invalid_expiry_yearmediumAffects MRR

Stripe invalid_expiry_year Error — Causes, Fix & MRR Impact

The Stripe invalid_expiry_year error occurs when the card's expiration year is invalid, causing the request to fail and potential MRR loss for SaaS businesses processing subscription payments.

What this means

The expiration year is invalid or in the past. The customer should enter a valid future expiry year.

Why it happens

Year in the past

The expiry year (and month) is before the current date; the card is expired.

Wrong format

Year was sent in wrong format (e.g. 2 digits when 4 required, or invalid value).

Customer typo

The customer mistyped the year (e.g. 2023 instead of 2025).

Wrong card or copy-paste

The customer entered another card's expiry.

MRR Impact

Invalid year is fixable by the customer; validation and clear errors reduce abandonment.

Valid expiry year is required; client-side validation and clear errors reduce failed payments.

Avg. recovery rate: High when you validate and let the customer correct the expiry.

Urgency: within 24h

How to fix it

  1. 1

    Validate year before submit

    Ensure the expiry year is current or future and that the full date (month + year) is not in the past. Use Stripe Elements for the expiry field.

  2. 2

    Show clear error

    When Stripe returns invalid_expiry_year, show 'Please enter a valid expiration year.' Focus the expiry field.

  3. 3

    Do not retry with same data

    Only retry after the customer has corrected the expiry and resubmitted.

  4. 4

    Use correct API format

    Send exp_year as 2- or 4-digit integer as Stripe expects (e.g. 25 or 2025). Check the API docs for your integration.

  5. 5

    Check error.param

    Use error.param to highlight the exact field (e.g. exp_year) in your form.

Detect invalid_expiry_year automatically

Track invalid_expiry_year; high rate may indicate form or validation issues.

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FAQ

What does Stripe invalid_expiry_year mean?
invalid_expiry_year means the expiration year is invalid (e.g. in the past or wrong format). The customer should enter a valid year (current year or future). For SaaS, validate expiry on the client and show a clear error so the customer can correct it.
Should I retry invalid_expiry_year?
No. Retry only after the customer has entered a valid expiry year (and month). Show a message like 'Please enter a valid expiration date.'
How do I prevent invalid_expiry_year?
Validate that the year is current or future (e.g. 2 or 4 digits) and that the full expiry date is not in the past. Use Stripe Elements for consistent validation.
Does invalid_expiry_year affect MRR?
Yes. Clear validation and error messaging reduce abandonment and protect MRR.

Related errors

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The Stripe invalid_expiry_month error occurs when the card's expiration month is invalid, causing the request to fail and potential MRR loss for SaaS businesses processing subscription payments.

Affects MRRexpired_card

The Stripe expired_card error occurs when the card's expiration date has passed and the issuer declines the charge, causing failed renewals and MRR loss for SaaS businesses processing subscription payments.

Affects MRRincorrect_number

The Stripe incorrect_number error occurs when the card number provided is incorrect, causing the charge to be declined and potential MRR loss for SaaS businesses processing subscription payments.

Affects MRR