American Express Payment Decline Code
American Express Decline Code 106: Exceeded PIN Attempts
Category Authentication or PINRetry Guidance Hard Decline (Editorial Classification)By Payment Defender Editorial TeamUpdated July 17, 2026Last reviewed July 17, 2026
What American Express Decline Code 106 Means
American Express declined the transaction because the allowable number of PIN entry attempts was exceeded.
Where the Response May Come From
This response comes from American Express. Too many incorrect PIN entries triggered a protective block on further attempts.
Common Reasons for This Response
Common causes include a forgotten PIN, repeated mis-entry at the terminal, or a security block after multiple failures.
Should the Merchant Retry the Payment?
Retrying at the same terminal will not succeed until the cardholder resolves the PIN issue with American Express.
Recommended Merchant Action
Ask the customer to contact American Express to reset or verify their PIN, or to use another payment method.
What to Tell the Customer
Explain that too many PIN attempts blocked the card and suggest contacting American Express or using another card.
How to Reduce Similar Payment Failures
For card-present environments, clear PIN-entry prompts and offering alternate payment methods at the point of sale may reduce friction.
Important Limitations
Decline-code meanings vary by processor, gateway, and payment environment, and American Express does not always disclose the specific reason behind a response. The retry classification on this page is Payment Defender editorial guidance, not an official network rule. Merchants should confirm handling with their processor or gateway.
Related Decline Codes
Sources and Review Information
- American Express: American Express Merchant Regulations
- PayPal Braintree: Braintree Processor Response Codes
Last reviewed July 17, 2026
Raw network-response codes are supplemental to the complete processor or gateway response. Meanings and recommended actions can vary by issuer, processor, gateway, card network, payment method, region, and merchant configuration.