What expiry and CVC do I use with Stripe test cards?

Any future date (e.g., 12/28) and any 3-digit CVC for Visa/Mastercard/Discover. For Amex, use a 4-digit CID. The specific values don't matter unless testing CVC/AVS failures.

Why does 4242 4242 4242 4242 always succeed?

Stripe recognizes this as a designated test card that always returns a successful authorization. It is hardcoded in Stripe's test infrastructure and will always return a Charge or PaymentIntent in 'succeeded' state.

Do Stripe test cards work in production mode?

No. Test card numbers only work with sk_test_ API keys. Using them with sk_live_ keys returns an error. Production keys require real card numbers.

What is the difference between 3DS challenge and 3DS frictionless?

A 3DS challenge shows the cardholder a verification step (OTP, biometric). Frictionless authentication happens silently — the card is authenticated without user interaction. Both complete 3DS authentication; frictionless just has no visible step.

How do I test Stripe Radar fraud rules?

Stripe provides specific test cards that trigger Radar rules: 4000 0000 0000 4954 is always blocked, 4100 0000 0000 0019 triggers a review. These help test your fraud-handling flows without real fraud.

Stripe Test Cards — Complete Developer Reference

Curated, verified Stripe sandbox test cards covering success, decline codes, 3D Secure, AVS, and fraud scenarios.

Last updated: April 2026

verifiedVerified against Stripe documentation — April 22, 2026

Official docsopen_in_new

Stripe provides an extensive set of test card numbers for its sandbox environment. Each number triggers a specific payment outcome — successful charges, specific decline reasons, and 3DS authentication flows. Use any future expiry date and any 3-digit CVC unless otherwise noted.

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Showing 28 of 28 test cards

Card Number	Network	Scenario	Code	Notes
4242 4242 4242 4242TEST ONLY	Visa	Successful paymentGlobal	—	Any future date, any 3-digit CVC, any billing address.
4000 0566 5566 5556TEST ONLY	Visa (debit)	Successful payment (debit)Global	—	—
5555 5555 5555 4444TEST ONLY	Mastercard	Successful paymentGlobal	—	Any future date, any 3-digit CVC.
2223 0031 2200 3222TEST ONLY	Mastercard (2-series)	Successful paymentGlobal	—	—
5200 8282 8282 8210TEST ONLY	Mastercard (debit)	Successful payment (debit)Global	—	—
3782 822463 10005TEST ONLY	Amex	Successful paymentGlobal	—	Use 4-digit CVC.
6011 1111 1111 1117TEST ONLY	Discover	Successful paymentUS	—	—
3056 9300 0902 0004TEST ONLY	Diners Club	Successful paymentGlobal	—	—
3566 0020 2036 0505TEST ONLY	JCB	Successful paymentGlobal	—	—
6200 0000 0000 0005TEST ONLY	UnionPay	Successful paymentGlobal	—	—
4000 0000 0000 0002TEST ONLY	Visa	Declined — generic declineGlobal	card_declined	—
4000 0000 0000 9995TEST ONLY	Visa	Declined — insufficient fundsGlobal	insufficient_funds	—
4000 0000 0000 9987TEST ONLY	Visa	Declined — lost cardGlobal	lost_card	—
4000 0000 0000 9979TEST ONLY	Visa	Declined — stolen cardGlobal	stolen_card	—
4000 0000 0000 0069TEST ONLY	Visa	Declined — expired cardGlobal	expired_card	—
4000 0000 0000 0127TEST ONLY	Visa	Declined — incorrect CVCGlobal	incorrect_cvc	—
4000 0000 0000 0119TEST ONLY	Visa	Declined — processing errorGlobal	processing_error	—
4242 4242 4242 4454TEST ONLY	Visa	Declined — incorrect numberGlobal	incorrect_number	—
4000 0000 0000 3220TEST ONLY	Visa	3DS — challenge required (new 3DS2)Global	—	Triggers a 3DS2 challenge. Authenticate in the test modal to complete.
4000 0027 6000 3184TEST ONLY	Visa	3DS — challenge required (3DS1 fallback)Global	—	Triggers a 3DS1 challenge flow.
4000 0000 0000 3055TEST ONLY	Visa	3DS — challenge required on setupGlobal	—	—
4000 0000 0000 3097TEST ONLY	Visa	3DS — frictionless (no challenge)Global	—	Authenticates silently with no user interaction.
4000 0084 0000 1629TEST ONLY	Visa	3DS — authentication required (SCA EU)EU	—	Requires 3DS for EU merchants under PSD2.
4000 0000 0000 0028TEST ONLY	Visa	AVS check — zip code fails, charge succeedsUS	zip_code_fail	—
4000 0000 0000 0036TEST ONLY	Visa	AVS check — line1 fails, charge succeedsUS	address_line1_fail	—
4000 0000 0000 0044TEST ONLY	Visa	AVS check — line1 and zip both failUS	address_zip_fail	—
4000 0000 0000 4954TEST ONLY	Visa	Always blocked — fraud preventionGlobal	card_declined	Radar always blocks this card. Use to test fraud block handling.
4100 0000 0000 0019TEST ONLY	Visa	Highest risk — Radar review triggeredGlobal	—	Triggers a Radar review queue in your dashboard.

