Understanding Decline Reasons
When processing orders through Two's APIs—such as Order Creation (POST /v1/order, POST /v1/order_intent) or customer onboarding (POST /trade-account/v3/customer)—you may receive decline responses.
This guide explains each decline reason, how to resolve it, and what message to show your buyers.
Credit Builder Eligibility
Some declines are eligible for Credit Builder—a feature that allows buyers to request credit limit increases. Look for the indicator in the Credit Builder column.
Credit & Limit Issues
Issues related to credit limits, order amounts, and merchant exposure.
| Enum | Description | Merchant Resolution | Buyer-Facing Message | Credit Builder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BUYER_LIMIT_EXCEEDED | The buyer has exceeded their company's available credit limit due to outstanding balances or the order size. | Orders cannot exceed the buyer's credit limit. Advise the buyer to reduce the order amount, pay outstanding invoices, or split into smaller orders. | "This order exceeds your available credit limit. Please reduce the order amount or settle outstanding invoices to free up credit." | |
ORDER_EXCEEDS_MAX_INVOICE_AMOUNT | The order amount exceeds the maximum single invoice value allowed (regional or merchant-specific limit). | Advise the buyer to split the order into multiple smaller orders that stay within the limit. | "This order exceeds the maximum amount allowed for invoice payment. Please reduce the order amount or split into multiple orders." | |
ORDER_BELOW_MIN_INVOICE_AMOUNT | The order amount is below the minimum threshold for invoice payment. | Advise the buyer to increase their order or combine with other items. | "This order is below the minimum amount required for invoice payment. Please increase your order or select an alternative payment method." | |
ORDER_EXCEEDS_REGIONAL_LIMIT | The order exceeds the maximum amount allowed for the buyer's region/country. | Regional limits apply. Advise the buyer to reduce the order amount to comply with local regulations. | "This order exceeds the regional limit for invoice payment. Please reduce the order amount." | |
MERCHANT_LIMIT_EXCEEDED | The merchant has reached their maximum exposure/credit limit with Two. | Your merchant exposure limit has been reached. Encourage buyers to make timely repayments to free up capacity. Contact your account manager to discuss limit increases. | "Invoice payment is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later or select an alternative payment method." |
Buyer Verification & Identity
Issues related to buyer identity verification, company registration, and representative validation.
| Enum | Description | Merchant Resolution | Buyer-Facing Message | Credit Builder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BUYER_NOT_FOUND | The buyer's company could not be found in business registries. May indicate an unregistered company or incorrect details. | Verify the company registration number and country are correct. The company must be registered in a supported jurisdiction. | "We couldn't verify your company details. Please check your company registration number and try again." | |
BUYER_ADDRESS_DEVIATION | The provided address does not match the registered company address on record. | Verify the shipping/billing address matches the company's registered address. Address mismatches are a fraud indicator. | "The provided address doesn't match our records. Please verify your company's registered address." | |
BUYER_INFO_INCONSISTENT | Inconsistencies detected between provided details and registry data (e.g., company name, address, representative). | Review the buyer's submitted details against official company registry data. Correct any discrepancies. | "Some of the provided information couldn't be verified. Please check your company details and try again." | |
BUYER_AUTHENTICATION_FAILED | The buyer failed identity verification (SMS, email, Vipps, or other verification method). | Contact the buyer to retry verification. They may have entered incorrect codes or experienced technical issues. | "We couldn't verify your identity. Please try the verification process again." | |
INVALID_LEGAL_REP | The person attempting to verify is not a registered legal representative of the company. | Only legal representatives of the company can approve orders. The buyer should have a legal representative complete the verification. | "We couldn't verify you as a legal representative of this company. Please have a legal representative complete the verification." | |
NO_LEGAL_REPRESENTATIVES | No legal representatives could be found for this company in business registries. | The company has no registered legal representatives. This may indicate a shell company or incomplete registration. Contact support if you believe this is incorrect. | "We couldn't find any legal representatives for this company. Please contact support for assistance." |
Risk & Fraud
Declines triggered by risk assessment, fraud detection, or buyer account status.
