MCC: Merchant Category Codes (ISO 18245:2023)
Merchant Category Codes (MCC) classifications are implementations of ISO 18245:2003 or ISO 18245:2023 used by major payment card organizations such as MasterCard, Visa, and Amex to categorize merchants based on the type of their business activity. MCC codes are used in determining interchange fees, risk assessment, restricting purchases for certain card types, as well as tax reporting in the U.S.
Metadata
| Publisher type | Commercial |
| Publisher(s) | |
| Jurisdictions | Global |
Available versions
- ISO 18245:2023 (Current)
- ISO 18245:2003 (Legacy)
- Mastercard MCC V. October 2024 (Current)
- Mastercard MCC V. April 2024 (Legacy)
- Mastercard MCC - V. October 2023 (Legacy)
- Mastercard MCC - V. June 2023 (Legacy)
- Mastercard MCC - V. August 2020 (Legacy)
- Mastercard MCC - V. October 2019 (Legacy)
- Mastercard MCC - V. November 2018 (Legacy)
- Mastercard MCC - V. November 2015 (Legacy)
- Visa MCC V. April 2024 (Current)
- Visa MCC V. October 2023 (Legacy)
- Visa MCC V. April 2023 (Legacy)
- Visa MCC V. November 2021 (Legacy)
- Visa MCC V. October 2019 (Legacy)
- Visa MCC V. April 2018 (Current)
- Visa MCC V. November 2016 (Legacy)
- Amex MCC V. April 2024 (Current)
Introduction
Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) are four-digit numerical codes used by credit card companies, like Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. MCC classification categorizes businesses according to the types of goods or services they provide. The structure of MCCs is non-hierarchical i.e. it does not have more than one classification level as in national industrial classification systems. Moreover, MCCs focus primarily on categorizing the businesses/institutions able to receive credit card payments. Notably, most of the businesses in the agricultural and manufacturing space are missing from the classification. For this reason, creating correspondence tables between MCC and other industry classifications such as SIC or NAICS is task where many judgement calls need to be made.
Financial institutions, payment processors, and other participants in the credit card industry use MCCs to identify the nature of transactions, conduct risk assessments, set appropriate transaction charges, and provide special rewards or promotions. The canonical version of Merchant Category Codes is defined by ISO 18245 - Retail financial services — Merchant category codes. By standardizing these codes, ISO 18245 enables smoother and more transparent cross-border financial transactions, ensuring consistency and regulatory compliance for banks, merchants, and consumers globally.
Both Visa and MasterCard update their MCC lists periodically, but they do not publish specific versions of the list online. Instead, only the latest versions of the classifications are available. Besides Visa and MasterCard other payment card organizations such as American Express (Amex) and Discover use their own implementations of ISO-18245:2023.
Versions
ISO 18245:2023 (Current)
ISO provides only somewhat cryptic reason for the introduction of the revised ISO-18245:2023 standard:
The main change is as follows:
restructuring to facilitate maintenance of the code values by a new ISO 18245 maintenance agency (MA).
(Source)
The standard is available for purchase at the ISO website. Each MCC code consists of 4 digits. As given by Monite Docs, the range of MCCs in ISO 18245:2023 are:
Range of Codes | Description |
|---|---|
0001–1499 | Agricultural services |
1500–2999 | Contracted services |
4000–4799 | Transportation services |
4800–4999 | Utility services |
5000–5599 | Retail outlet services |
5600–5699 | Clothing shops |
4800-4999 | Utilities |
5700–7299 | Miscellaneous shops |
7300–7999 | Business services |
8000–8999 | Professional services and membership organizations |
9000–9999 | Government services |
The Merchant Category Codes classification system has codes for various business activities (e.g. MCC 5532 - Automotive Tire Stores), as well as codes for specific merchants (e.g. MCC 3001 - American Airlines, or MCC 3513 Westin Hotels). The most popular implementations of ISO 18245:2023 are Visa MCC and MasterCard MCC. MasterCard refers to MCCs as Card Acceptor Business Codes, whereas Visa sticks to the conventional name Merchant Category Codes. Both implementations are mostly similar, and the main differences between them are inclusion of particular merchants from the list, and codes specific to activities carried by a particular payment card organization. For example, MCC 3176 Metroflight Airlines is included only in the Visa MCC list (2024 edition), and MCC 3547 Breakers Resort and MCC 6537 MoneySend Intercountry only in MasterCard MCC list (2018 edition). A complete list of MCC codes specifying differences between Visa and MasterCard versions is available at citibank website.
