Error codes
Soft decline
Stripe
issuer_not_available
The card issuer couldn't be reached, so the payment couldn't be authorized.
What does issuer_not_available mean?
The issuer_not_available decline indicates that the card network could not reach the issuing bank to authorize the transaction. This is typically a transient technical issue rather than a refusal.
Is it a soft or hard decline?
Soft decline. The card and account are fine; the issuer's system was just temporarily unreachable.
Common root causes
Temporary issuer system outage
Network connectivity issues between processor and issuer
Issuer maintenance window
Peak load causing timeouts
Recommended recovery steps
Retry after a short delay (5–30 minutes)
If still failing, wait several hours — larger outages typically resolve within a few hours
Monitor across your account for systemic issuer issues
Do not escalate to customer for transient failures
How FlyCode handles issuer_not_available
FlyCode's retry engine detects transient issuer outages and schedules retries during windows when the specific bank's authorization system is operational. This recovers transactions that would otherwise be lost during temporary issuer downtime.
What does issuer_not_available mean?
The issuer_not_available decline indicates that the card network could not reach the issuing bank to authorize the transaction. This is typically a transient technical issue rather than a refusal.
Is it a soft or hard decline?
Soft decline. The card and account are fine; the issuer's system was just temporarily unreachable.
Common root causes
Temporary issuer system outage
Network connectivity issues between processor and issuer
Issuer maintenance window
Peak load causing timeouts
Recommended recovery steps
Retry after a short delay (5–30 minutes)
If still failing, wait several hours — larger outages typically resolve within a few hours
Monitor across your account for systemic issuer issues
Do not escalate to customer for transient failures
How FlyCode handles issuer_not_available
FlyCode's retry engine detects transient issuer outages and schedules retries during windows when the specific bank's authorization system is operational. This recovers transactions that would otherwise be lost during temporary issuer downtime.
What does issuer_not_available mean?
The issuer_not_available decline indicates that the card network could not reach the issuing bank to authorize the transaction. This is typically a transient technical issue rather than a refusal.
Is it a soft or hard decline?
Soft decline. The card and account are fine; the issuer's system was just temporarily unreachable.
Common root causes
Temporary issuer system outage
Network connectivity issues between processor and issuer
Issuer maintenance window
Peak load causing timeouts
Recommended recovery steps
Retry after a short delay (5–30 minutes)
If still failing, wait several hours — larger outages typically resolve within a few hours
Monitor across your account for systemic issuer issues
Do not escalate to customer for transient failures
How FlyCode handles issuer_not_available
FlyCode's retry engine detects transient issuer outages and schedules retries during windows when the specific bank's authorization system is operational. This recovers transactions that would otherwise be lost during temporary issuer downtime.
Understanding This Decline Code
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does issuer_not_available mean?
How long should I wait to retry issuer_not_available?
Start with 5–30 minutes. If still failing, wait several hours. Most issuer outages resolve within a day. Do not retry aggressively — it will not change the outcome until the issuer is back online.
How does FlyCode handle issuer outages?
FlyCode detects issuer availability patterns and schedules retries during windows when the specific bank's authorization system is operational — recovering transactions that fixed retry schedules miss during outages.
