What it means
The expiry year saved on the card is not a valid year.
← All Stripe decline codes
Card update requiredHard decline
invalid_expiry_year
Expiration year is invalid
Category
Hard decline
Retryable
No — update the card
Suggested retry
No auto-retry
Why it happens
A data-entry error, or an already-expired year saved by mistake.
How to recover the payment
Ask the customer to re-enter a valid expiry year.
Category tip: Not worth retrying automatically until the card is updated.
Recovery email preview
Subject: Action needed — your payment did not go through
The expiry year on your card looks wrong. Please update your card details.
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 invalid_expiry_year mean?+
The expiry year saved on the card is not a valid year.
Is the Stripe decline code invalid_expiry_year retryable?+
Ask the customer to re-enter a valid expiry year.
How do I recover a payment declined with invalid_expiry_year?+
Ask the customer to re-enter a valid expiry year.
What should I send the customer for invalid_expiry_year?+
The expiry year on your card looks wrong. Please update your card details.
Related hard decline codes
card_not_supportedCard type not supportedcurrency_not_supportedCurrency not supported by cardexpired_cardCard has expiredincorrect_cvcCVC check failedincorrect_numberCard number is incorrectincorrect_zipZIP/postal code check failed
Browse the full list of Stripe decline codes or look one up with the free lookup tool.
Recover your first failed payment this week
Join bootstrapped and early-stage SaaS teams winning back thousands in MRR every month, on autopilot.
14-day free trial · No credit card required