ISO 18245:2003 (Legacy)
ISO 18245:2003 was in use from 1 April 2003 until its withdrawal on 17 February 2023 and subsequent replacement by ISO 18245:2023. As in the current version, each MCC code in ISO 18245:2003 had four digits and different payment card organizations devised their implementations of the standard. The table below shows the code ranges used in raw ISO 18245:2003 standard along with the types of merchants in each range.
Range of Codes | Description |
|---|---|
0100-0699 | Reserved |
0700-0999 | Agricultural services |
1000-1499 | Reserved |
1500-2999 | Contracted services |
3000-3999 | Reserved for private use |
4000-4799 | Transportation |
4800-4999 | Utilities |
5000-5599 | Retail outlets |
5500-5599 | Automobiles and vehicles |
5600-5699 | Clothing outlets |
5700-5999 | Miscellaneous outlets |
6000-7299 | Service providers |
7300-7529 | Business services |
7530-7799 | Repair services |
7800-7999 | Amusement and entertainment |
8000-8999 | Professional services and membership organizations |
9000-9199 | Reserved for ISO use |
9200-9402 | Government services |
9403-9999 | Reserved |
Mastercard MCC V. October 2024 (Current)
The October 2024 version of Mastercard MCCs has been in operation since October 8, 2024.
Changes between Mastercard MCC V. April 2024 and Mastercard MCC V. October 2024
In the October 2024 version new generic MCCs were added while some merchant-specific MCCs were removed.
Structure of Mastercard MCC V. October 2024
The October 2024 version of Mastercard MCCs contains 879 MCCs grouped under 20 "MCC categories". Of the 879 MCCs, 293 are generic and 566 are merchant-specific. Generic MCCs cover business activities such as, for example, MCC 4829 (Money Transfer), MCC 7392 (Consulting, Management, and Public Relations Services), and MCC 8351 (Child Care Services) while merchant-specific MCCs identify companies operating in three industries: Airlines, Automobile/Vehicle Rentals, and Hotels/Motels. merchant-specific codes include e.g. 3007 (Air France), 3026 (Emirates Airlines), 3405 (Enterprise Rent-A-Car), and 3535 (Hilton International). In Mastercard's Quick Reference Booklet, the complete description for each MCC also includes, among other information, its associated Transaction Category Codes (TCCs) which range from letters A to Z. The table below shows the number of MCCs under each of the 20 MCC categories. The Miscellaneous Stores category has the highest number of generic MCCs which is consistent with the fact that MCCs primarily categorize the businesses/institutions able to receive credit card payments. The generic MCCs under this category include e.g. MCC 5732 (Electronic Sales), MCC 5814 (Fast Food Restaurants), and MCC 5912 (Drug Stores, Pharmacies). On the other hand, the 583 merchant-specific MCCs are located mostly in the Hotels and Motels category.
MCC Category | Number of generic MCCs | Number of merchant-specific MCCs |
Airlines | 0 | 192 |
Amusement and Entertainment | 21 | 0 |
Automobile/Vehicle Rentals | 3 | 51 |
Automobiles and Vehicles | 14 | 0 |
Business Services | 15 | 0 |
Clothing Stores | 12 | 0 |
Contracted Services | 11 | 0 |
Government Services | 7 | 0 |
Hotels and Motels | 1 | 323 |
Mail Order/Telephone Order Providers | 8 | 0 |
Miscellaneous Stores | 53 | 0 |
Personal Service Providers | 17 | 0 |
Professional Services and Membership Organizations | 29 | 0 |
Repair Services | 13 | 0 |
Retail Stores | 18 | 0 |
Service Providers | 19 | 0 |
Transportation | 17 | 0 |
United Kingdom | 0 | 0 |
Utilities | 7 | 0 |
Wholesale Distributors and Manufacturers | 31 | 0 |
Total | 293 | 566 |
Resources
Mastercard MCC V. April 2024 (Legacy)
The April 2024 version of Mastercard MCCs took effect on April 16, 2024.
Changes between Mastercard MCC V. October 2023 and Mastercard MCC V. April 2024
No new codes were added between the two versions.
Structure of Mastercard MCC V. April 2024
The April 2024 edition of Mastercard's Quick Reference Booklet has 20 MCC categories within which 876 MCCs (579 merchant-specific and 297 generic) are grouped.
Resources
Mastercard MCC - V. October 2023 (Legacy)
The October 2023 version of Mastercard MCCs took effect on October 3, 2023.
Changes between Mastercard MCC V. June 2023 and Mastercard MCC V. October 2023
No new codes were added between the two versions.
Structure of Mastercard MCC V. October 2023
The October 2023 edition of Mastercard MCCs has 20 MCC categories within which 876 MCCs (579 merchant-specific and 297 generic) are grouped.
Resources
Mastercard MCC - V. June 2023 (Legacy)
The June 2023 version of Mastercard MCCs took effect on June 3, 2023.
