Is MCC 5993 high risk?

Yes. Visa lists 5993 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 5993?

Yes. It is in the Industry picker of PlatformDTC's payments setup under "Retail", and typing 5993 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.

High-risk categories · Merchant category codes

What is MCC 5993 (Cigar Stores and Stands)?

Checked October 31, 2026

MCC 5993 (Cigar Stores and Stands) is the merchant category code for stores that sell tobacco, cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smokers' supplies. Visa's definition includes electronic cigarettes, so vape stores belong here, not under 5999. 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: Cigar Stores and Stands
Stripe name: Cigar Stores and Stands
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 "Retail"
Typical products: Smoke shops, Vape and e-cigarette stores, Pipe and tobacco shops

What PlatformDTC does

PlatformDTC's payments setup lists 5993 in its Industry picker as "Cigar stores and stands" under "Retail"; typing 5993 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. 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 5993

Visa uses 5993 for stores that sell tobacco, cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smokers' supplies.

Visa's definition includes electronic cigarettes, so vape stores belong here, not under 5999.

Smoke shops
Vape and e-cigarette stores
Pipe and tobacco shops

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
5999	Miscellaneous and Specialty Retail Shops	Smoking items are not what you sell; you sell other specialty goods

Codes close to 5993 and when to use them instead

Risk, 3D Secure and Stripe rules

5993 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.

Stripe's list of supported codes marks it restricted: you must contact Stripe to use it.

Frequently asked questions

Is MCC 5993 high risk?: Yes. Visa lists 5993 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 5993?: Yes. It is in the Industry picker of PlatformDTC's payments setup under "Retail", and typing 5993 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

Visa Merchant Data Standards Manual (October 2026) — Visa
Set merchant category codes (Connect) — Stripe
Visa Core Rules and Visa Product and Service Rules (24 October 2026) — Visa