Visa reason code 11.2: declined authorization and how to respond
Visa code 11.2 covers transactions completed after a declined authorization. Learn when the dispute is invalid, how to respond, and the deadlines.
What code 11.2 means and when it applies
Visa reason code 11.2, “Declined Authorization,” covers a sale the merchant completed after an authorization requestAn electronic request sent before the sale is completed, asking the issuer to approve or decline the transaction. received a Decline ResponseThe issuer’s response denying the authorization request. The merchant should not complete or submit the sale for payment without obtaining a valid authorization. or a Pickup ResponseThe issuer’s response declining the transaction and instructing the merchant to retain the card. For 11.2, this means codes 04, 07, 41, or 43.. Put plainly, the issuer said “no,” but the charge was still submitted for processing.
For the issuer to file and sustain an 11.2 dispute, all of the applicable requirements must be met:
- The issuer sent a decline or pickup instruction. The authorization request received one of the two responses described above.
- The merchant completed the transaction after that response. The processing record shows that the charge moved forward despite the decline.
- The account had one of the required statuses. On the Dispute Processing DateThe date the issuer records the dispute in Visa’s system. It determines when the account status is checked and starts the acquirer’s response window., the issuer must certify that the account was flagged Credit Problem, Closed, or Fraud. The Fraud status does not apply to an ATM Deposit Adjustment.
- The deadline was met. The issuer has 75 calendar days from the Transaction Processing DateThe date the transaction enters Visa processing. The issuer counts the 75-day window to file an 11.2 dispute from this date..
- No invalidity condition applies. The transaction cannot fall into any of the three situations listed below.
Source for the requirements: Visa Core Rules §11.8.2.1, Table 11-40 (ID# 0030265), §11.8.2.4, Table 11-43 (ID# 0030268), and §11.8.2.5, Table 11-44 (ID# 0031081), pp. 713–715.
The dispute is invalid if at least one of these three conditions applies:
- The transaction was an ATM Cash Disbursement. This type of cash withdrawal cannot be disputed under 11.2.
- The transaction was a Mobile Push PaymentA Visa transaction the cardholder initiates on a phone or other mobile device to pay for goods or services or to move money. It is outside the 11.2 dispute right.. This transaction type is also outside 11.2.
- The merchant obtained authorization after the decline. The new authorization must be for the same purchase. This exception does not apply when the first response was a Pickup Response with code 04, 07, 41, or 43. In those cases, a later approval does not cure the dispute.
Source for the three invalidity conditions: Visa Core Rules §11.8.2.3, Table 11-42 (ID# 0030267), p. 714.
Visa also has a specific rule for a Mobility and Transport TransactionA mobility or transport transaction, such as a trip in an open-loop transit system that accepts card payments. Visa applies separate offline authorization limits to these transactions.. If the issuer sent a Decline Response and the amount exceeded Visa’s offline limit for this transaction type, the issuer may dispute the full amount. The limit is the country’s Contactless Floor Limit, so it varies by market; the rule does not provide one amount for every country.
Source for the mobility and transport rule: Visa Core Rules §11.8.2.2, Table 11-41 (ID# 0030266), p. 714, and §5.8.19.1–2.
If there was no Decline Response or Pickup Response, check the correct code: 11.1 for a transaction tied to the Card Recovery Bulletin; 11.3 when required authorization was not obtained or the transaction was presented outside the required timeframe; and 10.4 when the actual issue is fraud in a card-absent environment.
Deadlines for each party under Visa 11.2
1 block represents 5 calendar days.
- IssuerFile the 11.2 disputeThe clock starts when Visa processes the transaction.Up to 75 calendar days
- AcquirerSubmit a defense path allowed by VisaThe clock starts when Visa processes the dispute.Up to 30 calendar days
- IssuerRespond to the acquirer’s defenseThe clock starts when Visa processes the acquirer’s defense.Up to 30 calendar days
- AcquirerAsk Visa to decide the caseThe clock starts when Visa processes the issuer’s response.Up to 10 calendar days
Who files the dispute and what happens next
The issuer, the bank or institution that issued the card, files the 11.2 dispute using its own authorization, processing, and account-status records. A cardholder letter is not required because the case concerns how the sale was authorized, not the cardholder’s account of the purchase.
The issuer records the case in VROLVisa Resolve Online is the system where the issuer files the dispute and the acquirer submits the response and supporting documents.. By filing the dispute, the issuer challenges the transaction amount and sends it back to the acquirer, the institution responsible for the merchant in the Visa network. The merchant does not respond directly to Visa; it first gives its records to the acquirer.
If there is a basis to challenge the dispute, the acquirer files a Pre-Arbitration AttemptA formal request from the acquirer asking the issuer to reconsider the dispute before the case goes to Visa for a decision. within 30 calendar days of the Dispute Processing Date. The issuer has another 30 days to respond. If the issuer declines the attempt, the acquirer may take the case to Visa Arbitration within 10 days. An 11.2 dispute has no separate representment step.
Source for the process and response deadlines: Visa Core Rules §11.2.2, Table 11-1 (ID# 0030212), pp. 669–670, and §11.8.2.6, Table 11-45 (ID# 0030269), pp. 715–716.
