Low Risk
MCC Codes
222 merchant category codes with low-risk classification. These industries enjoy the best interchange rates, widest acquirer acceptance, and simplest compliance requirements.
What does low-risk mean for merchants?
Best processing rates
Standard interchange rates with no risk premiums. No rolling reserves required. The most cost-effective tier for payment processing.
Universal acceptance
Every payment processor, PSP, and acquirer accepts low-risk MCCs. Maximum flexibility to shop for competitive rates.
Simple onboarding
Standard KYC/KYB requirements. Fast merchant account approval with minimal documentation beyond business registration.
Agricultural Services
6 codesVeterinary Services
Banfield Pet Hospital · VCA Animal Hospitals · Local veterinary clinics
Agricultural Cooperatives
CHS Inc. · Land O'Lakes · Dairy Farmers of America
Agricultural Services — Crop Preparation
Local crop preparation services · Farm management companies · Agricultural consultants
Agricultural Services — Livestock
Cattle ranches · Livestock breeders · Animal husbandry services
Agricultural Services — Crop Services
Crop dusting services · Irrigation services · Farm labor contractors
Landscaping & Horticultural Services
TruGreen · BrightView · Local landscaping companies
Airlines
5 codesUnited Airlines
United Airlines flights · United Express
American Airlines
American Airlines flights · American Eagle
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines flights · Delta Connection
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines flights
Airlines & Air Carriers (Not Elsewhere Classified)
Charter airlines · Regional carriers · Air cargo services
Business Services
15 codesAdvertising Services
Google Ads · Facebook Ads · Advertising agencies
Computer Programming, Data Processing, & Integrated Systems Design
Software development firms · IT consulting · SaaS companies
Computer Maintenance & Repair
Geek Squad · Local PC repair shops · Apple Genius Bar (service)
Management, Consulting, & Public Relations Services
McKinsey · Deloitte Consulting · Independent consultants · PR agencies
Credit Reporting Agencies
Experian · TransUnion · Equifax
Blueprinting and Photocopying Services
FedEx Office · Staples copy centers · Local print/copy shops
Commercial Photography, Art, and Graphics
Commercial photographers · Graphic design studios · Stock photo agencies
Quick Copy, Reproduction, and Blueprinting
Quick print shops · Copy centers · On-demand printing services
Stenographic and Secretarial Support Services
Virtual assistant services · Transcription companies · Secretarial services
Exterminating and Disinfecting Services
Terminix · Orkin · Rentokil
Building Cleaning and Maintenance
ABM Industries · Jani-King · ServiceMaster Clean
Employment Agencies and Temporary Help Services
Robert Half · Manpower · Kelly Services
Information Retrieval Services
LexisNexis · Bloomberg · Data.com
Equipment, Tool, Furniture, and Appliance Rental
United Rentals · Sunbelt Rentals · CORT Furniture Rental
Photofinishing Laboratories and Photo Developing
CVS Photo · Walgreens Photo · Shutterfly
Car Rental
2 codesClothing & Accessories
9 codesMen's & Boys' Clothing & Accessories Stores
Men's Wearhouse · Jos. A. Bank · Brooks Brothers
Women's Ready-to-Wear Stores
Zara · H&M · Ann Taylor · LOFT
Family Clothing Stores
Old Navy · Gap · TJ Maxx · Ross
Men's & Women's Clothing Stores
Banana Republic · J.Crew · Express
Miscellaneous Apparel & Accessory Shops
Shoe stores · Hat shops · Accessory boutiques · Sunglass Hut
Women's Accessory and Specialty Stores
Kate Spade · Pandora · Claire's
Children's and Infants' Wear Stores
Carter's · Gymboree · Children's Place
Sports and Riding Apparel Stores
Lululemon · Nike stores · Under Armour stores
Shoe Stores
Foot Locker · DSW · Famous Footwear
Contracted Services
8 codesHeating, Plumbing, & Air Conditioning Contractors
Local HVAC companies · Service Experts · ARS/Rescue Rooter
Electrical Contractors
Local electricians · Mr. Electric · Mister Sparky
Masonry, Stonework, Tile, & Plastering
