Card decline code
pickup_card: Pick up card
The issuer wants the card retained, usually because it may be lost or stolen. It cannot be used; the customer needs to contact their bank or use another card.
What pickup_card means
pickup_card dates from in-person payments, when the merchant was asked to physically keep the card. Online it means the card has been blocked, possibly as lost or stolen.
Stripe's advice is that the customer contacts their card issuer.
Should you retry the payment?
Do not retry. The issuer has blocked the card and repeat attempts only add network fees.
How to recover a subscription payment declined with pickup_card
- Stop retrying this card: it will not be approved again.
- Email the customer immediately with a one-click link to add a new payment method.
- Send a reminder on WhatsApp if the email goes unread.
- Charge the open invoice as soon as the new card is saved, then confirm by email.
What to tell the customer
Say the bank declined the card and ask for a different payment method.
"Hi Sam, your bank declined the card on your Acme account. Please add a different card here to keep your subscription active."
More wording for every situation is in our dunning email templates.
How Revnio handles pickup_card
Revnio never retries a card declined with pickup_card 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 pickup_card mean?
The issuer wants the card retained, usually because it may be lost or stolen. It cannot be used; the customer needs to contact their bank or use another card.
Should I retry a payment declined with pickup_card?
No. Do not retry. The issuer has blocked the card and repeat attempts only add network fees.
Can Revnio recover payments declined with pickup_card?
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.
Related
- lost_cardThe cardholder reported the card lost and the bank has cancelled it. It will never be approved again, so stop retrying and ask for a new payment method.
- stolen_cardThe card was reported stolen and has been cancelled by the bank. Stop retrying immediately; the only fix is a new payment method.
- restricted_cardThe card cannot be used for this payment, often because the issuer has restricted it (it may be lost or stolen). The customer should contact their bank or switch cards.
- All decline codesEvery common card decline code, grouped by what to do next.
- Dunning email templatesCopy-ready emails for each kind of failed payment.