A
American Express Network Decline CodesAmex 978
Invalid Payment Times
Hard Decline
Permanent failures that should not be retried
Do Not Retry
Retry will not succeed
Description
The card issuer has declined the recurring transaction due to an invalid payment frequency or timing.
Recommended Action
Verify the recurring payment schedule and timing. Correct any mismatches with the authorized plan.
Common Causes
- Payment timing does not match the recurring agreement
- Transaction submitted outside the allowed billing window
- Number of recurring payments exceeded the authorized count
Recovery Tips
- Review the recurring payment schedule configuration
- Ensure billing dates align with the cardholder authorization
Quick Reference
Code
978
Category
Hard Decline
Retryable
No
Source
Amex
Recoverability verdict
Retrying 978 will not work
This is a hard decline. Retrying code 978 will not recover the payment. But most merchants seeing this code also have soft declines they are not recovering. Check what your retry strategy is leaving behind.
Related Decline Codes
101Non-Retryable
Expired Card / Invalid Expiration Date
The card has expired or the expiration date provided is invalid.
109Non-Retryable
Invalid Merchant
The American Express network does not recognise the merchant with the submitted transaction details. This needs to be investigated by the acquirer or payment service provider.
110Non-Retryable
Invalid Amount
The card issuer has declined the transaction due to a format or amount field error.
111Non-Retryable
Invalid Account
The card issuer is unable to find the card or account number. The account may be closed or the number may be incorrect.