High-risk categories · Merchant category codes
What is MCC 7273 (Dating Services)?
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MCC 7273 (Dating Services) is the merchant category code for businesses that provide dating services, including online dating. Visa's October 2026 manual moved escort services out of this code into 5967. 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
- Dating Services
- Stripe name
- Dating/Escort Services
- 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 "Personal services"
- Typical products
- Online dating services, Dating agencies
What PlatformDTC does
PlatformDTC's payments setup lists 7273 in its Industry picker as "Dating and escort services" under "Personal services"; typing 7273 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 7273
Visa uses 7273 for businesses that provide dating services, including online dating.
Visa's October 2026 manual moved escort services out of this code into 5967.
- Online dating services
- Dating agencies
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 7299 | Miscellaneous Personal Services (Not Elsewhere Classified) | You provide other personal services |
| 5967 | Adult Content and Services | You sell adult content |
Risk, 3D Secure and Stripe rules
7273 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 7273 high risk?
- Yes. Visa lists 7273 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 7273?
- Yes. It is in the Industry picker of PlatformDTC's payments setup under "Personal services", and typing 7273 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
- 5967 — Adult content and services accessed by phone, fax or internet.
- 7995 — Gambling: lottery tickets, casino chips, wagers and games of chance for money.
- 5912 — Pharmacies selling prescription and proprietary drugs.
- 5122 — Wholesale distributors of prescription and proprietary drugs.
- 5993 — Tobacco, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smoking supplies.