Visa Merchant Category Codes: The Complete MCC List and Lookup

Visa merchant category codes are the four-digit numbers Visa uses to classify every business that accepts card payments by what it sells. This guide gives you the complete code list organized by range, a step-by-step MCC lookup, explanations of the most searched codes — including 7011, 5411, and 5815 — and what it means if your Visa merchant code falls in a high-risk category.

What Are Merchant Category Codes (MCCs)?

MCC stands for merchant category code. MCC codes are four-digit numbers used to categorize businesses by the products or services they sell. The system originates from ISO 18245, the international standard for merchant classification, and all four major credit card networks — Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover — use it. Each network maintains its own list, so the code assigned to the same business may differ slightly from one network to another.

Your MCC appears on your merchant statement as a business category. Beyond classification, banks and card networks use MCC codes to aggregate transaction data, track trends across verticals, and monitor changes in consumer purchasing habits. When a vertical starts producing elevated chargebacks — as banks saw when the nutraceutical market grew — card companies and banks can respond by classifying those businesses as high risk.

This page focuses on the Visa-specific list and code lookups. For the fundamentals of what an MCC code is and how the classification system works, see our dedicated guide.

Complete Visa Merchant Category Code List by Range

Every Visa merchant category code falls within one of the numeric ranges below, which come from Visa's Merchant Data Standards documentation. Ranges 3000–3999 are reserved for individually assigned airlines, car rental agencies, and hotel chains; the rest group merchants by industry. Each entry pairs the four-digit code with its description, so you can scan a range or copy the entries you need. The list covers the codes merchants and cardholders look up most within each range — use your browser's find function (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) to jump straight to a specific code.

Agricultural Services (0742–1499)

• 0742 — Veterinary services
• 0763 — Agricultural cooperatives
• 0780 — Landscaping and horticultural services

Contracted Services (1500–2999)

• 1520 — General contractors, residential and commercial
• 1711 — Heating, plumbing, and air conditioning contractors
• 1731 — Electrical contractors
• 1761 — Roofing, siding, and sheet metal work
• 1799 — Special trade contractors (not elsewhere classified)
• 2741 — Miscellaneous publishing and printing

Airlines (3000–3299)

Each major airline carries its own Visa MCC in this range — for example, 3000 United Airlines, 3001 American Airlines, 3058 Delta, and 3066 Southwest. Carriers without a dedicated code process under 4511, airlines and air carriers not elsewhere classified.

Car Rental Agencies (3300–3499)

Major rental agencies are individually assigned — for example, 3357 Hertz, 3389 Avis, 3393 National, and 3405 Enterprise. Agencies without a dedicated code fall under 7512.

Lodging and Hotel Chains (3500–3999)

Major hotel chains carry their own codes — for example, 3501 Holiday Inn, 3502 Best Western, 3503 Sheraton, 3504 Hilton, 3509 Marriott, and 3640 Hyatt. Independent hotels, motels, resorts, and central reservation services use 7011, covered in detail below.

Transportation Services (4000–4799)

• 4011 — Railroads (freight)
• 4111 — Local and suburban commuter transportation, including ferries
• 4121 — Taxicabs and limousines
• 4131 — Bus lines
• 4214 — Motor freight carriers and trucking
• 4215 — Courier services
• 4411 — Steamship and cruise lines
• 4511 — Airlines and air carriers (not elsewhere classified)
• 4582 — Airports, flying fields, and airport terminals
• 4722 — Travel agencies and tour operators
• 4784 — Tolls and bridge fees
• 4789 — Transportation services (not elsewhere classified)

Utilities and Telecommunications (4800–4999)

• 4812 — Telecommunication equipment and telephone sales
• 4814 — Telecommunication services
• 4816 — Computer network and information services
• 4829 — Money transfers and wire transfer money orders
• 4899 — Cable, satellite, and other pay television and radio services
• 4900 — Utilities: electric, gas, water, and sanitary

Retail Stores (5000–5599)

• 5045 — Computers, computer peripherals, and software
• 5111 — Stationery, office supplies, and printing paper
• 5122 — Drugs, drug proprietaries, and druggist sundries
• 5192 — Books, periodicals, and newspapers
• 5200 — Home supply warehouse stores
• 5211 — Lumber and building materials
• 5251 — Hardware stores
• 5261 — Nurseries and lawn and garden supply stores
• 5300 — Wholesale clubs
• 5310 — Discount stores
• 5311 — Department stores
• 5331 — Variety stores
• 5399 — Miscellaneous general merchandise
• 5411 — Grocery stores and supermarkets
• 5441 — Candy, nut, and confectionery stores
• 5462 — Bakeries
• 5499 — Miscellaneous food stores: convenience stores and specialty markets
• 5511 — Car and truck dealers, new and used
• 5532 — Automotive tire stores
• 5533 — Automotive parts and accessories stores
• 5541 — Service stations (with or without ancillary services)
• 5542 — Automated fuel dispensers

