MCC code4 min readUpdated October 15, 2026

MCC 5994: News Dealers and Newsstands, and Where Magazines Go Instead

MCC 5994 is Visa's code for news dealers and newsstands. Visa's exact wording, 5994 vs 5942, 5192, 5968 and 5815, risk, rules and how to change it.

Nick Bonnassies, CMO at Tagada · checked against 5 sources

Article summary

TL;DR

MCC 5994 is the merchant category code for news dealers and newsstands: merchants that sell newspapers, magazines, journals and other periodicals. Bookshops use 5942, wholesale distributors 5192, magazine subscriptions sold by direct marketing 5968, and digital editions 5815. It's a low-risk code, and no Visa rule names it.

Visa's April 2026 title is News Dealers and Newsstands. It covers retail sellers of newspapers, magazines, journals and other periodicals.
Books as the main line move you to 5942, wholesale to 5192, direct-marketed subscriptions to 5968, electronic delivery to 5815.
5994 isn't on Visa's high-risk list, and no rule in Visa's April 2026 Core Rules names it. 5968 is on both.
On Stripe, Przelewy24 and Cash App Pay don't restrict 5994. Both refuse 5968, and Przelewy24 restricts 5815.

Want to go further? Ask

On this page

You saw "5994" next to a payment, on a statement or in a processor form. It's the card code for newsstands. Here is Visa's exact wording, which press businesses take another code, and what 5994 changes for you. Searching for "5977 mcc"? That's a different code: MCC 5977, Cosmetic Stores.

What MCC 5994 means

MCC 5994 is the four-digit merchant category code for News Dealers and Newsstands. Visa defines it in one sentence:1

Merchants classified with this MCC sell newspapers, magazines, journals, and other periodicals.

Visa, Merchant Data Standards Manual, April 2026, p. 82

Visa's "Included in this MCC" column lists Dealers – Newspapers, Magazines (Newsstands), Newspapers and Periodicals (Newsstands). Its similar merchants are 5942 and 5999.1 Stripe uses the same name, with the label news_dealers_and_newsstands, and lists it as neither restricted nor prohibited.3

One Visa example is worth knowing: a newspaper stand inside an airport terminal doesn't take the airport's code. Visa says such merchants "must be classified with the appropriate MCC for that business" and names 5994.1

Codes it is not: 5994 vs 5942, 5192, 5968 and 5815

Visa assigns the code of the activity with the most annual sales.1 A newsstand that also sells snacks or books stays on 5994 if periodicals bring in most of the money.

MCC	Visa title	Use it instead of 5994 when
5942	Book Stores	Books are your main line. Visa's 5942 definition already includes journals and magazines
5192	Books, Periodicals and Newspapers	You distribute press to shops, business-to-business or wholesale, including newspaper agencies
5968	Direct Marketing – Continuity/Subscription Merchant	You sell subscriptions for delivery by direct mail, email, apps or salespeople. Visa lists "Magazine Subscription (Direct Mail Only)" here
5815	Digital Goods Media – Books, Movies, Digital artwork/images, Music	You sell editions delivered in electronic format
5331	Variety Stores	You sell a limited range of low-priced goods and papers are a sideline
5999	Miscellaneous and Specialty Retail Shops	Your specialty products have no more specific code

Source: Visa Merchant Data Standards Manual, April 2026, pages 59, 62, 74, 77, 80 and 82.1 Some directories put digital subscriptions or bookstores under 5994. Visa's wording sends them to 5815 and 5942.

The choice matters. 5968 is on Visa's high-risk list for "negative option" subscriptions sold card-absent, and Visa requires Visa Secure for 5968 e-commerce in Korea, Singapore and Thailand.1 2 On Stripe, Przelewy24 and Cash App Pay list 5968 as prohibited and Przelewy24 restricts 5815. Neither lists 5994.4 5

For cardholders and merchants

No Visa rule names 5994. We searched the April 18, 2026 Core Rules: the code doesn't appear, not in the Visa Secure table and not in Canada's partial authorization list, which does name 5942.2 It's an ordinary low-risk retail code. Visa's full high-risk list is in our high-risk MCC codes guide.

Cardholders. Your issuing bank decides whether 5994 earns points or cashback. Read your card's terms. Your bank can't change a merchant's code: the acquirer sets it.

Find your code. Look in your processor dashboard or merchant account agreement. Stripe shows news_dealers_and_newsstands. See where to find your MCC.
Match your main sales. Single copies at a counter: 5994. Mostly books: 5942. Direct-marketed subscriptions: 5968. Digital editions: 5815.
Ask for a review if needed. Send the current code, the code you think fits, and your sales split by product line. Stripe notes that MCCs feed into interchange fees.3

Visa: the MCC follows the activity with the most annual sales.

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 5994?

MCC 5994 is the merchant category code Visa titles News Dealers and Newsstands. It covers merchants that sell newspapers, magazines, journals and other periodicals, such as news dealers and magazine stands. It's a low-risk code. Stripe labels it news_dealers_and_newsstands and lists it as neither restricted nor prohibited.

Is a shop that sells books and magazines 5994 or 5942?

It depends on what sells most. Visa assigns the code of the activity with the most annual sales. Mostly newspapers and magazines: 5994. Mostly books: 5942, whose Visa definition already includes journals and magazines. Visa names each code as a similar merchant of the other.

What MCC do magazine subscriptions use?

Print subscriptions sold through direct mail, email, apps or salespeople use 5968, where Visa lists Magazine Subscription (Direct Mail Only). Digital editions delivered electronically fit 5815. A newsstand that simply sells single copies over the counter stays on 5994.

Is MCC 5994 high risk?

No. 5994 isn't on Visa's April 2026 list of high-risk MCCs, and no rule in Visa's April 2026 Core Rules names it. Stripe lists it as neither restricted nor prohibited, and Przelewy24 and Cash App Pay on Stripe don't restrict it.

Sources

Checked October 15, 2026

TagadaPay

Check the code your processor gave you

Tell us what you sell and how you sell it. Each application is underwritten, and approval is not guaranteed.

Apply for processing See pricing

01Tell us what you sell and how
02Underwriting reviews your business
03Process through TagadaPay alongside your other processors