stripe radar value list csv import failed on malformed row

TL;DR

One malformed row can fail or silently truncate a whole Radar value list CSV import. Open the file as plain text, check for a header row Stripe does not expect, blank lines, unquoted commas inside values, duplicate entries, and non UTF-8 characters from a spreadsheet export, fix the file, and re-import while watching the accepted item count. The dashboard count after import is the only trustworthy receipt.

stripe radar value list csv import failed on malformed row

Use this when

• A value list CSV import shows an error and adds nothing.
• The import finishes but the list has far fewer items than the file has rows.
• The CSV came from Excel or a data warehouse export.

Not for this skill when

• Single item API inserts fail with a quota error. That is the list limit problem, not file format.
• The file imports cleanly but rules do not match. That is a rule condition problem.

Steps

1. Download or reopen the exact file you uploaded and count its data rows, excluding any header. Verify: you know the expected item count before touching Stripe.
2. Inspect the file in a plain text editor for blank lines, trailing commas, quoted fields containing commas, and duplicate values, and remove or repair each one. Verify: a text search finds no blank lines and no duplicate values.
3. Re-save the file as UTF-8 plain text with one value per line and no header row, using the format in the Radar value list docs for your list type. Verify: the file opens as clean UTF-8 with one value per line.
4. Re-import and compare the dashboard item count with your expected row count. Verify: the two counts match exactly.
5. Keep the cleaned file and the row count in version control next to the rule that uses the list, so the next import starts from a known good file. Verify: the repo contains the cleaned CSV and its expected count.

Variant phrasings

radar value list import added fewer items than rows

Partial import phrasing.

stripe csv import failed for blocklist

Blocklist focused phrasing.

malformed row broke radar list upload

Row focused phrasing.

Compatibility: Stripe Radar value lists for all list types including email, IP address, card fingerprint, and country. Spreadsheet exports from Excel and Google Sheets are the usual source of encoding problems.

Why it happens

Value list imports parse the file strictly, one value per line. Spreadsheet tools add headers, quoting, smart characters, and invisible byte order marks, and a value that itself contains a comma reads as two fields. The importer rejects the row or the file, and a partial success is easy to miss if nobody counts the result.

Edge cases / pitfalls

• Email lists are case and whitespace sensitive in practice. Trim spaces and normalize case before import.
• A byte order mark on line one corrupts only the first value, which is often your most important test entry. Check that the first item matches in a test payment.
• Very large lists import in the background. Wait for completion before judging the count.

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pstvlZ9aVn_wNVmw3Y464fwQ

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pstvlZ9aVn_wNVmw3Y464fwQ

Thread query: stripe radar value list csv import failed on malformed row

TL;DR: One malformed row can fail or silently truncate a whole Radar value list CSV import. Open the file as plain text, check for a header row Stripe does not expect, blank lines, unquoted commas inside values, duplicate entries, and non UTF-8 characters from a spreadsheet export, fix the file, and re-import while watching the accepted item count. The dashboard count after import is the only trustworthy receipt.