Clothing Stores (5600–5699)

• 5611 — Men's and boys' clothing and accessories
• 5621 — Women's ready-to-wear stores
• 5641 — Children's and infants' wear stores
• 5651 — Family clothing stores
• 5661 — Shoe stores
• 5691 — Men's and women's clothing stores
• 5699 — Miscellaneous apparel and accessory shops

Miscellaneous Stores, Restaurants, and Digital Goods (5700–5999)

• 5712 — Furniture and home furnishings stores
• 5722 — Household appliance stores
• 5732 — Electronics stores
• 5734 — Computer software stores
• 5811 — Caterers
• 5812 — Eating places and restaurants
• 5813 — Drinking places: bars, taverns, nightclubs, and cocktail lounges
• 5814 — Fast food restaurants
• 5815 — Digital goods: media (books, movies, music)
• 5816 — Digital goods: games
• 5817 — Digital goods: applications (excluding games)
• 5818 — Digital goods: large digital goods merchants
• 5912 — Drug stores and pharmacies
• 5921 — Package stores: beer, wine, and liquor
• 5941 — Sporting goods stores
• 5942 — Book stores
• 5944 — Jewelry, watch, clock, and silverware stores
• 5945 — Hobby, toy, and game shops
• 5962 — Direct marketing: travel-related arrangement services
• 5966 — Direct marketing: outbound telemarketing
• 5967 — Direct marketing: inbound telemarketing
• 5968 — Direct marketing: continuity and subscription merchants
• 5993 — Cigar stores and stands
• 5995 — Pet shops, pet food, and supplies
• 5999 — Miscellaneous and specialty retail stores

Financial Services (6010–6513)

• 6010 — Financial institutions: manual cash disbursements
• 6011 — Financial institutions: automated cash disbursements (ATMs)
• 6012 — Financial institutions: merchandise and services
• 6051 — Non-financial institutions: foreign currency, money orders, and travelers cheques
• 6211 — Securities brokers and dealers
• 6300 — Insurance sales, underwriting, and premiums
• 6513 — Real estate agents and managers: rentals

Personal and Business Services (7011–7399)

• 7011 — Lodging: hotels, motels, and resorts (including central reservation services)
• 7012 — Timeshares
• 7210 — Laundry and cleaning services
• 7230 — Beauty and barber shops
• 7273 — Dating services
• 7276 — Tax preparation services
• 7298 — Health and beauty spas
• 7299 — Miscellaneous personal services
• 7311 — Advertising services
• 7372 — Computer programming and data processing
• 7392 — Management, consulting, and public relations services
• 7399 — Business services (not elsewhere classified)

Automotive Services, Entertainment, and Recreation (7500–7999)

• 7512 — Automobile rental agencies
• 7523 — Parking lots and garages
• 7538 — Automotive service shops
• 7542 — Car washes
• 7832 — Motion picture theaters
• 7922 — Theatrical producers and ticket agencies
• 7941 — Commercial sports, athletic fields, and sports clubs
• 7991 — Tourist attractions and exhibits
• 7995 — Betting: casino gambling, lottery tickets, and off-track betting
• 7996 — Amusement parks, circuses, and carnivals
• 7997 — Country clubs and membership clubs (sports and recreation)
• 7999 — Recreation services (not elsewhere classified)

Professional Services and Membership Organizations (8000–8999)

• 8011 — Doctors and physicians
• 8021 — Dentists and orthodontists
• 8043 — Opticians, optical goods, and eyeglasses
• 8062 — Hospitals
• 8099 — Medical services (not elsewhere classified)
• 8111 — Legal services and attorneys
• 8211 — Elementary and secondary schools
• 8220 — Colleges and universities
• 8299 — Schools and educational services (not elsewhere classified)
• 8351 — Child care services
• 8398 — Charitable and social service organizations
• 8661 — Religious organizations
• 8911 — Architectural, engineering, and surveying services
• 8931 — Accounting, auditing, and bookkeeping services
• 8999 — Professional services (not elsewhere classified)

Government Services (9000–9999)

• 9211 — Court costs, including alimony and child support
• 9222 — Fines
• 9311 — Tax payments
• 9399 — Government services (not elsewhere classified)
• 9402 — Postal services (government only)

Visa MCC Code Lookup: How to Find Your Merchant Category Code

To find your MCC code, check your monthly merchant statement first — the code typically appears there alongside your business category. From there, your payment processor or acquiring bank can confirm it, and Visa's Merchant Data Standards documentation and the IRS MCC list let you cross-check the classification. Here is the full walkthrough:

• Step 1: Check your monthly merchant statement. Your MCC typically appears on your processing statement alongside your business category. This shows the code your account actually carries, which is what matters for your fees and risk classification.
• Step 2: Confirm with your payment processor or acquiring bank. Your processor selected the code when your merchant account opened and can confirm it directly. For your own account, this is the authoritative answer.
• Step 3: Cross-check Visa's Merchant Data Standards. Visa publishes its full list of active codes in its Merchant Data Standards documentation, so you can verify exactly what your assigned code covers.
• Step 4: Compare against the IRS MCC list. The IRS maintains its own list of merchant category codes for tax reporting, which works as a helpful cross-reference.

