Stripe decline code
processing_error
Something went wrong while the payment was being processed — usually a temporary glitch on the bank's or network's side, not a problem with the card.
Primary source: Stripe’s official decline codes reference
Why it happens
- A transient outage or timeout at the issuing bank.
- A momentary network/processor hiccup.
- Temporary load on the card network.
Should you retry it?
Yes — retrying usually recovers it
Because the failure is temporary, a quick re-attempt often succeeds without any action from the customer.
How to recover it
Retry promptly on a short schedule. No customer action is usually needed; only reach out if repeated attempts keep failing.
Stripe's own retries usually clear temporary errors like this. Recoverly watches what's left: if the invoice is still unpaid after Stripe's retry schedule ends, it opens a case and — with your approval — emails the customer a Stripe-hosted payment page to finish the payment.
See how much failed-payment revenue you can recover
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Related decline codes
Written by the Recoverly team · Published June 25, 2026 · Last reviewed July 17, 2026
Recoverly finds invoices Stripe’s retries left unpaid and — with your approval — sends payment-update emails, then verifies what actually came back. This page is informational and not affiliated with Stripe.