Short answer
"Stripe test card CVV v7" combines two documented terms and one that is not documented. Stripe test cards are card numbers that work in test mode only. Stripe calls the security code a CVC, not a CVV. The tag "v7" does not appear in Stripe's test card documentation, in Stripe's API version history, or in its product list.
For a payment that succeeds, Stripe documents 4242 4242 4242 4242. Use any future expiry date. Use any 3 digit code in the CVC field. Stripe accepts 123. It accepts 000. The CVC value has no effect on that card.
Test mode compared with live mode
Stripe test mode runs on separate keys. A test card number sent with a live secret key returns an error. A live card number sent with a test key also returns an error. No money moves in test mode. No bank is contacted. No cardholder account exists.
Top Pick: Stripe Test Card CVV V8
Test card numbers are public. Stripe prints them in its own documentation. They have no value outside a test account.
Test cards that trigger CVC results
Stripe keeps separate numbers for checking the CVC field. These return a specific decline instead of a success.
- 4000 0000 0000 0101: the CVC check fails.
- 4000 0000 0000 0127: the CVC is incorrect.
- 4000 0000 0000 3063: the CVC check fails on a Visa card.
Other numbers cover different outcomes. 4000 0000 0000 0002 returns a generic decline. 4000 0000 0000 9995 returns insufficient funds. 4000 0000 0000 0069 returns an expired card.
Stripe adds and retires test numbers. Check the Stripe testing page before you hardcode a number in a test suite.
CVC field rules
The CVC sits on the card. Visa, Mastercard, and Discover print 3 digits on the back. American Express prints 4 digits on the front. Stripe's payment form takes either length.
For 4242 4242 4242 4242 Stripe accepts any 3 digits. For American Express test cards Stripe accepts any 4 digits.
What v7 is not
Stripe API versions use date strings, such as 2024-06-20. Stripe.js versions use plain numbers, and Stripe.js v3 is the current major line. Elements, Checkout, and Billing use product names. "V7" appears in none of them.
A page that sells or lists a "v7 test card" is not quoting Stripe. Treat the number as unverified.
Rules for real cards
Test cards carry no account, so storage rules do not apply to them. Real cards are different. PCI DSS requirement 3.2 forbids storing sensitive authentication data after authorization. The CVC is in that category. A merchant that keeps CVC values after a transaction fails the assessment.
Card numbers follow ISO/IEC 7812. The first digit is the major industry identifier. The next digits are the issuer identification number. The last digit is a Luhn check digit.
Setup checklist
- Switch the dashboard to test mode.
- Use the test publishable key and the test secret key.
- Enter 4242 4242 4242 4242 with a future expiry and any 3 digit CVC.
- Run the decline cases after the success case.
- Log the decline_code your integration returns for each number.