Stripe test card numbers are fake card values that run charges in test mode without moving real money. The number most developers know is 4242 4242 4242 4242, a Visa value that returns a successful payment with any future expiry date, any three-digit CVC, and any billing ZIP. Stripe publishes a separate set of these numbers for each card brand and for each failure case you want to reproduce.

Stripe test card numbers by card brand

Each of these numbers returns a successful charge on its network. The CVC length follows the brand, so Amex wants four digits while the rest want three.

• Visa: 4242 4242 4242 4242
• Visa debit: 4000 0566 5566 5556
• Mastercard: 5555 5555 5555 4444
• Mastercard debit: 5200 8282 8282 8210
• Mastercard 2-series: 2223 0031 2200 3222
• American Express: 3782 822463 10005
• Discover: 6011 1111 1111 1117
• Diners Club: 3056 9300 0902 0004
• JCB: 3566 0020 2036 0505
• UnionPay: 6200 0000 0000 0005

Decline test cards and the codes they return

These numbers fail on purpose so you can build and check your error handling. Each one maps to a specific decline code on the returned error object.

• 4000 0000 0000 0002: generic decline
• 4000 0000 0000 9995: insufficient funds
• 4000 0000 0000 9987: lost card
• 4000 0000 0000 9979: stolen card
• 4000 0000 0000 0069: expired card
• 4000 0000 0000 0127: incorrect CVC
• 4000 0000 0000 0119: processing error

A declined test charge comes back with an HTTP 402 status and a decline_code field. Your code should branch on that value instead of showing one generic message to the customer.

3D Secure and Radar test cards

Authentication flows need their own numbers, because the payment only completes after the customer passes a challenge. Stripe's testing docs hold the current list, since these values change as new authentication versions roll out.

• 4000 0000 0000 3220: 3DS2 authentication required, charge succeeds after the challenge
• 4000 0000 0000 3063: 3DS2 required, authentication fails
• 4000 0027 6000 3184: authentication passes, then the charge fails on capture
• 4000 0000 0000 0183: charge is blocked by Radar as fraudulent

What do you type in the expiry, CVC, and ZIP fields?

For a success card, Stripe ignores the values you enter as long as the format is valid. That rule holds for every field except the ones tied to address or CVC checks.

• Expiry date: any future date, such as 12/34
• CVC: any three digits, or four for American Express
• Billing ZIP: any five digits for US cards
• Address, name, and email: any values you like

If you want to test a failing postal code check or a failing CVC check, use the card numbers Stripe reserves for those cases. The generic success numbers accept anything you type.

Do Stripe test cards work in live mode?

No. Test numbers exist only inside test mode, and a charge sent to the live API with 4242 4242 4242 4242 will fail. Your integration needs a test secret key for test mode and a live secret key for production, kept in separate environment variables.

The reverse also matters: never put a real card number into test mode, even your own. Card data belongs in the tokenization flow, not in your logs, your seed files, or your notes.

Common mistakes with Stripe test cards

• Mixing a test card with a live publishable key or secret key
• Testing only the happy path and skipping declines, 3DS, and network errors
• Hardcoding a test card number into production code paths
• Assuming a test card behaves like a real card against a different gateway
• Forgetting that Amex needs a four-digit CVC

Frequently asked questions

Is 4242 4242 4242 4242 a real card number?

No. It sits in a range that card networks reserve for testing, so no cardholder owns it. Stripe uses it as the default success card in test mode.

Why does my Stripe test card get declined?

Check three things: that you are using a test API key, that the number is a Stripe test number, and that the expiry date is in the future. Some test cards decline by design, so a failure can simply mean you picked a decline card.

Can I test subscriptions with a test card?

Yes. Create the customer and subscription in test mode with a success card, then move to a decline card to test dunning and retry logic. You can also shift the subscription's trial end date to force an invoice attempt on demand.

Where do I find the full list of Stripe test cards?

Stripe's own testing documentation is the source of truth, and it updates when card brands add new test ranges. Copy the numbers from there instead of from a blog post, including this one.