Important
Risk and fraud declines indicate serious concerns. Do not attempt to bypass these declines by retrying or modifying order data. Contact support if you believe a decline is incorrect.
| Enum | Description | Merchant Resolution | Buyer-Facing Message | Credit Builder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
TOO_HIGH_RISK | The order was assessed as too risky based on multiple risk factors (not solely credit-related). | This is a risk-based decline, not a credit decline. We advise against fulfilling this order. If you believe the buyer was wrongly assessed, contact support with supporting documentation. | "We're unable to offer invoice payment for this order. Please select an alternative payment method." | |
FRAUD_CHECK_NOT_PASSED | The transaction triggered fraud detection rules. May indicate suspicious patterns or known fraud indicators. | Two has flagged this transaction as potentially fraudulent. Do not proceed with the order. Contact support if you believe this is a false positive. | "We're unable to process this order with invoice payment. Please select an alternative payment method." | |
DECLINED_IN_VERIFICATION | The order passed initial checks but was declined during or after verification, typically due to fraud signals. | The verification process revealed fraud concerns. Contact support if you believe this is incorrect. | "We couldn't complete the verification for this order. Please select an alternative payment method." | |
BUYER_IN_ARREARS | The buyer has overdue invoices with Two that must be settled before new orders are approved. | The buyer has outstanding debt. Encourage them to settle overdue invoices. Orders will be approved once arrears are cleared. | "Your company has outstanding invoices that need to be settled before new orders can be approved. Please contact support for assistance." | |
BUYER_IS_BLOCKED | The buyer has been blocked from using Two, typically due to repeated fraud, non-payment, or policy violations. | This buyer has been permanently or temporarily blocked. Contact support for details on the block reason and potential remediation. | "Invoice payment is currently unavailable for your company. Please contact support for more information." |
Credit & Eligibility
Issues related to credit bureau checks, consent requirements, and buyer eligibility.
| Enum | Description | Merchant Resolution | Buyer-Facing Message | Credit Builder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
CREDIT_CHECK_FAILED | The credit check could not be completed, typically due to an error with the credit bureau or missing data. | Internal issue with credit data retrieval. Please retry or escalate to support. | "We couldn't complete the credit check at this time. Please try again later." | |
CREDIT_REPORT_BLOCKED | The buyer's company has blocked credit inquiries, or the credit bureau has flagged the company. | The company has restricted credit reporting. The buyer should contact the relevant credit bureau to resolve any blocks. | "We're unable to retrieve credit information for your company. Please contact your credit bureau for assistance." | |
COMPANY_CREDIT_REPORT_CONSENT_REQUIRED | Explicit consent is required from the buyer to perform a credit check (required in some jurisdictions). | The buyer must provide consent before proceeding. Ensure your checkout flow includes consent collection where required. | "We need your consent to perform a credit check. Please provide consent to continue with invoice payment." | |
SE_SOLE_TRADER | Sole traders (enskild firma) in Sweden are not supported for invoice payment. | Swedish sole traders are excluded from B2B invoice payment. Advise the buyer to use an alternative payment method. | "Invoice payment is not available for sole traders. Please select an alternative payment method." | |
BUYER_NOT_SUPPORTED | The buyer's company type, industry, region, or category is not supported by Two. | This buyer type is not eligible for Two. Check our supported regions and company types documentation. | "Invoice payment is not available for your company type. Please select an alternative payment method." | |
NO_BUSINESS_ACCOUNT | The buyer does not have a registered business or is attempting to use a personal account for B2B payment. | Two is a B2B service. The buyer must be a registered business entity. | "Invoice payment is only available for registered businesses. Please select an alternative payment method." |
Order Data Issues
Issues with the order payload, calculations, or data formatting.
| Enum | Description | Merchant Resolution | Buyer-Facing Message | Credit Builder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
INVALID_ORDER_DATA | The order payload contains invalid or malformed data that cannot be processed. | Review the API request for missing required fields, invalid formats, or schema violations. Consult our API documentation. | "There was an issue with the order details. Please contact the merchant for assistance." | |
INVALID_ORDER_DATA_TOTAL_AMOUNT_MISMATCH | The order's gross amount doesn't match the sum of line items plus tax. | Reconcile the order totals: ensure gross_amount = net_amount + tax_amount and that these match the sum of line items. | "There was an issue calculating the order total. Please contact the merchant for assistance." | |
INVALID_ORDER_LINE_ITEM_DATA_AMOUNT_MISMATCH | Individual line item amounts don't add up correctly or contain calculation errors. | Review each line item's quantity × unit_price calculation and ensure they sum to the order total. | "There was an issue with the order item amounts. Please contact the merchant for assistance." |
Merchant & Configuration Issues
Issues related to merchant account configuration.
