3D Secure

Southampton City Council has implemented 3D Secure for its payment services, and as such your card MUST be registered for 3D Secure for your payment to be successful. This can be completed via your issuing bank's online banking system.

3D Secure is a secure protocol designed to ensure enhanced security and strong authentication, to protect you when you use your debit or credit cards for online purchases.

3D Secure is also known as 'MasterCard SecureCode' or 'Verified by Visa', depending on your card type. When you pay online for services, you may be asked to provide a special security code to the card issuing bank, in order for the bank to authorise the payment.

Card issuing banks have different methods of generating and delivering these codes. If you don't know your 3D Secure passcode or password, and you are not given the option to enrol online in the bank's pop-up screen, then you will need to contact your bank. Please note that this is not your E-Store account password.

The error message shown on a failed payment is '3D-Authentication failed'. This means you haven't passed the additional payment checks by your bank. It does not mean that there isn't enough money in your account, but either that you're not enrolled in 3D Secure or you entered an incorrect password.