Is incorrect_cvc a hard or soft decline?

Neither, exactly: a retry alone won’t work, but the customer can fix it (update card).

Should I retry incorrect_cvc?

No, update first. The same details will fail every time, so a new card is the fix.

How many retries are too many?

Stripe’s recommended default is 8 tries within 2 weeks, and it doesn’t retry hard declines such as lost_card or stolen_card until a new card is added (Stripe docs, Oct 2026). Card networks can penalize merchants for repeated retries.

Does Stripe Smart Retries handle this?

Smart Retries pick when to retry, and North Metric doesn’t retry at all. When Stripe’s retries end unpaid, or Stripe can’t retry the code, North Metric drafts a personal note with a card-update link for you to approve.

incorrect_cvc in Stripe: meaning and fix

What does incorrect_cvc mean in Stripe?

It means the three- or four-digit security code didn’t match what the bank has on record.

What happens next

The same decline, handled two ways: a fixed retry ladder, and Stripe Smart Retries with North Metric following up once they end. North Metric never retries a card; its part in failed payment recovery starts when Stripe stops.

THE NEXT 14 DAYS · EXAMPLE✕FAILED RETRYACTIONPAID

Fixed retry ladder · day 1, 3, 5, 7Fails ×4

M✕

W✕

F✕

S✕

The same wrong security code, four times. The details on file never change, so neither does the answer.

Stripe + North MetricNote · day 14

North Metric drafts a card-update note with its own link, at once if Stripe can’t retry the card, or when its retries end. You approve it first.

What it means

On a saved card this usually means the bank reissued it with a new code, not that the customer mistyped. Stripe returns it as a decline_code inside a card_error, so your integration sees the charge fail and the reason sits in this field.

{
  "error": {
    "type": "card_error",
    "code": "incorrect_cvc",
    "decline_code": "incorrect_cvc",
    "message": "Your card was declined."
  }
}

Why it happens

•The security code didn’t match the one the bank has for the card.•The customer mistyped the three- or four-digit code when they saved the card.•The bank reissued the card with a new code, and the old details are still on file.

What to do

01Don’t add retriesThe same details will fail every time, so a new card is the fix.

02Send a hosted update linkOne click, card form prefilled, no login needed.

03Collect on the new cardOnce a new card is saved, the open invoice can be paid with it.

See which customers with a failed payment are at risk, in your own Stripe.Actions off until you turn them onGet your free churn report →

What to tell the customer

Be direct and short: the card on file needs updating, here’s the link, nothing else changes.

From: Maya at AcmeSubject: Your card on file needs a quick update

Hi Sam, The card we have for Acme looks out of date, so this month’s payment didn’t go through. You can update it here. Everything else stays the same. Maya

SEND AT ONCE IF STRIPE CAN’T RETRY, OR WHEN ITS RETRIES END

What not to do

✕Retry the same card on a schedule.✕Ask the customer to log in before they can update.✕Pause the account before they’ve had a chance to fix it.

incorrect_cvc: ask for a new card.