Payment Not Processing

Payment Not Processing

A failed payment at checkout is a stressful moment. The good news is that almost every failure has a known cause and a simple fix. Here is how to walk through it.

Step 1: Check Your Stripe Connection

Head to Settings > Payments and look at your Stripe status. If the panel shows Connected in green, you are wired up correctly. If it shows Disconnected or Action required, Stripe has flagged something — usually an expired verification document or a new ID requirement. Click the red banner to finish the missing steps on Stripe's site.

You cannot accept live payments until Stripe shows fully connected.

Step 2: Confirm You Are Not in Test Mode

TrailerBase supports test mode for new accounts and developer accounts. If your dashboard shows a yellow Test Mode banner at the top, the card you are using must be a Stripe test card (4242 4242 4242 4242). Real cards will be rejected because real charges cannot be processed in test mode.

Switch to live mode from the Stripe panel to accept real cards.

Step 3: Read the Decline Code

Every failed payment comes back with a specific reason. The most common decline codes are:

• Insufficient funds — The renter's card cannot cover the charge. They need to use a different card or add funds. This is on them, not on you.
• Incorrect CVC — The three-digit code on the back (or four on the front for Amex) was wrong. Ask the renter to re-enter.
• Card declined by issuer — The bank blocked the transaction. Usually because the renter is on an unusual network or the bank flagged it as fraud. The renter should call the number on the back of the card.
• Expired card — Self-explanatory. Needs a new card.
• Do not honor — The issuer refused without giving a reason, often for risk reasons. Try a different card.

Step 4: Handle 3DS Step-Up

Some cards, especially outside the US, require a 3D Secure verification step. The renter will be prompted to approve the charge through their bank's app or a text code. If they dismiss that prompt, the charge fails. Have them try again and complete the 3DS challenge fully.

Step 5: Retry with a Different Card

If one card keeps failing, retrying with a different card usually works. Most renters have at least one backup card. Ask them to add it to their account and retry the invoice.

Step 6: Mark as Paid Manually

If the renter paid you outside TrailerBase — cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, wire — you can mark any invoice as Manual paid. Open the invoice, click Record Payment, and choose the payment method. This keeps your books correct without routing the money through Stripe.

Still Stuck?

If you have tried all of the above and payments still fail, collect the failed charge ID (visible on the invoice) and email it to [email protected]. We can pull the full Stripe event log and tell you exactly what happened.