What it means
Too many requests reached the processor at once.
← All Stripe decline codes
RetryableRetryable decline
rate_limit
Rate limited by processor
Category
Retryable decline
Retryable
Yes, with timing
Suggested retry
~1 hour
Why it happens
The payment was sent during a burst of traffic.
How to recover the payment
Retry after a short delay.
Category tip: Retryable with exponential backoff.
Recovery email preview
Subject: Action needed — your payment did not go through
We hit a temporary limit and will retry your payment shortly.
Update payment methodSent automatically by churnguardian the moment this code appears.
How churnguardian handles it
churnguardian retries on an exponential backoff schedule and escalates to a payment-update email if it keeps failing.
- 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
- Yes
- Retry window
- ~1 hour
- Card must be replaced
- No
Frequently asked
What does the Stripe decline code rate_limit mean?+
Too many requests reached the processor at once.
Is the Stripe decline code rate_limit retryable?+
Retry after a short delay.
How do I recover a payment declined with rate_limit?+
Retry after a short delay.
What should I send the customer for rate_limit?+
We hit a temporary limit and will retry your payment shortly.
Related retryable decline codes
authentication_required3D Secure authentication requiredconfiguration_errorConfiguration errorduplicateDuplicate transactionissuer_unavailableIssuer temporarily unavailablenetwork_errorNetwork errorprocessing_errorPayment processor error
Browse the full list of Stripe decline codes or look one up with the free lookup tool.
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