Local masonry contractors · Tile installation companies
Carpentry Contractors
Custom cabinet makers · Framing contractors · Finish carpenters
Concrete Work Contractors
Local concrete contractors · Foundation specialists · Flatwork companies
Miscellaneous Publishing and Printing
Local print shops · Self-publishing companies · Newsletter publishers
Typesetting, Platemaking, and Related Services
Pre-press service companies · Typesetting businesses · Platemaking shops
Specialty Cleaning, Polishing, and Sanitation Preparations
Cleaning supply manufacturers · Industrial chemical companies · Sanitation product firms
Electronics & Computers
5 codesElectronics Stores
Best Buy · Samsung stores · Sony stores
Computer Software Stores
Microsoft Store · Software retailers · IT resellers
Household Appliance Stores
Best Buy appliances · Sears Appliances · Local appliance dealers
Music Stores — Musical Instruments, Pianos, and Sheet Music
Guitar Center · Sam Ash · Sweetwater
Record Stores
Vinyl record shops · CD stores · Music memorabilia shops
Entertainment & Recreation
10 codesMotion Picture Theaters
AMC Theatres · Regal Cinemas · Cinemark
DVD/Video Tape Rental Stores
Redbox · Video rental stores
Commercial Sports, Athletic Fields, & Promoters
Sports venues · Athletic promoters · Professional sports events
Tourist Attractions & Exhibits
Disney theme parks · Museums · Zoos · Aquariums
Video Game Arcades & Establishments
Dave & Buster's · Round1 · Local arcades
Amusement Parks, Circuses, & Carnivals
Six Flags · Cedar Fair · Traveling carnivals
Membership Clubs — Country Clubs, Golf Courses, Athletic Clubs
Golf clubs · Country clubs · Tennis clubs · Fitness clubs
Dance Halls, Studios, and Schools
Arthur Murray Dance Studios · Fred Astaire Dance Studios · Local dance schools
Billiard and Pool Establishments
Local pool halls · Billiard clubs · Cue sports centers
Bowling Alleys
AMF Bowling · Bowlero · Local bowling centers
Financial Services
3 codesInsurance Sales, Underwriting, & Premiums
Geico · State Farm · Progressive · Allstate
Savings Institutions — Federally Chartered
Federal savings banks · Chartered thrift institutions · Federal credit unions
Savings Institutions — State Chartered
State savings banks · State credit unions · State-chartered thrifts
Food & Grocery
8 codesGrocery Stores & Supermarkets
Walmart Grocery · Kroger · Whole Foods · Publix
Freezer & Locker Meat Provisioners
ButcherBox · Omaha Steaks · Local butcher shops
Candy, Nut, & Confectionery Stores
See's Candies · Godiva · Local candy shops
Dairy Products Stores
Dairy Queen (retail) · Local dairy shops · Cheese shops
Bakeries
Panera Bread (retail) · Local bakeries · Specialty cake shops
Miscellaneous Food Stores — Convenience Stores, Specialty Markets
7-Eleven · Wawa · Specialty food markets · Health food stores
Eating Places & Restaurants
McDonald's · Olive Garden · Local restaurants · DoorDash
Fast Food Restaurants
McDonald's · Subway · Chick-fil-A · Taco Bell
Government Services
12 codesCourt Costs & Fines
Traffic fines · Court filing fees · Municipal fines
Fines
Parking fines · Municipal violations · Regulatory penalties
Tax Payments
IRS tax payments · State tax payments · Property tax payments
Government Services (Not Elsewhere Classified)
Passport applications · Visa fees · License renewals · Permit applications
Postal Services — Government Only
USPS · Royal Mail · Australia Post
Intra-Government Purchases
Federal agency purchases · Military procurement · Government departmental transfers
Automated Referral Service
Government referral services · Automated information lines · Public service directories
Visa Services and Passport Applications
Government visa offices · Passport agencies · Consular services
Child Care Services (Government)
Government childcare programs · Military childcare · Public preschool programs
UK Supermarkets — Electronic Hot File
UK supermarket chains · Electronic clearing services · UK retail clearinghouses
UK Petrol Stations — Electronic Hot File
UK petrol station chains · Electronic fuel clearing · UK fuel retailers
