> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.dash.fi/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Card declines
> Understand why Dash.fi cards get declined and how to resolve each type.
When a card is declined, the transaction detail in the app shows the reason. Use the sections below to find the message you saw and resolve it.
This page covers standard Dash.fi virtual cards. The **Rewards Card** is a different product — you can't edit its allowed countries or spend categories yourself, so restriction-based declines are resolved by support. See [Rewards Card](/rewards/rewards-card) if you were declined on a Rewards Card.
## Spend category not allowed
**What you see in the app:** "Spend category not allowed"
**First step — check your card's Spending Controls.** Open the card in the app and look at which categories are enabled.
* **The merchant's category is missing from the card** — add it. If your account allows that category, you can add it to the card yourself without contacting support. Save the card and retry the payment.
* **You can't add the category, or it's not available to select** — the category is restricted at the account level on that card. Create a new card with broader category controls instead: choose an unrestricted template, or a general expenses card that covers a wide range of merchant types. If you need the specific category unlocked account-wide, contact [support@dash.fi](mailto:support@dash.fi).
Cards created from narrow templates (for example, an advertising-only card) only work at merchants in that category. If you need a general-purpose card, choose an unrestricted template or manually select all relevant categories when creating it.
## Country not allowed
**What you see in the app:** "Country not allowed"
**First step — check your card's Allowed Countries setting.** Open the card in the app, scroll to **Allowed Countries**, and look for the merchant's country.
* **The country is missing from the card** — add it. If your account supports that country, you can add it to the card yourself without contacting support. Save the card and retry the payment.
* **You can't add the country, or it's not available to select** — the country isn't enabled on your account. Contact [support@dash.fi](mailto:support@dash.fi) to request it be added at the account level.
By default, cards work in the **United States** and **Ireland**. If the merchant's country isn't available to add to your card, contact [support@dash.fi](mailto:support@dash.fi) to enable it at the account level — then you can add it to any card yourself.
## Spend limit reached
**What you see in the app:** "Purchase amount limit reached", "Single purchase limit reached", "Purchase count limit reached", or "International purchase limit reached"
**For "Purchase amount limit reached" — check the card's spend limit first.** Open the card and look at its configured daily or monthly limit.
* **The card has a spend limit set** — edit the card to raise or remove the limit. Save and retry.
* **The card has no limit set (or is set to "Unlimited")** — the account-level limit has been reached. Contact [support@dash.fi](mailto:support@dash.fi) to discuss an increase.
The other limit messages have a fixed resolution:
| Message | Cause | Fix |
| ------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| Single purchase limit reached | Single transaction exceeds the per-transaction cap set on the account | Contact [support@dash.fi](mailto:support@dash.fi) |
| Purchase count limit reached | This card has used its maximum number of transactions — applies to single-use cards | Create a new card |
| International purchase limit reached | International spend limit exceeded on the account | Contact [support@dash.fi](mailto:support@dash.fi) |
Your account's overall limit applies regardless of individual card limits. A card set to "Unlimited" will still decline if the account-level limit is reached.
## Card is frozen or archived
**What you see in the app:** "Card frozen" or "Card archived"
The card's state is preventing transactions.
**Frozen ("Card frozen"):** The card was frozen manually. Unfreeze it from the card detail sheet and retry the payment.
**Archived ("Card archived"):** The card has been permanently closed. It can't be reactivated. Create a new card to continue.
## Card expired
**What you see in the app:** "Card expired"
The card's expiry date has passed. Create a new card to continue.
## Card details mismatch
These declines happen when the details entered at checkout don't match what's on file. They're common when manually typing card details into a form.
| Message | Cause | Fix |
| ----------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Card expiry mismatch | Wrong expiry date entered | Check the expiry date in the card detail sheet and re-enter it |
| Card security code mismatch | Wrong CVV entered | Check the CVV in the card detail sheet and re-enter it |
| Address verification not successful | Billing address or postal code doesn't match | Make sure the address at checkout matches your Dash.fi account exactly — check it at **Settings → Business** |
| 3D Secure failed | 3D Secure authentication wasn't completed | Retry the payment and complete the authentication step when prompted |
Ad platforms and subscription services often save card details. If a card starts declining after a CVV or expiry change, update the saved details on the merchant's side.
## Issuer decline
**What you see in the app:** "Unknown error"
A rare disruption in Dash.fi's banking partner infrastructure. This isn't caused by your account settings or the merchant.
* Wait a short time and retry
* If multiple cards decline at the same time with no limit or category explanation, contact [support@dash.fi](mailto:support@dash.fi) immediately — this typically signals a partner system issue
Simultaneous declines across multiple cards almost always indicate a partner outage, not an account problem. Contact support right away.
## Quick troubleshooting
Check the transaction detail in the app — it shows the exact reason. The most common causes without a visible limit hit are a spend category restriction or a country restriction. Open the card's Spending Controls to check which categories and countries are allowed. If the missing category or country can be added to the card, you can do it yourself — no need to contact support.
The card most likely has spend category restrictions. Open the card detail sheet, check Spending Controls, and add the missing category. If the category isn't available to add, the restriction is at the account level — contact [support@dash.fi](mailto:support@dash.fi).
Check the transaction detail. If it says "Country not allowed", open the card and check its Allowed Countries. If the merchant's country isn't listed, try adding it — if it's available to select, you can enable it on the card yourself. If the country isn't available to add at all, it's not enabled on your account — contact [support@dash.fi](mailto:support@dash.fi).
The card may have been frozen — either manually or automatically due to unusual spend activity. Open the card in Dash.fi and check the status. If it shows Frozen, click Unfreeze to restore it. If you're unsure why it was frozen, contact [support@dash.fi](mailto:support@dash.fi).
This usually means the account-level spend limit has been reached. Check the card settings — if no card-level limit is set but charges are still declining, contact [support@dash.fi](mailto:support@dash.fi) immediately. It may be an account limit or a partner system issue.
Re-check the card details at checkout: expiry date, CVV, and billing address. Copy the address directly from Settings → Business to avoid a mismatch. If details are correct and the error persists, contact [support@dash.fi](mailto:support@dash.fi) with the merchant name.