Card decline code

invalid_account: Invalid account

The card or the account behind it is invalid, for example closed. The customer needs a new payment method.

Decline type
Hard declines: get a new payment method
Retry?
No
Who must act
The customer

What invalid_account means

invalid_account means the issuer reports the card or account is no longer valid, often because it was closed.

Should you retry the payment?

Stop retrying and ask for a new payment method.

How to recover a subscription payment declined with invalid_account

  1. Stop retrying this card: it will not be approved again.
  2. Email the customer immediately with a one-click link to add a new payment method.
  3. Send a reminder on WhatsApp if the email goes unread.
  4. Charge the open invoice as soon as the new card is saved, then confirm by email.

What to tell the customer

Ask them to add a new payment method.

"Hi Sam, the card on your Acme account is no longer valid. Please add a new payment method here."

More wording for every situation is in our dunning email templates.

How Revnio handles invalid_account

Revnio never retries a card declined with invalid_account automatically: the retry cannot succeed, and card networks can charge fees for reattempting declines like this one. Instead the customer gets a recovery email straight away with a secure link to add a new payment method, followed by WhatsApp (Pro plan) reminders if the email is not clicked. Once the customer adds a new card, the open invoice is collected.

Decline codes are returned by the card issuer through your payment processor. Code names here follow Stripe's; Chargebee and Paddle surface the same issuer reasons with their own wording. Last reviewed 2026-10-15.

Frequently asked questions

What does decline code invalid_account mean?

The card or the account behind it is invalid, for example closed. The customer needs a new payment method.

Should I retry a payment declined with invalid_account?

No. Stop retrying and ask for a new payment method.

Can Revnio recover payments declined with invalid_account?

Revnio picks up the failed payment from Stripe, Chargebee or Paddle, adjusts retry timing to the decline code, and reaches the customer by email and WhatsApp (SMS is coming soon) with a secure link to pay or update their card.

Recover failed payments on autopilot

Revnio retries failed payments at the right time and reaches customers by email and WhatsApp until the card is fixed. Works with Stripe, Chargebee and Paddle.

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