Soft decline Definition.

A “soft,” recoverable authorization decline: the issuer is not rejecting the card but asking for an action, typically authentication (response code 1A / 65, “SCA required”). The right move is to resubmit the transaction immediately through a 3-D Secure flow. A hard decline (stolen card, closed account, invalid card number), by contrast, must never be retried as is; the schemes penalize excessive retries.

See also

→ Authorization→ 3-D Secure→ CIT / MIT

Where this term appears

GuideSwitching payment providers: how to run a PSP migrationGuidePayment declines and how to handle themGuideAuthorizationGuideMerchant agreements and onboardingGuideTransaction data and approval ratesGuideManaging tokenized cardsGuide3-D Secure 2 and SCA exemptionsGuidePayment routing and optimizationGuideTesting, certification, and UATGuideRunning payments by the numbers: the KPIs that drive decisionsCourseManaging fraud internationallyCourseA CB card transaction, end to end

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