Visa / MasterCard Industry Terms

Merchant Credit Card Processing and Address Verification Service (AVS)

You, the credit card merchant, can compare the cardholder's USA billing address at the issuing bank prior to completing a transaction where the magnetic stripe cannot be read.  This verification process is required if you are a mail, telephone or internet based merchant.

When requesting the normal credit approval, or authorization, you submit the billing address information provided by the cardholder.  When the computer systems contact the issuer requesting credit approval, the address information is compared to that on file at the issuer.  The issuer sends a response code back with the credit authorization response.

You make the business decision on how to proceed with the various responses. However, you should always remember that when a customer claims they didn't place that mail, telephone or internet order with you, your AVS "Exact Match" of "Y" or "X" will help you rebut that claim.  And, also remember that many processors will not to process a sales transaction with a "N" response code.  Proceed with caution!

 

Code	Definition	Street Match	Zip   Match	Explanation
Y	EXACT MATCH	Yes	Yes   5 digit	With an authorization approval and "exact match," you will want to proceed with the sale.
X	EXACT MATCH	Yes	Yes   9 digit	With an authorization approval and "exact match," you will want to proceed with the sale.
A	PARTIAL MATCH	Yes	No	You will want to follow up before fulfilling the order.  The card issuer may have incorrect information or  the data may have been entered incorrectly.
W	PARTIAL MATCH	No	Yes   9 digit	You will want to follow up before fulfilling the order.  The card issuer may have incorrect information or  the data may have been entered incorrectly.
Z	PARTIAL MATCH	No	Yes   5 digit	You will want to follow up before fulfilling the order.  The card issuer may have incorrect information or the data may have been entered incorrectly.
N	NO MATCH	No	No	This response requires further investigation before shipping order. The cardholder could have moved and not notified the issuer, the merchant may not have asked for the shipping and billing address, or the person may be attempting to complete a fraudulent sale.
U	UNAVAILABLE	--	--	Either the card issuer does not participate in this program or the information for this account is not available. You have no way to verify the address. Investigate further, proceed or cancel the sale.
R	RETRY	--	--	The card issuer's system is not working.  Try the verification request later

Address Verification Service

Card Verification Value

Merchant Category Codes

Chargeback issues

US Interchange Schedule

Retrieval Requests

Terminated Merchant File

ECOMMERCE | RETAIL |  HIGH-RISK  | MC-VISA CARD TERMS

 

ACH ~ DIRECT DEBIT  | BANK TRANSFER

 

GIFT / LOYALTY CARDS

   

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