--- description: Learn what Visa response code 21 (No action taken) means, why it occurs during reversals or authorizations, and how merchants should handle and retry it. title: Visa Response Code 21: No Action Taken image: https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,height=630,quality=85,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2F_next%2Fstatic%2Fmedia%2Fog-image.0z0q4_5kazzzo.jpeg --- [Skip to main content](#main-content) ![Visa](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=96,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fpayment-providers%2Flogos%2Fvisa.svg) Visa # Visa Issuer Response Code 21: No Action Taken technical decline Last updated: September 25, 2026 ## Still letting failed transactions slip through? SmartRetry turns declines into approvals - automatically, intelligently, and without changing your payment provider. Email address Let’s talk Table of Contents ## About 21 \- "No action taken" ## Key details Brand ![Visa](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=256,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fpayment-providers%2Flogos%2Fvisa.svg) Code 21 Category Issuer Response Codes Response 21 Detailed Response No action taken technical decline ## What it means Visa response code 21 signifies that 'No action taken' was performed by the network or issuer. While it can appear as a generic unknown decline reason, processor documentation often maps this to scenarios where an attempt to undo or back out a prior transaction (such as a reversal or void) could not be completed. It indicates an ambiguous transaction state rather than a standard lack of funds or hard fraud decline. ## Classification & retryability technicalRetryable: conditional Do not blindly retry this code. Before reattempting, reconcile the original authorization, capture, or reversal records using the processor transaction ID and idempotency key to confirm the actual state of the prior request. If the transaction legitimately failed and is not pending, a single controlled reauthorization may be attempted, though success is not guaranteed. ## Why does code 21 occur? * An attempt to reverse, void, or back out a prior transaction could not be completed by the payment network or issuing bank. * The issuer returned an unmapped or ambiguous network response that the processor defaulted to code 21. * The transaction state is currently out of sync between the merchant gateway, the processor, and the issuing bank. ## How to solve 21? Reconcile the original authorization, capture, and reversal records using the processor transaction ID, retrieval reference number, timestamps, and idempotency key to confirm whether the prior request is pending or failed. If you are attempting to reverse a transaction, verify if the transaction was already settled or previously voided. For standard payment attempts returning this code, check the full gateway response for additional processor-specific context. If the transaction remains unmatched or stuck, escalate the identifiers to your acquirer or processor for review. ### Solving as a merchant Halt automated retry logic to prevent duplicate authorizations or leaving the original transaction unresolved. Cross-reference your internal logs with the processor's records to identify if this code was triggered by a failed reversal or a generic unknown decline. Escalate to your payment processor's support team if the original transaction status cannot be firmly verified. ### Solving as a customer Wait while the merchant investigates the true status of the transaction. If the merchant confirms the payment failed and cannot be reprocessed, contact the card issuing bank for more information or provide an alternative payment method. 💡Tip from SmartRetry Never immediately replay the authorization payload on a Code 21, as ambiguous transaction states create a high risk of duplicate charges. Instead, pause execution and trigger an automated status-lookup query first, retrying only after confirming no open authorization exists on the issuer side. [See the full list of Visa's decline codes \>](/payment-providers/visa#statuses)[Find code on Visa's website \>](https://developer.visa.com/request%5Fresponse%5Fcodes) ### Frequently asked questions about this topic Why did I get a Visa code 21 when voiding a transaction? Processors often trigger code 21 when the network is unable to back out or reverse a prior transaction. This usually means the reversal failed because the original transaction state was no longer eligible for a void. Should I automatically retry a transaction that returns code 21? No. A blind, immediate retry is dangerous because code 21 often involves ambiguous transaction states or failed reversals. Retrying without verifying the original transaction's status could result in duplicate authorizations. How do major processors like Stripe and Worldpay treat Visa code 21? Stripe categorizes code 21 as an unknown decline reason and advises having the customer contact their issuer. Worldpay lists the Visa description but provides no specific merchant action, reinforcing that the root cause is often ambiguous. #### Share this article [![Share on X](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2F_next%2Fstatic%2Fmedia%2Ftwitter.21z6yr9njnznr.svg)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Visa%20Issuer%20Response%20Code%2021%3A%20No%20Action%20Taken&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.smartretry.com%2Fdecline-code%2Fvisa-issuer-response-code-21 "Share on X")[![Share on Facebook](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2F_next%2Fstatic%2Fmedia%2Ffacebook.3sbfjbsxa26qg.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.smartretry.com%2Fdecline-code%2Fvisa-issuer-response-code-21 "Share on Facebook")[![Share on LinkedIn](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2F_next%2Fstatic%2Fmedia%2Flinkedin.09sdc8tnlrn4a.