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Why was my payment declined?

If your payment is being declined, here are the most common reasons:

  • Your payment was declined by your bank or card issuer. To protect your privacy, your card issuer or bank doesn't tell PayPal why your card was declined. Contact your card issuer or bank for more information.
  • Your card details are outdated. Update the expiration date or billing address associated with your credit or debit card.
  • Your PayPal account is limited. Resolve a limitation placed on your account.
  • You need to go through a security check. To deliver a secure service, we may ask you to confirm your identity. We do this to make sure it's you using the PayPal account.
  • You haven’t confirmed the email address associated with PayPal. Confirm your email address now.
  • You haven’t confirmed your bank account. You need to confirm your bank account before you can use it to make payments.
  • You may be required to confirm your card. If a “Confirm Card” link appears next to your card details, you’ll need to confirm this debit or credit card before using it with PayPal. This step helps to make sure that the card is valid and belongs to you.

If none of the above apply or if you continue having issues with your payment:

  • Change your payment method. You can add a debit or credit card or add a bank account.
  • Confirm the recipient’s information. Make sure the recipient has finished registering for PayPal and you have their correct email address or phone number.

If your withdrawal is being declined, check PayPal error messages when trying to transfer money

For more information about Pay in 4, check Questions about Pay in 4 application and repayments

For more information about Pay Monthly, check Why wasn't my Pay Monthly payment successful?

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