Why is my credit or debit card declining as do_not_honor?

If your credit or debit card fails to process a Covenant Eyes payment, you’ll see a failure message called a decline code. This article will cover how to resolve a vague decline code like do_not_honor:

What is a decline code?

If your credit or debit card fails to process a payment for Covenant Eyes, the failure message, called a decline code, should explain why.

For example, the decline code incorrect_address means you need to enter the address that’s associated with your card into the payment field.

To see a complete list of decline codes and how to solve them, view our payment processor’s decline codes page.

What does the do_not_honor decline code mean?

You may receive a vague decline code, like do_not_honor or generic_decline, when you attempt to subscribe to Covenant Eyes or make a payment with your card. 

The vague codes may happen because our payment processor, Stripe, was unsuccessful during the validation or charging process with your bank/card.

What is validation?

Validation is a standard security practice for online merchants that verifies that the card is authentic, that the person using it is the authorized user, etc.

In some cases, validation involves a test charge between $0 and $1. The test charge is refunded; the timing of the refund is up to the bank.

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What is charging?

A charge is an actual attempt to collect money from the card.

How do I fix the do_not_honor decline code?

Contact your bank and ask the following questions to help your bank or financial institution pinpoint and resolve the issue:

Ask your bank these questions about the validation process (do not skip a question):

  • Did the bank see Covenant Eye’s attempt to validate my card?
  • Did the bank allow my card to be validated?
  • Did the bank decline to validate my card?
  • Why did the bank decline to validate my card?

Ask your bank these questions about the charge (do not skip a question):

  • Did the bank see Covenant Eye’s attempt to charge my card?
  • Did the bank allow Covenant Eyes to charge my card?
  • Did the bank decline the charge from Covenant Eyes to my card?
  • Why did the bank decline the charge to my card?

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Need help understanding a decline code? We’re here to support you. Please reach out via chat, email, or phone.

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