Because each card network keeps its own list, note which network you're checking — your Visa merchant code may not match your code on another network exactly.

Common Visa Merchant Category Codes Explained

These are the individual Visa merchant category codes people search for most, and what each one actually covers.

MCC 7011 — Hotels, Motels and Resorts

The 7011 MCC covers lodging — hotels, motels, and resorts — including central reservation services that aren't classified elsewhere. Major hotel brands carry their own dedicated codes in the 3500–3999 range, so 7011 generally applies to independent properties and booking services. Lodging merchants tend to see elevated no-show and chargeback activity, which can draw closer attention from processors and underwriters.

MCC 5411 — Grocery Stores and Supermarkets

MCC 5411 covers grocery stores and supermarkets. It's one of the most looked-up codes because many credit cards tie bonus rewards and cashback to grocery purchases, and interchange for supermarket transactions is often priced differently than general retail. Food sellers that operate primarily as convenience or specialty markets may fall under 5499 instead — covered next.

MCC 5499 — Convenience and Specialty Food Stores

MCC 5499 covers miscellaneous food stores — convenience stores and specialty markets. A food seller lands here rather than under 5411 when it operates primarily as a convenience store or specialty market rather than a full grocery store or supermarket. The distinction matters for rewards and pricing: many issuers tie grocery bonus categories to 5411 specifically, so a 5499 classification can change what your customers earn and how transactions are priced. If your food business sits on the line between the two, confirm with your processor which code your account carries.

Merchant Category Codes 5815–5818 — Digital Goods

Merchant category code 5815 covers digital goods media — books, movies, and music. Its neighbors round out the digital-goods family: 5816 covers digital games, 5817 covers digital applications (excluding games), and merchant category code 5818 covers large digital goods merchants. Because all four codes describe card-not-present transactions, digital goods sellers often face closer fraud and chargeback scrutiny, which makes purpose-built ecommerce payment processing especially important for online sellers.

MCC 6012 and MCC 6051 — Financial Services and Quasi-Cash

MCC 6012 covers merchandise and services sold by financial institutions, including personal finance services such as bill payment. The code often impacts fee structures and how issuers treat purchases for consumer rewards, so financial services merchants should confirm they're classified here rather than under a neighboring financial code.

MCC 6051 covers non-financial institutions dealing in foreign currency, money orders (not wire transfers), and travelers cheques — currency exchange services often found at airports or travel agencies. These count as quasi-cash transactions, which issuers may treat differently from ordinary purchases, and 6051 is one of the codes processors commonly flag for closer risk review.

MCC 6211 — Securities Brokers and Dealers

MCC 6211 covers securities brokers and dealers — brokerages and merchants selling investment products. Because these transactions involve regulated financial products, they can draw additional review from issuers and underwriters, and rewards treatment varies by card issuer.

MCC 4814 — Telecommunication Services

MCC 4814 covers telecommunication services — the companies selling phone and communication service itself, as distinct from MCC 4812, which covers telecom equipment sales. Merchants under 4814 typically bill on a recurring schedule and take most of their payments card-not-present, and both traits tend to draw a closer look in underwriting. If you carry this code, expect your billing practices and chargeback history to get more attention than a comparable card-present retailer's would.

MCC 4829 — Money Transfers

MCC 4829 covers money transfers and wire transfer money orders. Like 6051, it's a quasi-cash category: a card payment here converts credit into transferable funds, which issuers and acquirers treat differently from an ordinary purchase. That's why underwriters look closely at 4829 — money movement carries elevated fraud and compliance exposure, and the code appears regularly among the MCCs processors flag as high risk. Merchants in this category should plan for the closer monitoring and stricter terms described below.

MCC 8999 — Professional Services Not Elsewhere Classified

MCC 8999 covers professional services not elsewhere classified — the catch-all for service businesses without a tighter code. Consultants, agencies, and specialized firms commonly end up here when nothing more specific fits, the way attorneys fit 8111 or accounting firms fit 8931. Because the code says little about what a business actually sells, your processor may ask more questions during underwriting to understand the model behind it. If a more specific code describes your work, ask your processor to review the classification rather than settling for the default.

