MCC code directory

What is a merchant category code?

A merchant category code is the four-digit label your acquiring bank assigns to your merchant account at underwriting. Card networks use it to route interchange pricing, set default chargeback thresholds, and flag accounts for enhanced monitoring programs like Visa VAMP or Mastercard's Excessive Chargeback Program. The wrong MCC — even an honest mistake — can mean paying the wrong interchange rate or getting flagged for a risk tier that doesn't match your actual business, which makes proactive chargeback defense and monitoring harder to manage. Getting the classification right from day one is part of what a specialized high-risk payment specialist does that a generic aggregator often skips.

Not sure which code fits your business, or already flagged under the wrong one? Talk to a specialist to confirm your MCC, or get approved today with the right classification from the start.