High-risk categories · Merchant category codes
What is MCC 5912 (Drug Stores and Pharmacies)?
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MCC 5912 (Drug Stores and Pharmacies) is the merchant category code for pharmacies that sell prescription and proprietary drugs, including pet pharmacies. It is for licensed pharmacies. Visa lists vitamin and health food stores under 5499, which is where supplement brands belong. 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
- Drug Stores and Pharmacies
- Stripe name
- Drug Stores and Pharmacies
- 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 "Medical services"
- Typical products
- Pharmacies, Prescription medication, Pet pharmacies
What PlatformDTC does
PlatformDTC's payments setup lists 5912 in its Industry picker as "Drug stores and pharmacies" under "Medical services"; typing 5912 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 it is for licensed pharmacies only and that supplements and vitamins belong under 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 5912
Visa uses 5912 for pharmacies that sell prescription and proprietary drugs, including pet pharmacies.
It is for licensed pharmacies. Visa lists vitamin and health food stores under 5499, which is where supplement brands belong.
- Pharmacies
- Prescription medication
- Pet pharmacies
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 5499 | Miscellaneous Food Stores – Convenience Stores and Specialty Markets | You sell vitamins, supplements or health food |
| 5122 | Drugs, Drug Proprietaries, and Druggist Sundries | You distribute drugs wholesale |
Risk, 3D Secure and Stripe rules
5912 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 5912 high risk?
- Yes. Visa lists 5912 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 5912?
- Yes. It is in the Industry picker of PlatformDTC's payments setup under "Medical services", and typing 5912 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
- 5122 — Wholesale distributors of 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.