At Black Belt Membership, we know your cash flow is the backbone of your school. That’s why we’ve partnered with NMI, one of the most trusted payment gateways in the industry. NMI powers secure, reliable transactions for thousands of businesses, and martial arts schools are no exception.
But every gateway speaks its own “language.” With NMI, that language is response codes. These short numeric codes explain what happened during a payment attempt. Most of the time, it’s smooth sailing. But when something does go wrong, these codes tell you what to do next.
To save you time, we’ve put together this easy guide. Below you’ll find the most common codes you’ll see in Black Belt Membership, along with what they mean and how to respond.
Black Belt Membership Payment Response Codes at a Glance
Here’s a simplified table with the codes most relevant to martial arts school owners.
| Code | Meaning | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | Approved | No action needed. Payment went through. |
| 200 | Declined by processor | Politely ask member to confirm card details or try a different card. |
| 201 | Do not honor | Ask the member to call their bank for approval. |
| 202 | Insufficient funds | Retry later or request another card. |
| 223 | Expired card | Ask member for updated card details. |
| 225 | Invalid CVV | Confirm the security code on the back of the card. |
| 261 / 262 | Stop recurring payments | Contact member directly. Respect request and update their billing. |
| 263 | Update cardholder data available | Use NMI’s card updater or ask for new details. |
| 300 | Rejected by gateway | Retry once; if it repeats, contact support. |
| 410 / 411 | Invalid merchant setup / inactive account | Reach out to Black Belt Membership or NMI support. |
| 420 / 421 | Communication error | Wait and retry. Often temporary. |
| 430 | Duplicate transaction | Double-check before re-running charges. |
| 461 | Unsupported card type | Ask for a different card (Visa, MasterCard, etc.). |
For a full list and official details of all NMI Gateway Response Codes, visit NMI Response Codes Documentation.
How to Use This Table in Your School
The table above isn’t meant to overwhelm you. It’s a quick reference so you don’t waste time guessing. Here’s how you can make it work:
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Keep it handy — print it out and post it near your front desk or office.
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Train your team — make sure staff know how to spot these codes in Black Belt Membership.
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Respond consistently — when a decline happens, follow the same steps every time. It builds trust with families.
Best Practices for Handling Declines
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Be proactive: Don’t wait until tuition stacks up unpaid. Use Black Belt Membership’s alerts to act quickly.
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Communicate politely: A short text or email goes a long way. Most families simply need a reminder.
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Retry smartly: Try again 24–48 hours later. Avoid multiple same-day attempts.
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Stay professional: Declines happen. It’s rarely personal. Focus on solving, not blaming.
Black Belt Membership uses NMI because it’s reliable, secure, and trusted. But even the best gateway will occasionally return a decline or error. By understanding these response codes, you can respond quickly, recover payments, and keep your school’s finances healthy.
Want to see how Black Belt Membership makes billing and collections easier with NMI?
or set up your account today. We’ll walk you through the setup, show you how to read codes, and help you keep tuition flowing smoothly.
