Transactions may decline for numerous reasons. To make spending from your card as seamless as possible, check your app for details on why your card declined to help avoid similar declines in the future.
How do I find out why it declined?
- From the app or website, navigate to the transaction that was declined
- Click in to view more details
- Your decline reason will be listed in the "Declined" status bar at the top of the transaction
When your card declines, you will also receive an email and push notification, if enabled. Please check your email for a transaction decline notification from Benepass. This email will contain additional information about why your transaction was declined.
Detailed decline reasons
Declined transactions in the Benepass app will include a brief description of why the purchase was declined. This should provide enough detail to help you resolve the issue on your own, but below you'll fine more detail on some of the more common decline reasons:
Insufficient balance
The attempted purchase amount exceeds the balance(s) available in eligible benefits. Check your current balance in the app and either reduce your purchase amount or split the payment between your benefits card and another payment method. Remember that benefit balances cannot be combined when making larger purchases.
Card not active
Your card needs to be activated before use. From the app or website, navigate to the Cards page, find your inactive card, and click in to activate. This typically takes just a few minutes to complete.
Not an allowed use of funds
The merchant or item isn't eligible under the benefit you're trying to use. Check the "What can I buy" section under each benefit to confirm what's covered. If the item or service you were trying to purchase is eligible under your benefit's policy, please contact Benepass Support.
Incorrect billing zip code, expiry year, or cvc
The card details entered at checkout don't match what's on file. Verify your card information, including billing details, in the app and ensure you're entering it correctly at checkout. If needed, update your address in your profile settings.
Card spending disabled
Due to rules configured by your employer or by the card issuer, card spending is not currently available under the benefit. If your account is still active, please check that all transactions have been properly substantiated and any ineligible transactions resolved. If no items require your attention in the app, please contact Benepass Support for further help.
Insufficient funds
A temporary funding delay has resulted in the bank account that supports card transactions having a low balance. Benepass is alerted to these decline automatically and you can expect the issue to be resolved in 24-48 hours in most cases. Please try again in a day's time, and contact Benepass Support if the issue persists.
Non-supported currency
Your benefit is configured to only allow transactions of a specific currency. When making eligible purchases outside of the country, you may have the ability to request that the merchant charge you in your local currency to avoid issues.