Error Codes

The Adyen Checkout API uses standard HTTP status codes and result codes to communicate the outcome of every request.

HTTP status codes

Status code Meaning
200 Request succeeded
201 Resource created successfully
400 Bad request. Missing or invalid parameters
401 Unauthorized. Invalid or missing API key
403 Forbidden. Valid key but insufficient permissions
422 Unprocessable entity. Invalid merchant account
500 Internal server error. Contact Adyen support

Payment result codes

Result codes are returned in the response body of the /payments endpoint. They describe the outcome of the payment attempt.

Result code Meaning Recommended action
Authorised Payment approved Fulfil the order
Refused Payment declined by issuer Ask shopper to retry with a different card
RedirectShopper Additional authentication required Redirect shopper to the returnUrl
Pending Payment is being processed Wait for webhook notification
Error Unexpected error occurred Display a generic error and retry
Cancelled Payment was cancelled Return shopper to checkout

Common error scenarios

Missing merchantAccount

If you omit the merchantAccount field from any request you will receive a 400 error. Every request must include your Adyen merchant account name exactly as it appears in the Customer Area.

Invalid API key

A 401 error means your API key is missing, malformed, or belongs to a different environment. Verify you are using your test API key with the test base URL and your live API key with the live base URL.

Amount formatting errors

Sending amount as a decimal such as 10.00 instead of an integer in minor units such as 1000 will result in a 400 error. Always convert your amount to minor units before sending.

Expired session

Payment sessions expire after a set period. If you receive an error referencing an invalid or expired session, create a new session and reinitialize the Drop-in component.

Getting help

If you encounter errors not listed here, contact Adyen Developer Support at https://docs.adyen.com or raise a ticket in the Adyen Customer Area.