Changes between Mastercard MCC V. August 2020 and Mastercard MCC V. June 2023
The number of codes increased from 865 in Mastercard MCC V. August 2020 to 876 in Mastercard MCC V. June 2023. Two new generic codes were added: MCC 7322 (Debt Collection Agency) and MCC 7295 (Housekeeping Services). Nine new merchant-specific codes were added which are MCC 3019 (Eastern Airlines); 3070 (Fly Dubai); 3080 (Swoop Inc.); 3081 (Xiamen Airlines); 3303 (Tigerair); 3308 (China Southern); 3630 (Tokyu Hotels); 3756 (Toyoko Inn); and 3839 (Kyoritsu Hotels).
Structure of Mastercard MCC V. June 2023
The June 2023 edition of Mastercard MCCs has 20 MCC categories within which 876 MCCs (579 merchant-specific and 297 generic) are grouped.
Resources
Mastercard MCC - V. August 2020 (Legacy)
The August 2020 version of Mastercard MCCs took effect on August 11, 2020.
Changes between Mastercard MCC V. October 2019 and Mastercard MCC V. August 2020
The August 2020 edition of Mastercard MCCs added the MCC 5552 (Electric Vehicle Charging).
Structure of Mastercard MCC V. August 2020
The August 2020 edition of Mastercard MCCs has 20 MCC categories within which 865 MCCs (570 merchant-specific and 295 generic) are grouped.
Resources
Mastercard MCC - V. October 2019 (Legacy)
The October 2019 version of Mastercard MCCs took effect on October 15, 2019.
Changes between Mastercard MCC V. November 2018 and Mastercard MCC V. October 2019
In the October 2019 edition of Mastercard MCCs, MCC 3837 (Hoshino Resorts) and MCC 3838 (Kimpton Hotels) were added while the description of several other codes was revised.
Structure of Mastercard MCC V. October 2019
The October 2019 edition of Mastercard MCCs has 20 MCC categories within which 862 MCCs (570 merchant-specific and 292 generic) are grouped.
Resources
Mastercard MCC - V. November 2018 (Legacy)
The November 2018 version of Mastercard MCCs took effect on November 15, 2018.
Changes between Mastercard MCC V. November 2015 and Mastercard MCC V. November 2018
Five new codes are present in MCC V. November 2018: MCC 3300 (Azul Brazilian Airlines), MCC 3301(Wizz Airlines), MCC 3834 (Baymont Inn and Suites), MCC 3835 (Dolce Hotels and Resorts), and MCC 3836 (Hawthorne Suites by Wyndham).
Structure of Mastercard MCC V. November 2018
The November 2018 edition of Mastercard MCCs has 20 MCC categories within which 860 MCCs (568 merchant-specific and 292 generic) are grouped.
Resources
Mastercard MCC - V. November 2015 (Legacy)
The November 2015 version of Mastercard MCCs took effect on November 19, 2015.
Structure of Mastercard MCC V. November 2015
In the November 2015 edition of Mastercard's Quick Reference Booklet, there are 855 MCCs (564 merchant-specific and 291 generic) grouped under 20 MCC categories.
Resources
Visa MCC V. April 2024 (Current)
The Merchant Category Codes maintained by Visa are published in the "Visa Merchant Data Standards Manual - Visa Supplemental Requirements", the latest version of which was released in April 2024.
Changes between Visa MCC V. October 2023 and Visa MCC V. April 2024
In the Visa MCC V. April 2024, two new codes were created which are MCC 3168 (Hainan Airlines) and MCC 5723 (Guns and Ammunition Shops). The description of several other MCCs were also updated and refined.
Structure of Visa MCC V. April 2024
Visa MCC V. April 2024 contains 887 four-digit MCCs of which 293 are generic and 594 identify specific companies grouped under "Airlines & Air Carriers" and "Lodging – Hotels, Motels, Resorts". Visa's MCCs are based on the ISO codes. Similar to Mastercard's MCCs, the generic codes in Visa's MCCs include for example MCC 1750 (Carpentry Contractors), MCC 4121 (Taxicabs and Limousines), and MCC 5192 (Books, Periodicals and Newspapers). Merchant-specific codes cover airlines and hotels from all over the world such as MCC 3008 (Lufthansa) and MCC 3503 (Sheraton).
Resources
Visa MCC V. October 2023 (Legacy)
The Visa MCC V October 2023 was in effect from October 2023 to April 2024.
Changes between Visa MCC V. April 2023 and Visa MCC V. October 2023
Visa MCC V. October 2023 maintained the structure of the previous version. While no new codes were added, the description of a few MCCs were updated.