High-Risk Merchant Category Codes: What to Know

Certain MCC codes get flagged by card networks, banks, and payment processors because the industries behind them historically show higher chargeback ratios, fraud exposure, or compliance concerns. Chargeback ratios drive much of that classification: every dispute a cardholder files is categorized under Visa's chargeback reason codes, and elevated totals across a category draw the networks' attention. Commonly flagged examples include:

• 7995 — Betting and casino gambling, including lottery tickets and off-track betting
• 6051 — Foreign currency exchange and quasi-cash
• 4829 — Money transfers and wire transfer money orders
• 5966 and 5967 — Outbound and inbound telemarketing
• 5968 — Continuity and subscription billing merchants
• 7273 — Dating services

Industries such as online gaming, nutraceuticals, and CBD also routinely land in high-risk territory, whatever specific code they carry. Firearms is a category-specific example: states regulate the firearms merchant category code, MCC 5723, differently, so geography can shape a firearms seller's risk profile as much as the code itself.

Underwriters care because these categories create more financial exposure for the acquiring bank: more chargebacks, more fraud disputes, and more regulatory oversight. The card networks draw their own lines too — our guide to Visa merchants the network treats as high risk covers how Visa approaches it. In practice, a high-risk MCC can mean higher processing fees, rolling reserve requirements, closer monitoring, and stricter terms on your merchant account.

If your business falls under one of these codes, the wrong move is disguising what you sell — that's how accounts get terminated (more on that below). The better path is working with a processor that knowingly underwrites your industry. We work with a wide range of high-risk industries, and applying for a high-risk merchant account built for your category can help you set up processing that accounts for your industry's risk profile.

How MCCs Affect Interchange Fees and Rewards

Interchange fees — the fees merchants pay to process credit card transactions — vary depending on the MCC code. On top of interchange, processors price higher-risk categories like gambling or nutraceuticals higher to offset the potential for fraud and chargebacks.

For cardholders, MCC codes decide which purchases earn bonus rewards. Issuers tie bonus categories to specific codes — extra points for fast food (5814), higher cashback at grocery stores (5411), travel rewards on airline codes (3000–3299) — so knowing which category a business falls under helps consumers understand where they can earn extra cashback or points.

For business owners, the assigned code cuts both ways. It affects the interchange you pay, it influences the rewards your customers earn when they shop with you (which can affect where they choose to spend), and it can classify your business as high risk — bringing higher processing fees and stricter compliance requirements with it.

Visa MCC Codes vs. Mastercard, Amex and Discover MCC Lists (ISO 18245)

Merchant category codes come from ISO 18245, the international standard that defines the four-digit classification system. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover each maintain their own MCC list on top of that standard. The lists overlap heavily — core codes like 5411 for grocery stores are broadly consistent — but assignments can differ per network, and each network publishes its own documentation.

Visa's list lives in its Merchant Data Standards manual. Mastercard publishes its merchant category code list in its Quick Reference Booklet, and each network's documentation is the source of truth for that network's codes. The differences carry into disputes as well: the reason codes Mastercard uses for chargebacks are a separate system from Visa's.

The practical takeaway for merchants: confirm your classification for each network you accept rather than assuming your Visa code applies across the board, and remember that the IRS list used for tax reporting is a separate list again.

Can You Change Your MCC?

Your MCC is selected by your payment processing company at an early stage of the application process. Your account broker picks the most accurate code reflecting your business or service, and the ISO verifies that code before underwriting. From there, your business is essentially locked into the code unless something substantial changes.

If the code is simply wrong, start with your processor or acquiring bank; they can review the classification and correct a genuine miscategorization. If your business changes substantially — new products, a new regulated vertical — you may need to open a new merchant account altogether under the correct code.

What you shouldn't do is misrepresent your business to get a friendlier code. ISOs sometimes try to game the system by classifying a company as a different business type. The account opens fast, but the trouble comes later: misrepresentation can end with a terminated account and placement on the MATCH list, which can make it much harder to get approved for processing afterward. For example, if a company sells CBD online, there are specific regulations it has to follow — opening a proper CBD merchant account can help manage those unique requirements efficiently instead of hiding behind the wrong code.

Key Takeaways

• Visa merchant category codes are four-digit numbers, rooted in ISO 18245, that card networks use to categorize businesses and transactions by industry.
• The complete list is organized by category ranges — airlines (3000–3299), lodging (3500–3999 plus 7011), retail (5000s), services (7000s), and more.
• MCC codes drive fees and rewards: interchange pricing and credit card bonus categories both key off the code assigned to a business.
• Certain MCCs are high risk: codes like 7995 (gambling), 6051 (quasi-cash), and 4829 (money transfers) can bring higher fees, reserve requirements, and closer scrutiny from processors.
• Processors assign MCC codes during the application process — if yours looks wrong, ask your processor to review it rather than misrepresenting your business.