Stripe decline codeStripe: incorrect_cvc (the card’s security code is incorrect)

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What incorrect_cvc means, and the fix

1. 01

   The customer typed the code wrong

   “The CVC number is incorrect.” Stripe, Decline codes (incorrect_cvc)

   The bank compared the three or four digits with the card and they didn’t match. Nothing was charged.

2. 02

   Show the error on the CVC field

   “The card’s security code is incorrect. Check the card’s security code or use a different card.” Stripe, Error codes (incorrect_cvc)

   Name the field so the customer knows what to fix. An empty or short CVC is caught by the Payment Element before the bank sees it, so this decline means the digits were complete but wrong.

   const { error } = await stripe.confirmPayment({
     elements,
     confirmParams: { return_url: 'https://example.com/done' },
     redirect: 'if_required',
   });
   if (error?.code === 'incorrect_cvc' || error?.decline_code === 'incorrect_cvc') {
     showMessage('The security code doesn’t match this card. Check the 3 or 4 digits and try again.');
   }

3. 03

   Let the customer retry

   “The customer needs to try again using the correct CVC.” Stripe, Decline codes (incorrect_cvc)

   Keep the PaymentIntent and confirm it again with the corrected details. Don’t create a new one on every attempt.

4. 04

   Your tests never fail the CVC check

   “Stripe skips the CVC check if you omit it, so the check can’t fail.” Stripe, Testing

   If a test leaves the CVC empty, the check is skipped. Enter any three digits, and use card 4000000000000127 to see the incorrect_cvc decline.

5. 05

   Radar blocks CVC failures the bank allowed

   “Enable this rule to block payments that fail a card issuer’s CVC verification check, unless Stripe evaluates it as low risk.” Stripe, Radar rules (CVC and AVS)

   Some banks approve a payment even when the CVC check fails. A Radar rule can block those payments too. The customer then sees a generic decline (generic_decline) and the payment shows as blocked in the Dashboard, so an incorrect_cvc handler never runs. Check your Radar rules if many payments are blocked.

Checked against the vendor’s docs on November 9, 2026: Stripe docs: Decline codes; Stripe docs: Error codes; Stripe docs: Testing; Stripe docs: Radar rules.

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Related: Stripe expired_card · Stripe do_not_honor decline · Stripe card declined (generic_decline) · Stripe insufficient_funds · Stripe incorrect_number