What it means
The card on file has passed its expiry date, so the issuer rejects every charge.
← All Stripe decline codes
Card update requiredHard decline
expired_card
Card has expired
Category
Hard decline
Retryable
No — update the card
Suggested retry
No auto-retry
Why it happens
The customer replaced or renewed their card and the new expiry date was never saved on the subscription.
How to recover the payment
Ask the customer to update their card. A retry only succeeds after new card details are saved.
Category tip: Not worth retrying automatically until the card is updated.
Recovery email preview
Subject: Action needed — your payment did not go through
The card we have on file has expired. Update it here in 30 seconds to keep your subscription active.
Update payment methodSent automatically by churnguardian the moment this code appears.
How churnguardian handles it
churnguardian stops automatic retries and emails the customer a one-click link to update their card, so recovery happens as soon as they act.
- Decline-aware retries timed to recovery odds
- Branded recovery emails with a one-click card update
- Stops automatically the moment the charge clears
At a glance
- Retryable
- No
- Retry window
- No auto-retry
- Card must be replaced
- Yes
Frequently asked
What does the Stripe decline code expired_card mean?+
The card on file has passed its expiry date, so the issuer rejects every charge.
Is the Stripe decline code expired_card retryable?+
Ask the customer to update their card. A retry only succeeds after new card details are saved.
How do I recover a payment declined with expired_card?+
Ask the customer to update their card. A retry only succeeds after new card details are saved.
What should I send the customer for expired_card?+
The card we have on file has expired. Update it here in 30 seconds to keep your subscription active.
Related hard decline codes
card_not_supportedCard type not supportedcurrency_not_supportedCurrency not supported by cardincorrect_cvcCVC check failedincorrect_numberCard number is incorrectincorrect_zipZIP/postal code check failedinvalid_cardCard is invalid
Browse the full list of Stripe decline codes or look one up with the free lookup tool.
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