Before building a defense, check whether this dispute is invalidProving any one condition is enough to challenge the dispute's validity.
- The transaction was an ATM Cash Disbursement.
- The transaction was a Mobile Push Payment, a Visa transaction initiated by the cardholder on a phone or other mobile device to pay for goods or services or to move money.
- Authorization was obtained after the Decline Response for the same purchase. This does not apply when the original response was a Pickup Response (04, 07, 41, or 43); in those cases, a later approval does not cure the dispute.
Source:Visa Core Rules §11.8.2.3 — Tabela 11-42 (ID# 0030267)
How to reduce the risk of this code
Visa advises merchants to obtain the required authorization before completing a transaction and to train staff to follow the correct procedure when a payment terminal has a problem. In practice:
- Do not submit a declined sale for payment. If the authorization request received a Decline Response, stop the charge until you obtain a valid authorization for the same purchase.
- Do not try to cure a pickup instruction with a new authorization. If the response was 04, 07, 41, or 43, a later approval does not prevent an 11.2 dispute.
- Reconcile authorization and processing records. Before submitting a charge, confirm that each sale is linked to the correct response. This check helps prevent a declined item from entering the processing file.
- Keep credit and reversal records. If the merchant already returned the amount and the issuer did not address that return, the record may support the defense.
For mobility and transport operations, the merchant must also block the card from further travel within one hour after receiving a Decline Response or an account-verification response stating that the transaction should not be completed.
Source for the prevention measures: Visa Dispute Management Guidelines for Visa Merchants, Condition 11.2, p. 27. Source for mobility and transport blocking: Visa Core Rules §5.8.19.2.
Evidence the merchant needs to gather for a defense
The merchant gives the records to the acquirer, which responds in VROL. The Pre-Arbitration Attempt must use exactly one of these four Visa evidence types:
- Credit or reversal not addressed. Show that the merchant issued a credit or reversal and that the issuer did not address it in the dispute.
- Invalid dispute. Show at least one of the three situations in Table 11-42: an ATM Cash Disbursement, a Mobile Push Payment, or authorization obtained after a Decline Response for the same purchase. The last option does not apply to Pickup Response codes 04, 07, 41, or 43.
- Chip-initiated and authorized offline. Show both conditions: the transaction was chip-initiated and was authorized offlineApproval performed by the chip and terminal without contacting the issuer in real time. For 11.2, the record must show both chip use and offline authorization..
- Multiple authorizations for car rental, cruise, or lodging. This path applies only to these three merchant types when multiple authorizations were obtained. The acquirer must certify all three groups of information: the vehicle rental, embarkation, or check-in date; the vehicle return, disembarkation, or check-out date; and the dates, authorized amounts, and Authorization Codes for all approved authorizations.
Source for the four evidence types and the three required certifications in the fourth path: Visa Core Rules §11.8.2.6, Table 11-45 (ID# 0030269), pp. 715–716.
In the text for 11.2, Table 11-45 does not require EMV tags 9F26 and 9F36 or specify how much of the processed amount a new authorization must cover. The acquirer may request these data as part of its operational process, but they should not be presented as express requirements of the Visa rule.
If the transaction was in fact completed after a Decline Response or Pickup Response and none of the four defense types applies, Visa’s guidance is to accept the dispute.
Source for Visa’s merchant guidance: Visa Dispute Management Guidelines for Visa Merchants, Condition 11.2, p. 27.
Frequently asked questions
When does a transaction fall under Visa chargeback code 11.2?
It is the dispute condition "Declined Authorization." The authorization request received a Decline Response or Pickup Response, but the merchant completed the transaction. The issuer must also provide the account-status certification Visa requires, file within 75 calendar days, and ensure none of the invalidity conditions applies.
Can a merchant defend against an 11.2 chargeback?
Yes. Within 30 calendar days of the Dispute Processing Date, the acquirer responds through a Pre-Arbitration Attempt. The defense must use exactly one of the four types in Table 11-45: a credit or reversal the issuer did not address, an invalid dispute, a chip-initiated transaction authorized offline, or the required certification for a car rental, cruise line, or lodging transaction with multiple authorizations.
When does a new authorization make an 11.2 dispute invalid?
An authorization obtained after a Decline Response makes the dispute invalid when it is for the same purchase. This exception does not apply when the original response was a Pickup Response with code 04, 07, 41, or 43. In those cases, a later approval does not cure the dispute.
How long does the issuer have to file an 11.2 dispute?
The issuer has 75 calendar days from the Transaction Processing Date in every region.
Does an 11.2 dispute require a cardholder letter?
No. An 11.2 dispute relies on authorization and account-status records. On the Dispute Processing Date, the issuer must certify that the account was flagged Credit Problem, Closed, or Fraud. The Fraud option does not apply to an ATM Deposit Adjustment.
What is the difference between Visa codes 11.2 and 11.3?
Code 11.2 applies when an authorization request received a Decline Response or Pickup Response and the merchant completed the transaction anyway. Code 11.3 applies when required authorization was not obtained or the transaction was presented outside the required timeframe.
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