| Enum | Description | Merchant Resolution | Buyer-Facing Message | Credit Builder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
MERCHANT_NOT_ON_RECOURSE | The merchant is not configured for recourse lending, which is required for this order type or buyer. | Contact your account manager to discuss recourse options or adjust your merchant configuration. | "Invoice payment is not available for this order. Please select an alternative payment method." |
System & Technical Issues
Temporary system issues, outages, or unexpected errors.
| Enum | Description | Merchant Resolution | Buyer-Facing Message | Credit Builder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE | Two's service was temporarily unavailable due to maintenance, outages, or third-party provider issues. | Retry the request. Monitor status.two.inc for service updates. Implement retry logic with exponential backoff. | "Invoice payment is temporarily unavailable. Please try again in a few minutes." | |
EXCEPTION | An unexpected error occurred that doesn't fit standard decline categories. | Internal error that will be automatically flagged for investigation. If persistent, contact support with the order reference. | "Something went wrong. Please try again or select an alternative payment method." | |
UNDEFINED | The decline reason could not be determined. This should not occur in normal operation. | Edge case requiring investigation. Please report to support with full order details. | "We're unable to process this order. Please try again or select an alternative payment method." |
Quick Reference: Credit Builder Eligibility
Orders declined for these reasons can benefit from Credit Builder—a feature that allows buyers to build credit history and request limit increases.
Eligible for Credit Builder ()
| Decline Reason | Why Credit Builder Helps |
|---|---|
BUYER_LIMIT_EXCEEDED | Buyer can request a credit limit increase |
ORDER_EXCEEDS_MAX_INVOICE_AMOUNT | Buyer can build history to qualify for higher limits |
ORDER_EXCEEDS_REGIONAL_LIMIT | Buyer can establish creditworthiness for regional limit increases |
Not Eligible for Credit Builder ()
| Category | Reason |
|---|---|
| Risk/Fraud declines | Security concerns require manual review |
| Verification failures | Identity/company issues must be resolved first |
| Data/Technical issues | Integration problems, not credit-related |
| Unsupported buyer types | Business eligibility requirements not met |
| Arrears/Blocked | Outstanding debt must be cleared first |
Summary by Action Required
Use this table to quickly identify the appropriate response for each decline category.
| Category | Decline Codes | Primary Action |
|---|---|---|
| Reduce order amount | BUYER_LIMIT_EXCEEDED, ORDER_EXCEEDS_MAX_INVOICE_AMOUNT, ORDER_EXCEEDS_REGIONAL_LIMIT | Split order or reduce value |
| Verify buyer details | BUYER_NOT_FOUND, BUYER_ADDRESS_DEVIATION, BUYER_INFO_INCONSISTENT | Check company registration data |
| Retry verification | BUYER_AUTHENTICATION_FAILED | Buyer retries verification flow |
| Contact support | TOO_HIGH_RISK, FRAUD_CHECK_NOT_PASSED, BUYER_IS_BLOCKED, EXCEPTION, UNDEFINED | Escalate to Two support |
| Fix integration | INVALID_ORDER_DATA, INVALID_ORDER_DATA_TOTAL_AMOUNT_MISMATCH, INVALID_ORDER_LINE_ITEM_DATA_AMOUNT_MISMATCH | Review API payload |
| Buyer action needed | BUYER_IN_ARREARS, COMPANY_CREDIT_REPORT_CONSENT_REQUIRED | Buyer settles debt or provides consent |
| Not supported | SE_SOLE_TRADER, BUYER_NOT_SUPPORTED, NO_BUSINESS_ACCOUNT | Use alternative payment method |
Need Help?
If you're experiencing unexpected declines or need assistance understanding a specific decline reason, please contact our support team.