Errors

Stripe uses conventional HTTP response codes to indicate the success or failure of an API request. In general:

Codes in the 2xx range indicate success.
Codes in the 4xx range indicate an error that failed given the information provided. For example, an omitted required parameter, a failed charge, or a declined card.
Many of these include an error code that briefly explains the error reported.
See Error handling for guidance.
Codes in the 5xx range indicate an error with the Stripe servers (these are rare).

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Attributes

code nullable string For some errors that could be handled programmatically, a short string indicating the error code reported.
decline _ code nullable string For card errors resulting from a card issuer decline, a short string indicating the card issuer’s reason for the decline if they provide one.
message nullable string A human-readable message providing more details about the error. For card errors, these messages can be shown to your users.
param nullable string If the error is parameter-specific, the parameter related to the error. For example, you can use this to display a message near the correct form field.
payment _ intent nullable object The PaymentIntent object for errors returned on a request involving a PaymentIntent.
type enum The type of error returned. One of api_error, card_error, idempotency_error, or invalid_request_error Possible enum values api_error card_error idempotency_error invalid_request_error

advice _ code nullable string
charge nullable string
doc _ url nullable string
network _ advice _ code nullable string
network _ decline _ code nullable string
payment _ method nullable object
payment _ method _ type nullable string
request _ log _ url nullable string
setup _ intent nullable object
source nullable object

HTTP Status Code Summary

200	OK	Everything worked as expected.
400	Bad Request	The request was unacceptable, often due to missing a required parameter.
401	Unauthorized	No valid API key provided.
402	Request Failed	The parameters were valid but the request failed.
403	Forbidden	The API key doesn’t have permissions to perform the request.
404	Not Found	The requested resource doesn’t exist.
409	Conflict	The request conflicts with another request (perhaps due to using the same idempotent key).
424	External Dependency Failed	The request couldn’t be completed due to a failure in a dependency external to Stripe.
429	Too Many Requests	Too many requests hit the API too quickly. We recommend an exponential backoff of your requests.
500, 502, 503, 504	Server Errors	Something went wrong on Stripe’s end. (These are rare.)

Error Types

`api_error`	API errors cover any other type of problem (e.g., a temporary problem with Stripe’s servers), and are extremely uncommon.
`card_error`	Card errors are the most common type of error you should expect to handle. They result when the user enters a card that can’t be charged for some reason.
`idempotency_error`	Idempotency errors occur when an `Idempotency-Key` is re-used on a request that does not match the first request’s API endpoint and parameters.
`invalid_request_error`	Invalid request errors arise when your request has invalid parameters.

Handling errors

Our Client libraries raise exceptions for many reasons, such as a failed charge, invalid parameters, authentication errors, and network unavailability. We recommend writing code that gracefully handles all possible API exceptions.

Related guide: Error Handling

# Select a client library to see examples of# handling different kinds of errors.

Expanding Responses

Many objects allow you to request additional information as an expanded response by using the expand request parameter. This parameter is available on all API requests, and applies to the response of that request only. You can expand responses in two ways.

In many cases, an object contains the ID of a related object in its response properties. For example, a Charge might have an associated Customer ID. You can expand these objects in line with the expand request parameter. The expandable label in this documentation indicates ID fields that you can expand into objects.

Some available fields aren’t included in the responses by default, such as the number and cvc fields for the Issuing Card object. You can request these fields as an expanded response by using the expand request parameter.

You can expand recursively by specifying nested fields after a dot ( .). For example, requesting payment_intent.customer on a charge expands the payment_intent property into a full PaymentIntent object, then expands the customer property on that payment intent into a full Customer object.

You can use the expand parameter on any endpoint that returns expandable fields, including list, create, and update endpoints.

Expansions on list requests start with the data property. For example, you can expand data.customers on a request to list charges and associated customers. Performing deep expansions on numerous list requests might result in slower processing times.

Expansions have a maximum depth of four levels (for example, the deepest expansion allowed when listing charges is data.payment_intent.customer.default_source).

You can expand multiple objects at the same time by identifying multiple items in the expand array.

Related guide: Expanding responses
Related video: Expand

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Response

{ "id": "ch_3LmzzQ2eZvKYlo2C0XjzUzJV", "object": "charge", "customer": { "id": "cu_14HOpH2eZvKYlo2CxXIM7Pb2", "object": "customer", // ... }, "payment_intent": { "id": "pi_3MtwBwLkdIwHu7ix28a3tqPa", "object": "payment_intent", "customer": { "id": "cus_NffrFeUfNV2Hib", "object": "customer", // ... }, // ... }, // ...}