Stripe test cards accept any CVC value in test mode. Enter any 3 digits, such as 123, for Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Diners Club, JCB, and UnionPay, or any 4 digits, such as 1234, for American Express. Stripe checks the length of the code, not its value, so the digits you type do not need to match anything.
The only exceptions are dedicated test cards that deliberately force a specific CVC outcome, such as 4000 0000 0000 0101, which makes Stripe report a failed CVC check.
What CVV do you use with a Stripe test card?
Use 123 for every card brand except American Express. Use 1234 for American Express because its security code is 4 digits long.
Stripe ignores the actual digits during a normal test payment. You can enter 000, 999, or any other combination and the charge will still succeed as long as the card number, expiry date, and CVC length are valid.
Stripe test card numbers and their CVC rules
- Visa: 4242 4242 4242 4242, any 3-digit CVC
- Visa debit: 4000 0566 5566 5556, any 3-digit CVC
- Mastercard: 5555 5555 5555 4444, any 3-digit CVC
- American Express: 3782 822463 10005, any 4-digit CVC
- Discover: 6011 1111 1111 1117, any 3-digit CVC
- Diners Club: 3056 9300 0902 0004, any 3-digit CVC
- JCB: 3566 0020 2036 0505, any 3-digit CVC
- UnionPay: 6200 0000 0000 0005, any 3-digit CVC
Use any future expiry date and any billing postal code with these numbers.
Which test cards force a specific CVC result?
Two card numbers let you simulate a CVC problem without changing the code you type.
- 4000 0000 0000 0101: the charge succeeds but the CVC check fails
- 4000 0000 0000 0127: Stripe returns an incorrect CVC error
Related cards cover other verification outcomes, including 4000 0000 0000 0010 for a failed postal code check and 4000 0000 0000 0020 for a failed address check.
How do you test a declined payment?
Use 4000 0000 0000 0002 for a generic decline or 4000 0000 0000 9995 for an insufficient funds decline. Both ignore the CVC value you enter, so the decline reason comes from the card number alone.
Do Stripe test cards work in live mode?
No. Test card numbers only work with test API keys and test mode toggled on. A live Stripe account rejects them, and test mode rejects real card numbers.
How do you test 3D Secure authentication?
Use 4000 0025 0000 3155 to trigger a 3D Secure challenge, or 4000 0000 0000 3220 to require 3D Secure 2 authentication. The CVC field still accepts any 3 digits in these flows.
What is a CVC, and why does Stripe request it?
The CVC, also called CVV or card verification value, is the short code printed on a card that proves the person paying physically holds it. Stripe passes it to the card network during authorization and reads back a check result.
Because CVC is sensitive authentication data under PCI DSS, it must never be stored after a transaction is authorized.
Can you use test cards with real card data?
Never combine test card numbers with real account data, and never enter a real card number or CVC into a test environment. Test numbers are published openly by Stripe and are safe only because they route to a sandbox that cannot move real money.