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Troubleshooting declined card payment

If you haven't activated your new card in your app

You can do this now in the app.

If you can see a ‘declined’ message in your app

Tap on the declined payment for more details. If you’re not sure what it means, get in touch and we’ll help you.

If you've had an Apple Pay or Google Pay transaction declined

There might be a bad connection between your device and the contactless reader. Even though it’s been unsuccessful, you won’t see a decline message in your app.

To make sure the payment goes through, hold the top of your device on the contactless reader and wait for it to show it’s approved.

If your card doesn't work at a particular merchant, but other cards do

The most likely reason is that the merchant hasn’t set up their systems to accept our cards. This means you won’t see a decline message in your app.

If you think this is the problem, Get in touch and we’ll contact the merchant to see if we can fix it.

We’ll need this information:

  • The name of the merchant or ATM provider where your card's been declined

  • The address of the store or ATM (or web address or app name for an online payment)

  • The time and date you tried to make the payment

  • The amount of the payment you tried to make

  • A receipt or screenshot showing your payment was declined, or a successful payment you’ve made with a different card (we can use this information to work out the exact issue with the merchant’s payment systems)

  • A brief summary of what happened

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Existing customers can get help via the app

Monzo Bank Limited is a company registered in England and Wales (No.09446231). Monzo Bank Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Our financial Services Register number is 730427. Our address is Broadwalk House, 5 Appold St, London EC2A 2AG.