Payments - Common Reason Response Codes (RRC)
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10/29/2025 17:58 PM
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Introduction
This article provides an overview of common Reason Response Codes (RRC) used in Visa Acceptance and Cybersource payment processing. RRCs indicate the outcome of a transaction, including successful authorizations, declines, errors, and fraud-related flags. Understanding these codes helps merchants quickly identify transaction status, troubleshoot issues, and determine next steps.
For the complete list of RRCs, refer to the Support Article: "What does this Reason Code mean?". For API inquiries:
- Visa Acceptance Clients: developer.visaacceptance.com
- Cybersource Clients: developer.cybersource.com
Overview of Reason Response Codes
1. Successful Transactions and Declined Requests
| RRC | Description |
|---|---|
| RRC 100 | Successful Transaction – The payment has been successfully authorized and can be transmitted to your payment processor for funding. |
| RRC 101 & 102 | Declined by Cybersource – The request is missing one or more fields. Verify all required fields are included and properly formatted. |
| RRC 104 | Declined by Cybersource – The merchantReferenceCode matches another from the past 15 minutes. Confirm if this is a duplicate payment. |
| RRC 150 | Error – General system failure due to an internal Cybersource/Processor error. Review the reply message in EBC or API response. |
2. Bank Declines
Note: If the customer must contact their issuer/bank regarding a declined payment, provide the Transaction Reference Number (TRN), which is passed during authorization for tracking.
| RRC | Description |
|---|---|
| RRC 200 | Soft Decline – Approved by the issuing bank but flagged due to an Address Verification Service (AVS) mismatch. |
| RRC 201 | Hard Decline – Issuing bank requires clarification. No authorization code was received; obtain verbally from processor. |
| RRC 202 | Hard Decline – Payment method expired. Provide a valid expiration date or use another payment method. |
| RRC 203 | Hard Decline – General decline with no additional details. May relate to Strong Customer Authentication (SCA). |
| RRC 230 | Soft Decline – Approved by the issuing bank but flagged due to a Card Verification Number (CVN) mismatch. |
3. Fraud and Chargebacks
| RRC | Description |
|---|---|
| RRC 400 | Soft Decline – Fraud – Fraud score exceeds threshold set by Advanced Fraud Screen (AFS). Manual capture possible after review. |
Procedure / Merchant Action Steps
- Identify the RRC – Locate the code in transaction details via EBC or API response.
- Review the Description – Determine whether the transaction was successful, declined, or flagged.
- Apply Recommended Actions:
- For declines, check required fields and formatting.
- For duplicate codes, confirm payment intent.
- For fraud flags, review in AFS before capturing.
- Contact Relevant Party:
- Bank declines: Provide TRN to the customer for issuer follow-up.
- Processor errors: Contact your payment processor support.
- Prevent Recurrence – Ensure accurate customer information, maintain up-to-date payment method details, and follow fraud prevention/SCA compliance steps.
Summary Table
| Category | Example RRCs | Next Action |
|---|---|---|
| Successful Transactions | 100 | Proceed to settlement |
| Cybersource Declines | 101, 102, 104 | Correct missing/duplicate fields |
| System Errors | 150 | Retry or contact support |
| Bank Declines | 200, 201, 202, 203, 230 | Customer/bank follow-up |
| Fraud Flags | 400 | Review in AFS before capture |
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