Understanding Terminal Response Codes
When a customer attempts to make a payment and the transaction fails, your Commonwealth Bank (CommBank) EFTPOS machine typically displays a specific two-digit or numeric response code on the screen and prints it on the receipt. Deciphering these codes using your terminal's user manual helps your staff determine whether the issue stems from the customer's account, a temporary network dropout, or a hardware fault.
Staff members frequently experience friction at the checkout when they cannot explain why a card was declined. By familiarising your team with the most common manual codes, you can guide customers toward alternative payment methods and keep your retail lines moving smoothly without requiring immediate technical support.
Key Information and Requirements
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Lookup Methods | Terminal screen display, printed merchant receipt, digital manual |
| Standard Response Time | Codes display immediately upon a transaction failure |
| General Applicability | CommBank Smart, Essential, and Albert terminal models |
| Key Requirements | Merchant ID (MID), Terminal ID (TID), Terminal Admin PIN |
Commonwealth Bank EFTPOS Error Codes
- 01 – Refer to card issuer
- 05 – Security decline by card issuer
- 13 – Invalid amount
- 41 – Lost card
- 51 – No sufficient funds
- 55 – Incorrect PIN
- 57 – Transaction not permitted to cardholder
- 58 – Transaction not permitted to terminal
- 67 – Blacklisted card
- 91 – Issuer or switch inoperative
Technical and Terminal-Specific Errors
- IE – Insufficient battery level to process transaction
- S0 – Modem error
- S2 – No answer
- S8 – Link not setup on EFT Server
- X0 – No response from host
Pro-Tip: Printing a small cheat sheet of the three most common customer-side error codes (like 05 for Do Not Honour and 51 for Insufficient Funds) and taping it near the register typically saves your staff from having to search through the full digital manual during a rush.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my terminal displaying 'Code 05 - Do Not Honour'?
When a customer taps their card, the terminal sends a request to the customer's issuing bank. Code 05 is a standard industry response meaning the issuing bank has blocked the transaction. The banking system logic dictates this usually happens for security reasons, such as suspected fraud on the customer's card, or a temporary freeze placed by the cardholder. A key limitation here is that CommBank cannot override another financial institution's security block, nor can they see the exact reason for the decline. Your practical next step is to inform the customer that their bank declined the request and ask them to use an alternative payment method.
What does 'Code 91' mean on my merchant receipt?
Merchants sometimes see Code 91 during widespread telecommunications dropouts. This code indicates that the terminal cannot connect to the payment switch or the issuing bank's server. The transaction times out before an approval or decline can be generated. What this means in practice is the payment infrastructure is temporarily unavailable, either locally or at a network level. Because you cannot process cards while offline without specific manual fallback vouchers, you should wait a few minutes, run a 'Logon' test from the terminal's admin menu to check the connection, and then try the transaction again.
How do I fix a 'Signature Error' on a contactless payment?
High-value transactions occasionally prompt the terminal to ask for a signature or PIN, even if the customer tapped their card. The payment system enforces these verification limits to prevent unauthorized large purchases if a card is stolen. If a staff member accidentally cancels the signature prompt, the terminal will generate an error code and abort the sale. You cannot bypass this regulatory security step for transactions over the mandated limit. To resolve it, initiate the payment sequence from your point-of-sale system again and politely ask the customer to insert their card and enter their PIN instead of tapping.
