High-risk categories · Merchant category codes
What is MCC 5122 (Drugs, Drug Proprietaries and Druggist Sundries)?
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MCC 5122 (Drugs, Drug Proprietaries, and Druggist Sundries) is the merchant category code for business-to-business or wholesale distributors of prescription drugs, proprietary drugs, druggists' sundries, pharmaceuticals and biological products. It is a wholesale code for drug distribution. Selling supplements to consumers is not this. Visa treats card-absent sales under it as high-integrity risk, so the acquirer must register the merchant with Visa first. Stripe allows it only after you contact Stripe.
- Visa name
- Drugs, Drug Proprietaries, and Druggist Sundries
- Stripe name
- Drugs, Drug Proprietaries, and Druggist Sundries
- Restricted by Stripe
- Yes: contact Stripe before using it
- Visa high-integrity risk
- Yes, for card-absent sales
- Visa 3D Secure rule for online sales
- No rule tied to this code
- In PlatformDTC's Industry picker
- Yes, under "Wholesale"
- Typical products
- Drug distributors, Pharmaceutical wholesale
What PlatformDTC does
PlatformDTC's payments setup lists 5122 in its Industry picker as "Drugs, drug proprietors, sundries" under "Wholesale"; typing 5122 in the search box finds it. The choice is sent to Stripe as the category code of the store's own payments account and can be changed later under Settings, Payments, Professional details, subject to Stripe's check. Picking it shows a note that selling supplements to consumers is not pharmaceutical wholesale and points to 5499. Stripe marks it restricted, so picking it in PlatformDTC is not enough on its own: Stripe has to be contacted before it can be used.
What sells under MCC 5122
Visa uses 5122 for business-to-business or wholesale distributors of prescription drugs, proprietary drugs, druggists' sundries, pharmaceuticals and biological products.
It is a wholesale code for drug distribution. Selling supplements to consumers is not this.
- Drug distributors
- Pharmaceutical wholesale
Codes it is confused with
Choose the code for the line of business that makes up most of your sales. Visa also allows a separate code for each line of business.
| Code | Name | Use it instead when |
|---|---|---|
| 5912 | Drug Stores and Pharmacies | You are a retail pharmacy |
| 5499 | Miscellaneous Food Stores – Convenience Stores and Specialty Markets | You sell supplements to consumers |
| 5047 | Medical, Dental, Ophthalmic and Hospital Equipment and Supplies | You distribute medical equipment, not drugs |
Risk, 3D Secure and Stripe rules
5122 is on Visa's high-integrity risk list for card-absent sales. Before processing for such a merchant, the acquirer must be approved by Visa for high-integrity risk acquiring and register the merchant with Visa. Merchants accredited by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, or another regulator Visa recognises, are exempt from that registration.
Stripe's list of supported codes marks it restricted: you must contact Stripe to use it.
Frequently asked questions
- Is MCC 5122 high risk?
- Yes. Visa lists 5122 as high-integrity risk for card-absent sales, so the acquirer must register the merchant with Visa before processing. Stripe also marks it restricted, so Stripe must approve it first.
- Can a PlatformDTC store use MCC 5122?
- Yes. It is in the Industry picker of PlatformDTC's payments setup under "Wholesale", and typing 5122 in the search finds it. PlatformDTC sends the choice to Stripe for the store's own payments account. Because Stripe restricts it, Stripe also has to approve it.
Sources
Related
- 5912 — Pharmacies selling prescription and proprietary drugs.
- 5993 — Tobacco, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smoking supplies.
- 5967 — Adult content and services accessed by phone, fax or internet.
- 7273 — Dating services, including online dating.
- 7995 — Gambling: lottery tickets, casino chips, wagers and games of chance for money.