Merchant Category Codes, decoded.

A Merchant Category Code is a four-digit number that Visa, Mastercard, and the other card networks assign to a business based on what it sells. It classifies your business type — for example, 5812 is eating places and restaurants, 5411 is grocery stores and supermarkets. Every card transaction carries the merchant's MCC.

Your MCC is set by your payment processor when your account is boarded, based on how your business is classified. It usually appears on your monthly merchant statement. If you're not sure what yours is, ask your processor — or upload a statement and we'll point it out along with everything else you're paying.

Yes. Interchange rates and some card-network fees vary by MCC, and your MCC drives risk classification and which programs apply (certain reward categories, debit routing, and surcharge eligibility). A business coded under the wrong MCC can quietly overpay — one of the things we check when we review a statement.

It can, when the assigned code doesn't accurately reflect your business. Your processor can request a reclassification with the card networks. Getting it right matters for both cost and compliance, so it's worth confirming yours is correct.