---
description: Resolve UnionPay response code 5 (Cardholder Verification Failure). Understand causes like CVN2 mismatch, failed 3-D Secure, and why blind retries fail.
title: UnionPay Response Code 5 (Cardholder Verification Failure)
image: https://cdn.smartretry.com/_next/static/media/og-image.0z0q4_5kazzzo.jpeg
---

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UnionPay · Response Code

# UnionPay Response Code 5: Cardholder Verification Failure

Cardholder identity verification failed. Causes include: expired e-commerce transaction window, CVN2 failure, invalid certificate information, mismatched birth date, or cardholder authentication mismatch. For cross-border remittance: receiver information does not match bank records.

## What it means

UnionPay response code 5 indicates that the cardholder's identity verification was rejected by the issuing bank. This typically occurs when authentication credentials—such as the CVN2, personal certificate, or date of birth—do not match the issuer's records, or when an e-commerce authentication session (like 3-D Secure) fails or expires.

## Classification & retryability

hardRetryable: no

## Common causes

* The cardholder entered an incorrect CVN2 or a mismatched date of birth during checkout.
* The e-commerce transaction window expired before the user completed the required authentication steps.
* The 3-D Secure or UnionPay SecurePay authentication process was canceled, or the one-time password was incorrect.
* The transaction contains invalid certificate information.
* For cross-border remittances, the receiver information provided does not match the bank's records.

## How to resolve it

Because this decline is tied to failed cardholder authentication at the issuer level, it cannot be resolved through automated retries. The transaction is a hard stop. A successful charge requires the cardholder to initiate a new transaction, carefully re-enter their exact credentials, and successfully complete all required issuer authentication prompts within the allotted time.

### For merchants

Do not attempt blind automatic retries of the same transaction, as repeated authentication failures may cause the issuer to block the card. Surface clear checkout messaging instructing the customer to check their CVN2, birth date, and password, or offer an alternative payment method if verification continually fails. Ensure your payment gateway integration correctly handles UnionPay authentication routing without timing out prematurely.

### For customers

Double-check that all entered card details, including the CVN2 and date of birth, are correct. Try the transaction again, ensuring you complete any authentication prompts or SMS verification codes quickly before the session expires. If the problem persists, contact your issuing bank to verify your account information.

## Sources

* [Worldpay – UnionPay payment outcome and refusal reasons](http://support.worldpay.com/support/kb/gg/alternativepayments/content/unionpay.htm)
* [Cybersource – Payer Authentication (UnionPay included)](https://developer.cybersource.com/docs/cybs/en-us/payer-authentication/developer/all/rest/payer-auth.html)
* [Hani Fahmi – Analysis of ISO 8583 response codes](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/comprehensive-analysis-critical-data-elements-iso-8583-hani-fahmi-ykbhe)
* [UnionPay Card E‑Commerce Implementation Guide (Issuers)](https://www.scribd.com/document/781430061/UnionPay-CardE-Commerce-Implementation-Guide-for-Issuer-V9-20180104)

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