Because the sandbox environment is not connected to payment networks, it cannot receive card transactions. The sandbox environment has additional endpoints to simulate transaction events originating from a merchant acquirer.

Simulated transaction events will trigger transaction webhooks and will be returned in subsequent GET /transactions responses.

Simulate Authorizations

API Reference: Simulate authorization

Simulate an authorization request from the payment network as if it came from a merchant acquirer.

POST https://sandbox.lithic.com/v1/simulate/authorize

Sample Request

curl https://sandbox.lithic.com/v1/simulate/authorize \
  -X POST \
  -H "Authorization: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"descriptor":"Sample Transaction","amount":3831,"pan":"4111111289144142", "merchant_acceptor_id": "OODKZAPJVN4YS7O"}'

Sample Response

{
  "debugging_request_id":"d31645af-da9e-4952-b7dc-3ffb06618b39",
  "token":"fabd829d-7f7b-4432-a8f2-07ea4889aaac"
}

In the case of an error processing the authorization, a 422 Unprocessable Entity response code will be returned with a description of the error.

{
  "debugging_request_id": "9399c6b5-4e8d-4357-ae75-116eb4299fe8",
  "message": "Exceeds transaction limit"
}


amount (required)	Amount (in cents) to authorize.
descriptor (required)	Short description of payment card acceptor.
pan (required)	16 digit card number.
merchant_acceptor_id (optional)	Identifier for the payment card acceptor.
status (optional)	The type of authorization the user is attempting to simulate. The four potential types are: - `AUTHORIZATION`: Standard dual message authorization that a merchant sends requesting an approve or decline decision for a purchase. - `FINANCIAL_AUTHORIZATION`: Single message authorization that a merchant sends requesting an approve or decline decision for a purchase or cash withdrawal. - `CREDIT_AUTHORIZATION`: Dual message authorization that a merchant sends requesting an approve or decline decision to push a credit (e.g., return) to the card. - `FINANCIAL_CREDIT_AUTHORIZATION`: Single message authorization that a merchant sends requesting an approve or decline decision to push a credit (e.g., return) to the card. - `BALANCE_INQUIRY`: Indicate that a balance inquiry (typically a $0 authorization) has occurred on a card.
merchant_currency (optional)	3-digit alphabetic ISO 4217 currency code.
merchant_amount (optional)	Amount of the transaction to be simulated in currency specified in merchant_currency, including any acquirer fees.
partial_approval_capable (optional)	Set to true if the terminal is capable of partial approval otherwise false. Partial approval is when part of a transaction is approved and another payment method must be used for the remainder.

Simulate Voids

API Reference: Simulate void transaction

Void an existing, uncleared (aka pending) authorization.

POST https://sandbox.lithic.com/v1/simulate/void

Sample Request

curl https://sandbox.lithic.com/v1/simulate/void \
  -X POST \
  -H "Authorization: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"amount":0,"token":"fabd829d-7f7b-4432-a8f2-07ea4889aaac"}'

Sample Response

{
  "debugging_request_id":"3ec51ef1-b68d-4243-be6c-2204229b09cf"
}


token (required)	The transaction token returned from the /v1/simulate/authorize response
amount	Amount (in cents) to void. Typically this will match the original authorization, but may be less
type	`AUTHORIZATION_REVERSAL` or `AUTHORIZATION_EXPIRY`

Simulate Clearings

API Reference: Simulate clearing transaction

Clear an existing authorization. After this event, the transaction is no longer pending.

POST https://sandbox.lithic.com/v1/simulate/clearing

Sample Request

curl https://sandbox.lithic.com/v1/simulate/clearing \
  -X POST \
  -H "Authorization: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"amount":0,"token":"fabd829d-7f7b-4432-a8f2-07ea4889aaac"}'

Sample Response

{
  "debugging_request_id":"58352315-cd15-407d-bdbc-6324784d959e"
}


token (required)	The transaction token returned from the /v1/simulate/authorize response
amount	Amount (in cents) to complete. Typically this will match the original authorization, but may be more or less

Simulate Returns

API Reference: Simulate return

Return (aka refund) an amount back to a card. Returns are cleared immediately and do not spend time in a PENDING state.

POST https://sandbox.lithic.com/v1/simulate/return

Sample Request

curl https://sandbox.lithic.com/v1/simulate/return \
  -X POST \
  -H "Authorization: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"descriptor":"Sample Return","amount":2934,"pan":"4111111503827704"}'

Sample Response

{
  "debugging_request_id":"66312f8a-78a3-4238-a87b-16d6cba78108",
  "token":"6b9b4635-5bd6-4409-88d1-d598ceb56156"
}


amount (required)	Amount (in cents) to return to the card
descriptor (required)	Merchant descriptor
pan (required)	16 digit card number

Simulate Declines

You can simulate declines by simulating authorizations that should be declined.

Sample Decline Simulation with Spend Limits

Create a card with spend limit

curl https://sandbox.lithic.com/v1/card \
     -X POST \
     -H 'Accept: application/json' \
     -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
     -H 'Authorization: YOUR_API_KEY \
     -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
     -d '
{
     "type": "VIRTUAL",
     "spend_limit": 1000
}
'

Retrieve PAN from the response.
Simulate decline with an authorization over the spend limit.

curl https://sandbox.lithic.com/v1/simulate/authorize \
  -X POST \
  -H "Authorization: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"descriptor":"Sample Transaction","amount":2000,"pan":"CREATED_PAN"}'

You should see a response of the form:

{"message": "Transaction exceeds user-set transaction limit", "token": "d1f276ff-1a27-4d7b-a607-9485bf063b26", "debugging_request_id": "960db679-a242-49a5-ace7-cd2e6970569d"}