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.smartretry.com%2Fdecline-code%2Fvisa-issuer-response-code-21 "Share on LinkedIn") Make us your preferred source ![Kyle Regacho](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=256,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fsecure.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Faa4329c7f45a68c68f2fbccab899d0f43f3740f3f9e92d5c6ea711171fc1a35f%3Fs%3D96%26d%3Dmm%26r%3Dg) Author ##### Kyle Regacho [![LinkedIn](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=32,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2F_next%2Fstatic%2Fmedia%2Flinkedin.09sdc8tnlrn4a.svg)Find me on Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kdregacho/) Focused on payment recovery, decline codes, and authorization optimization at SmartRetry. Helps payment teams turn failed transactions into recovered revenue [Read all articles >](/authors/kyle-regacho) ## Join our newsletter! Real strategies to recover lost revenue - straight to your inbox Email address Subscribe ## Related codes * [![Visa](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=256,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fpayment-providers%2Flogos%2Fvisa.svg)15No such issuerhard declinetechnical declineRead more >](/decline-code/visa-issuer-response-code-15) * [![Visa](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=256,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fpayment-providers%2Flogos%2Fvisa.svg)07Non-authenticated e-commerce transactiontechnical declineRead more >](/decline-code/visa-eci-code-07) * [![Visa](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=256,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fpayment-providers%2Flogos%2Fvisa.svg)10Approved, partialsoft declineRead more >](/decline-code/visa-issuer-response-code-10) ## Articles you may find interesting: [View all](/blog) [![Turning Payment Declines into Revenue with Context-Aware Retry Logic](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F09%2Frecovering-revenue-with-intelligent-retries.jpg) September 25, 2026 Turning Payment Declines into Revenue with Context-Aware Retry Logic Blind retries waste fees and damage issuer trust. 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Discover how data-driven retries and response code intelligence help teams recover failed transactions and protect conversion.](/blog/cost-of-payment-declines-recovery) --- ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"Visa Issuer Response Code 21: No Action Taken","url":"https://www.smartretry.com/decline-code/visa-issuer-response-code-21","inLanguage":"en","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.smartretry.com/#organization","name":"SmartRetry","url":"https://www.smartretry.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://cdn.smartretry.com/logo.png","width":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","value":175,"unitCode":"PX"},"height":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","value":29,"unitCode":"PX"}},"description":"SmartRetry is a smart payment recovery platform that helps businesses save revenue from failed payment transactions and reduce false declines.","sameAs":["https://x.com/smartretry","https://www.facebook.com/smartretry","https://www.instagram.com/smartretry","https://www.linkedin.com/company/smartretry","https://www.youtube.com/@smartretry"],"contactPoint":{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactType":"customer support","availableLanguage":["Hebrew","English"],"url":"https://www.smartretry.com/contact"},"address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"Menachem Begin","addressLocality":"Tel Aviv-Yafo","addressCountry":"IL"}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.smartretry.com/#organization","name":"SmartRetry","url":"https://www.smartretry.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://cdn.smartretry.com/logo.png","width":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","value":175,"unitCode":"PX"},"height":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","value":29,"unitCode":"PX"}},"description":"SmartRetry is a smart payment recovery platform that helps businesses save revenue from failed payment transactions and reduce false declines.","sameAs":["https://x.com/smartretry","https://www.facebook.com/smartretry","https://www.instagram.com/smartretry","https://www.linkedin.com/company/smartretry","https://www.youtube.com/@smartretry"],"contactPoint":{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactType":"customer support","availableLanguage":["Hebrew","English"],"url":"https://www.smartretry.com/contact"},"address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"Menachem Begin","addressLocality":"Tel Aviv-Yafo","addressCountry":"IL"}},"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.smartretry.com/decline-code/visa-issuer-response-code-21","name":"Visa Issuer Response Code 21: No Action Taken"},"description":"Learn what Visa response code 21 (No action taken) means, why it occurs during reversals or authorizations, and how merchants should handle and retry it.","datePublished":"2026-09-24T11:13:58.000Z","dateModified":"2026-09-25T07:22:38.000Z","keywords":"Visa code 21, No action taken, Visa decline 21, unable to back out prior transaction","about":{"@type":"Thing","name":"Visa Issuer Response Codes 21"}} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.smartretry.com/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Decline Code","item":"https://www.smartretry.com/decline-code"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Visa","item":"https://www.smartretry.com/decline-code?provider=Visa"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"21","item":"https://www.smartretry.com/decline-code/visa-issuer-response-code-21"}]} ```