MCC (Card) Validator

MCC: the 4-digit Merchant Category Code (ISO 18245)

An MCC (Merchant Category Code) is a 4-digit code that classifies what kind of business a merchant is — 5411 grocery store, 5812 restaurant, 4111 local transport, 7995 gambling. Standardised as ISO 18245 and assigned by the card networks (Visa, Mastercard) to each merchant via its acquirer, the MCC travels with every card transaction. This tool looks a code up against a category table.

The MCC is small but powerful: it quietly decides interchange fees, rewards categories, spending controls and tax reporting. The "5% back on groceries" on your card is literally a rule on MCC 5411/5412.

What the MCC drives

• Rewards: cashback and points tiers are defined per MCC (dining, travel, groceries).
• Interchange: fees differ by category — supermarkets and fuel often have special rates.
• Controls & blocking: corporate cards can block categories (e.g. 7995 gambling, 5813 bars).
• Reporting: in some countries certain MCCs flag tax-relevant or restricted spend.

Common pitfalls

• The merchant sets it, not the purchase: a coffee bought at a hotel may bill under the hotel's MCC, not "restaurant".
• One merchant, one MCC: a store with mixed business is assigned a single dominant category.
• Wrong MCC changes your rewards: a misclassified merchant can silently lose you a bonus category.
• Four digits, leading zeros: codes like 0742 are valid — keep them as a 4-character string.

FAQ

Who assigns the MCC? The acquirer, following card-network rules, sets one MCC per merchant based on its primary business.

Why did my purchase miss a bonus category? Because rewards key off the merchant's MCC — if it's classified outside the category, the bonus doesn't apply.

Is the MCC the same everywhere? The ISO 18245 ranges are global, though networks and regions add their own specific codes.