Structure of Visa MCC V. October 2023
Visa MCC V. October 2023 contains 886 four-digit MCCs of which 292 are generic and 593 identify specific companies grouped under "Airlines & Air Carriers" and "Lodging – Hotels, Motels, Resorts".
Resources
Visa MCC V. April 2023 (Legacy)
The Visa MCC V. April 2023 was in effect from April 2023 to October 2023.
Changes between Visa MCC V. November 2021 and Visa MCC V. April 2023
Visa MCC V. April 2023 added the MCC 3839 (Kyoritsu Hotels) and made slight amendments to the description of a few other MCCs.
Structure of Visa MCC V. April 2023
Visa MCC V. April 2023 contains 886 four-digit MCCs of which 292 are generic and 594 identify specific companies grouped under "Airlines & Air Carriers" and "Lodging – Hotels, Motels, Resorts".
Resources
Visa MCC V. November 2021 (Legacy)
The Visa MCC V. November 2021 was in effect from November 2021 to April 2023.
Changes between Visa MCC V. October 2019 and Visa MCC V. November 2021
Apart from the update of the description of MCC 5815 (Digital Goods Media – Books, Movies, and Music), no new MCCs were added.
Structure of Visa MCC V. November 2021
Visa MCC V. November 2021 contains 885 four-digit MCCs of which 292 are generic and 593 identify specific companies grouped under "Airlines & Air Carriers" and "Lodging – Hotels, Motels, Resorts".
Resources
Visa MCC V. October 2019 (Legacy)
The Visa MCC V. October 2019 was in effect from October 2019 to November 2021.
Changes between Visa MCC V. April 2018 and Visa MCC V. October 2019
Visa MCC V. October 2019 added six new codes such as the generic codes MCC 5262 (Marketplaces) and MCC 5552 (Electric Vehicle Charging merchants), and merchant-specific codes MCC 3838 (Kimpton Hotels) and MCC 3302 (Flybe Air). The MCC 3630 (Extended Stay Deluxe) was removed.
Structure of Visa MCC V. October 2019
Visa MCC V. October 2019 contains 885 four-digit MCCs of which 292 are generic and 593 identify specific companies grouped under "Airlines & Air Carriers" and "Lodging – Hotels, Motels, Resorts".
Resources
Visa MCC V. April 2018 (Current)
The Visa MCC V. April 2018 was in effect from April 2018 to October 2019.
Changes between Visa MCC V. November 2016 and Visa MCC V. April 2018
There were no additions the list of MCCs between these two versions.
Structure of Visa MCC V. April 2018
Visa MCC V. April 2018 contains 880 four-digit MCCs of which 290 are generic and 590 identify specific companies grouped under "Airlines & Air Carriers" and "Lodging – Hotels, Motels, Resorts".
Resources
Visa MCC V. November 2016 (Legacy)
The Visa MCC V. November 2016 was in effect from November 2016 to April 2018.
Structure of Visa MCC V. November 2016
Visa MCC V. November 2016 contains 880 four-digit MCCs of which 290 are generic and 590 identify specific companies grouped under "Airlines & Air Carriers" and "Lodging – Hotels, Motels, Resorts".
Resources
Amex MCC V. April 2024 (Current)
The Merchant Category Codes maintained by American Express (Amex) are published in the "Global Codes & Information Guide", the latest version of which was released in April 2024.
Structure of Amex MCC V. April 2024
Amex MCC V. April 2024 contains 890 four-digit MCCs of which 303 are generic and 587 identify specific merchants in three industries: "Airlines" (212 merchants), "Auto Rental Agencies" (37 merchants), and "Lodging" (338 merchants). Most activities and merchants are similarly coded under the MCCs published by Amex, Mastercard, Visa as they are all based on the ISO standard. However, apart from the three industries under which specific merchants are grouped, Amex and Visa do not define a wide range of broad categories for the generic MCCs as in the Mastercard versions which has 20 "MCC categories".
Resources
Where is it used?
MCC codes are assigned by the acquirer to merchants using their services according to the guidelines published by the payment card organization they work with. An acquirer (acquiring bank) is a bank (or a financial institution) that processes debit/credit card payment on behalf of the merchant. For example, when a bookstore starts doing business with MasterCard it will be given MCC code 5192. These codes are then used:
to determine the interchange fee paid by the issuer (a bank or a financial institution that issued a card) to the acquirer
categorizing transactions of the credit card statement
to prevent certain types of purchases on some cards (e.g. corporate credit cards may prevent purchases at some types of merchants)
in risk assessment of a credit card transactions
in credit card reward programs, where the credit card user gets different rewards for spending on certain categories of items
(United States only) in payment reporting to IRS under section 6041 or section 6041A of the Internal Revenue Code (Form 1099-MISC).