FakecreditcardHow Mercado Pago test cards work
Mercado Pago publishes different test cards for each country, and a card only works with the test credentials of an account in that country. Use the security code shown in the table and the expiry date 11/30; American Express cards use a four-digit code.
The card doesn’t decide the result. You set the payment status with the cardholder name: APRO approves the payment, OTHE declines it with a general error, CONT leaves it pending and FUND rejects it for insufficient funds. Enter the value as the cardholder’s first and last name. In Brazil, the docs pair APRO and OTHE with the CPF 12345678909.
These cards are for card payments through Checkout API (Checkout Transparente). Installments, Elo debit cards, Pix and boleto all behave differently, so test every payment method you plan to offer, and check your notification (webhook) handling for each status before you switch to production credentials.
Mexico test cards
Mexico uses its own numbers; the cardholder names work the same way.
| Brand | Number | Result | Notes | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mastercard (credit) | 5474 9254 3267 0366 | Valid card – result set by name | CVV 123 · 11/30 | |
| Visa (credit) | 4075 5957 1648 3764 | Valid card – result set by name | CVV 123 · 11/30 | |
| American Express (credit) | 3711 803032 57522 | Valid card – result set by name | CVV 1234 · 11/30 | |
| Mastercard (debit) | 5579 0534 6148 2647 | Valid card – result set by name | CVV 123 · 11/30 | |
| Visa (debit) | 4189 1412 2126 7633 | Valid card – result set by name | CVV 123 · 11/30 |
Argentina test cards
Argentina uses its own numbers; the cardholder names work the same way. The Mastercard credit card starts with 5031, outside the usual 51–55 range, so strict brand detection may not recognise it — a good test for your own form.
| Brand | Number | Result | Notes | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mastercard (credit) | 5031 7557 3453 0604 | Valid card – result set by name | CVV 123 · 11/30 | |
| Visa (credit) | 4509 9535 6623 3704 | Valid card – result set by name | CVV 123 · 11/30 | |
| American Express (credit) | 3711 803032 57522 | Valid card – result set by name | CVV 1234 · 11/30 | |
| Mastercard (debit) | 5287 3383 1025 3304 | Valid card – result set by name | CVV 123 · 11/30 | |
| Visa (debit) | 4002 7686 9439 5619 | Valid card – result set by name | CVV 123 · 11/30 |
Cardholder names that set the payment status
Mercado Pago chooses the result from the cardholder’s first and last name, not the card number. Type one of these values as the name with any test card. In Brazil, use CPF 12345678909 as the document for APRO and OTHE.
| Cardholder name | Payment status |
|---|---|
| APRO | Approved payment |
| OTHE | Declined for general error |
| CONT | Pending payment |
| CALL | Declined with validation to authorize |
| FUND | Declined for insufficient amount |
| SECU | Declined for invalid security code |
| EXPI | Declined due to due date issue |
| FORM | Declined due to form error |
| CARD | Rejected for missing card_number |
| INST | Rejected for invalid installments |
| DUPL | Rejected for duplicate payment |
| LOCK | Rejected for disabled card |
| CTNA | Rejected for non-permitted card type |
| ATTE | Rejected due to exceeded PIN attempts |
| BLAC | Rejected for being on the blacklist |
| UNSU | Not supported |
| TEST | Used to apply amount rules |
Testing Mercado Pago payments step by step
- Copy the test public key and access token of your Mercado Pago application.
- Pay with a card for your country and the name
APROto get an approved payment. - Repeat with
OTHE,CONT,FUNDandSECUto cover declined, pending and rejected statuses. - Check that your notification handling updates the order for each status.
- Switch to production credentials only after every status is handled.
Common errors and fixes
- Card rejected straight away
- Use a test card for the same country as the account, together with test credentials.
- Every payment is approved
- The status comes from the cardholder name. Type the status name, for example OTHE, as the name.
- Brazilian payment asks for a document
- Use CPF 12345678909 with APRO or OTHE.
Sources
Every number on this page was copied from Mercado Pago’s official documentation and passes the Luhn check. Checked October 2026; gateways change their test data from time to time, so if a number stops working, check the source:
- Mercado Pago Developers (Brazil) – Test cards
- Mercado Pago Developers (Mexico) – Test cards
- Mercado Pago Developers (Argentina) – Test cards
Frequently asked questions
What is the Mercado Pago test card for Brazil?
Mastercard 5480 8328 0103 3311 or Visa 4235 6477 2802 5682, security code 123, expiry 11/30, with the name APRO for an approved payment.
How do I simulate a rejected payment in Mercado Pago?
Use any test card and enter a status as the cardholder name, such as OTHE (general error), FUND (insufficient funds) or SECU (invalid security code).
Qual cartão de teste usar no Mercado Pago?
No Brasil, por exemplo o Mastercard 5480 8328 0103 3311 (CVV 123, validade 11/30) com o nome APRO para um pagamento aprovado ou OTHE para recusado, e o CPF 12345678909.
Can I use these test cards on another gateway?
Usually not. Each gateway only recognises its own documented test numbers in its own sandbox. Some numbers, such as 4111 1111 1111 1111, appear in several lists, but the results they trigger differ. For format-only testing on your own forms, use our card generator.