approve the authorization at that time. It is not a network outage message and does not indicate a technical failure by itself. It represents an issuer decision outcome rather than a guaranteed explanation of the underlying cause.
Where Users Usually See This Code
- Merchant payment gateway decline logs
- POS terminal receipts showing “Do not honor”
- Processor dashboards listing issuer response codes
Why This Code Appears
- Issuer risk controls declined the authorization
- Transaction attributes did not meet issuer approval rules
- Account status or limits triggered a decline decision
- Issuer provided a non-specific decline response rather than a detailed code
What Typically Happens Next
- The authorization is declined and the purchase does not complete
- The merchant may display a generic decline message to the payer
- The issuer retains control over whether subsequent attempts are approved
What This Code Is Not
- It is not an invalid card number indication (see 14)
- It is not an “invalid amount” response (see 13)
- It is not a confirmed insufficient funds decline (see 51)
Troubleshooting Checklist
- □ Review the authorization log details (amount, merchant descriptor, entry method, and timestamp)
- □ Confirm whether the decline pattern occurs across multiple attempts or only under specific conditions
- □ Document the code for reconciliation and customer support records
- □ If escalations are needed, follow official issuer or processor support pathways
Notes And Edge Cases
“Do not honor” can be returned for varied reasons that are not visible to merchants in the response code. The same card may be accepted for some merchants or transaction contexts and declined for others. Timing, transaction type, and merchant category can influence issuer risk outcomes. In some cases, issuer-side system changes or elevated fraud controls can increase the frequency of non-specific declines without a change in the cardholder’s available balance.