TEST ONLY. These numbers will not process real transactions. Use only in Stripe's sandbox environment with test API credentials.

What it does

27 verified Stripe test cards

Covers every major scenario: success, all decline types, 3DS challenge, frictionless auth, AVS checks, and Radar fraud rules.

Expected response codes

Each card shows the Stripe decline_code or error it produces, so you can test your error handling logic precisely.

3DS2 and SCA scenarios

Cards for 3DS2 challenge, frictionless, SCA required (EU), and authentication unavailable — essential for PSD2 compliance.

Verified against Stripe docs

Data verified against stripe.com/docs/testing with a dated verification badge.

How to use Stripe Test Cards — Complete Developer Reference

1
Select a scenario
Use the scenario filter to narrow to Success, Declined, 3DS, AVS, or Specialty cards.
2
Copy the card number
Click Copy next to any card. Choose Number only, Full card, JSON, or cURL format.
3
Paste into Stripe sandbox
Use the copied number with Stripe.js, Stripe Elements, or direct API calls using your sk_test_ key.
4
Check the expected outcome
Verify your integration handles the documented response code or error correctly.

Stripe's test card system: how it works

Stripe's sandbox maps specific card numbers to specific outcomes at the network-simulation layer. When you submit a test card, Stripe doesn't forward it to Visa or Mastercard — it short-circuits to a simulated issuer response. The card numbers in the 4000 0000 0000 XXXX range are entirely Stripe-specific test sentinels.

This design means you can test any code path in your payment integration without needing real bank accounts. The tradeoff is that you need to know which number triggers which outcome — which is what this reference is for.

Testing 3DS2 with Stripe: what each card does

Stripe's 3DS2 test cards map to specific authentication outcomes:

• 4000 0000 0000 3220 — requires a 3DS challenge in Payment Intent flow • 4000 0027 6000 3184 — triggers a 3DS1 fallback • 4000 0000 0000 3097 — authenticates frictionlessly (no user step) • 4000 0084 0000 1629 — requires SCA for EU merchants

When testing 3DS, use Stripe.js 'confirmCardPayment' with the return_url parameter so the redirect flow works correctly in your test environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What expiry and CVC do I use with Stripe test cards?: Any future date (e.g., 12/28) and any 3-digit CVC for Visa/Mastercard/Discover. For Amex, use a 4-digit CID. The specific values don't matter unless testing CVC/AVS failures.
Why does 4242 4242 4242 4242 always succeed?: Stripe recognizes this as a designated test card that always returns a successful authorization. It is hardcoded in Stripe's test infrastructure and will always return a Charge or PaymentIntent in 'succeeded' state.
Do Stripe test cards work in production mode?: No. Test card numbers only work with sk_test_ API keys. Using them with sk_live_ keys returns an error. Production keys require real card numbers.
What is the difference between 3DS challenge and 3DS frictionless?: A 3DS challenge shows the cardholder a verification step (OTP, biometric). Frictionless authentication happens silently — the card is authenticated without user interaction. Both complete 3DS authentication; frictionless just has no visible step.
How do I test Stripe Radar fraud rules?: Stripe provides specific test cards that trigger Radar rules: 4000 0000 0000 4954 is always blocked, 4100 0000 0000 0019 triggers a review. These help test your fraud-handling flows without real fraud.