MCC code4 min readUpdated October 15, 2026

MCC 4789: Transportation Services (Not Elsewhere Classified)

MCC 4789 is Visa's catch-all for passenger transport: shuttles, cable cars, pedicabs. What it excludes, 4789 vs 4111, 4121, 4131 and 4784, and P24 limits.

Nick Bonnassies, CMO at Tagada · checked against 6 sources

Article summary

TL;DR

MCC 4789 is the merchant category code for passenger transportation that has no more specific code: horse-drawn cabs and carriages, bicycle-taxis, aerial tramways, airport shuttles and cable cars. Visa excludes ferries, bus lines, cruise lines, passenger railways, taxis and limousines. Tolls, towing and moving have their own codes too.

Visa defines 4789 as passenger transportation not classified with a more specific MCC, and names airport shuttles, cable cars, aerial tramways, bicycle-taxis and horse-drawn carriages.
Ferries go to 4111, bus lines to 4131, railways to 4112, taxis and ride-share to 4121, tolls to 4784, towing to 7549 and e-scooter rental to 7999.
Visa's transit rules for 4111, 4112 and 4131, such as a 4-day window for deferred authorization, don't name 4789.
Stripe lists 4789 as a supported code that isn't restricted, but its Przelewy24 page lists 4789 as prohibited.

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On this page

You saw "4789" on a statement, in a processor form or on a code list. It's the catch-all code for passenger transport. Here is Visa's exact wording, the many businesses wrongly filed under it, and what it changes for payments.

What MCC 4789 means

MCC 4789 is the four-digit merchant category code for Transportation Services (Not Elsewhere Classified). Visa's manual defines it this way:1

Merchants classified with this MCC provide passenger transportation services that are not classified with a more specific MCC. This MCC includes Merchants that provide transportation via horse-drawn cabs and carriages, bicycle-taxis, aerial tramways, airport shuttles, and cable cars. Ferry service, bus transportation, cruise lines, passenger railways, and taxi and limousine service Merchants are not included in this category.

Visa, Merchant Data Standards Manual, April 2026, pp. 52-53

Visa's "Included in this MCC" column lists three entries: Airport Shuttle Transportation, Miscellaneous Transport Services and Shuttle Transportation.1 Mastercard uses the same number and nearly the same text, and adds where each excluded business goes: ferries to 4111, buses to 4131, cruise lines to 4411, railways to 4112, taxis and limousines to 4121.3 Stripe labels it "Transportation Services (Not Elsewhere Classified)".4

The key word is passenger. 4789 is a last resort for moving people, not a home for every transport-related business.

Codes it is not

Directories file tolls, ferries, towing, ambulances, freight forwarders, moving companies and limousines under 4789. PXP, for example, describes it with moving companies.6 Visa's manual gives each of them another code:1

MCC	Visa title	Use it instead of 4789 when
4111	Local and Suburban Commuter Passenger Transportation, Including Ferries	You run a ferry, metro or commuter rail line
4112	Passenger Railways	You run long-distance passenger trains
4121	Taxicabs and Limousines	You drive passengers by car on demand, ride-share included
4131	Bus Lines	You run buses on a regular schedule over set routes
4722	Travel Agencies and Tour Operators	You run charter or tour buses
4784	Tolls and Bridge Fees	You collect toll road, highway or bridge fees
4119	Ambulance Services	You provide emergency vehicle transport
4214	Motor Freight Carriers and Trucking, Local and Long Distance, Moving and Storage Companies, and Local Delivery Services	You move households or haul goods
4215	Courier Services, Air and Ground, and Freight Forwarders	You forward freight or deliver parcels
7549	Towing Services	You tow vehicles
7523	Parking Lots, Parking Meters and Garages	You sell parking by the hour, day or month
7999	Recreation Services (Not Elsewhere Classified)	You rent bikes or e-scooters

Verdict

Carrying passengers in a vehicle no other code covers, like a shuttle, cable car, pedicab or carriage: 4789. Carrying goods, collecting tolls, towing or renting a scooter: another code.

Visa rules, risk and processors

Transit rules skip 4789. Visa gives 4111, 4112 and 4131 a 4-day window for a deferred authorization after a connection problem. Every other MCC, 4789 included, gets 24 hours.2 Visa's Urban Mobility Merchant status (tap-to-ride) is defined for 4111, 4112 and 4131 only, and the higher limits for unattended payments without cardholder verification (Visa Easy Payment Service) in Europe and several CEMEA countries name 4111, 4112, 4131, 4784 and 7523.2 A cable car or shuttle kiosk on 4789 doesn't get them.

Risk. 4789 is a low-risk code.

Who	What they say about 4789	Source
Visa, high-risk list	Absent from the April 2026 list of high integrity risk MCCs	Merchant Data Standards Manual1
Stripe	Listed as a supported code that isn't restricted	Set merchant category codes4
Stripe, Przelewy24	4789 is on the list of MCCs P24 doesn't support, with 4111, 4121, 4131 and other transport codes	Stripe P24 docs5

Visa codes it does flag are in our high-risk MCC codes guide.

For cardholders and merchants

Cardholders. You see 4789 after paying an airport shuttle, a cable car or a carriage ride. Each issuing bank decides whether 4789 earns travel or transit rewards. Read your card's terms before counting on bonus points. Your bank can't change a merchant's code: the merchant's acquirer sets it.

Merchants. Stripe uses the MCC for interchange fees, authorization and fraud prevention.4 Visa assigns the code of the business with the most annual sales.1 If you run a ferry or a bus line on 4789, ask your provider to move you to 4111 or 4131: you'll get Visa's transit rules. Our guide shows where to find your MCC on Stripe, Adyen and Shopify.

Updated on October 15, 2026

Nick Bonnassies

CMO at Tagada

CMO at Tagada. Before Tagada, Nick built direct-to-consumer brands that generated over $115M in sales, raised over $25M in crowdfunding and sold two of them. He also works as a fractional CMO on marketing operations and AI systems.

Frequently asked questions

What is MCC 4789?

MCC 4789 is the merchant category code Visa titles Transportation Services (Not Elsewhere Classified). It covers passenger transportation that has no more specific code, such as horse-drawn cabs and carriages, bicycle-taxis, aerial tramways, airport shuttles and cable cars.

Which MCC is used for bus services?

Scheduled bus and coach lines use 4131, Bus Lines. Charter and tour buses use 4722, Travel Agencies and Tour Operators. Visa excludes bus transportation from 4789, so 4789 fits a bus only when it runs as a shuttle, such as an airport shuttle.

Are tolls, ferries and towing MCC 4789?

No. Visa gives each its own code: 4784 for tolls and bridge fees, 4111 for ferries, and 7549 for towing. Some guides list them under 4789, but Visa's 4789 text excludes ferry service, and Mastercard sends ferries to 4111 as well.

Is MCC 4789 high risk?

No. 4789 isn't on Visa's April 2026 list of high integrity risk MCCs, and Stripe lists it as a supported code that isn't restricted. One exception: Stripe's Przelewy24 page lists 4789 as prohibited for that payment method.

Sources

Checked October 15, 2026

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