Intra-Company Purchases
Corporate internal transfers · Inter-division billing · Company purchasing cards
Home & Furnishing
10 codesHome Supply Warehouse Stores
Home Depot · Lowe's · Menards
Lumber & Building Materials Stores
84 Lumber · Local lumber yards · Building supply stores
Glass, Paint, and Wallpaper Stores
Sherwin-Williams stores · PPG Paints · Local glass shops
Hardware Stores
Ace Hardware · True Value · Do it Best
Nurseries, Lawn and Garden Supply Stores
Local garden centers · Plant nurseries · Garden supply stores
Furniture, Home Furnishings, and Equipment Stores
IKEA · Ashley Furniture · Pottery Barn
Floor Covering Stores
Floor & Decor · Lumber Liquidators · Carpet One
Drapery, Window Covering, and Upholstery Stores
Budget Blinds · Hunter Douglas dealers · Custom drapery shops
Fireplace, Fireplace Screens, and Accessories Stores
Fireplace stores · Hearth & Home dealers · Gas fireplace installers
Miscellaneous Home Furnishing Specialty Stores
Crate & Barrel · West Elm · World Market
Lodging
2 codesMiscellaneous Retail
44 codesDrug Stores & Pharmacies
CVS · Walgreens · Rite Aid · Pharmacy departments
Sporting Goods Stores
Dick's Sporting Goods · REI · Academy Sports · Bass Pro Shops
Book Stores
Barnes & Noble · Amazon Books · Independent bookstores
Artist Supply & Craft Stores
Michaels · Hobby Lobby · Joann Fabrics
Cosmetic Stores
Sephora · Ulta Beauty · MAC Cosmetics · Bath & Body Works
Fuel Dealers — Fuel Oil, Wood, Coal, & Liquefied Petroleum
Home heating oil · Propane delivery · Firewood delivery
Pet Shops, Pet Food, & Supplies
PetSmart · Petco · Chewy · Local pet stores
Drug Stores & Pharmacies
CVS · Walgreens · Rite Aid
Wholesale Clubs
Costco · Sam's Club · BJ's Wholesale
Duty Free Stores
DFS Group · Dufry · Heinemann Duty Free
Discount Stores
Dollar General · Dollar Tree · Five Below
Auto and Home Supply Stores
AutoZone · O'Reilly Auto Parts · Advance Auto Parts
Snowmobile Dealers
Polaris dealers · Ski-Doo dealers · Arctic Cat dealers
Wrecking and Salvage Yards
Pull-A-Part · LKQ Corporation · Local salvage yards
Antique Reproduction Stores
Antique reproduction furniture shops · Heritage design stores · Period furniture makers
Bicycle Shops — Sales and Service
Trek Bicycle stores · Specialized dealers · Local bike shops
Stationery Stores
Paper Source · Papyrus · Local stationery stores
Hobby, Toy, and Game Shops
GameStop · Hobby Lobby · Local toy stores
Camera and Photographic Supply Stores
B&H Photo · Adorama · Local camera shops
Gift, Card, Novelty, and Souvenir Shops
Hallmark stores · Spencer's · Airport gift shops
Luggage and Leather Goods Stores
Samsonite · Tumi · Brighton Collectibles
Sewing, Needlework, Fabric, and Piece Goods Stores
JOANN Fabrics · Hobby Lobby fabrics · Local fabric stores
Glassware and Crystal Stores
Waterford Crystal · Riedel shops · Local crystal stores
Stamp and Coin Stores
APMEX · JM Bullion · Local coin shops
Religious Goods Stores
Catholic supply stores · Christian bookstores · Judaica shops
Hearing Aids — Sales, Service, and Supply
Miracle-Ear · Beltone · HearingLife
Orthopedic Goods — Prosthetic Devices
Hanger Clinic · Ottobock · Local prosthetics providers
Typewriter Stores — Sales, Rentals, and Service
Vintage typewriter shops · Office equipment service centers · Typewriter repair specialists
Florists
1-800-Flowers · FTD · Local flower shops
News Dealers and Newsstands
Hudson News · Airport newsstands · Local news dealers
Electric Razor Stores — Sales and Service
Electric shaver shops · Grooming device retailers · Razor repair services
Tent and Awning Shops
Tent rental companies · Awning manufacturers · Canvas and shade retailers
Automotive Body Repair Shops
Caliber Collision · ABRA Auto Body · Maaco
Tire Retreading and Repair Shops
Discount Tire · Tire Rack service centers · Les Schwab
Automotive Paint Shops
Maaco paint centers · Custom paint shops · Auto refinishing businesses
Automotive Service Shops (Non-Dealer)
Jiffy Lube · Meineke · Pep Boys
Car Washes
Mister Car Wash · Autobell · Quick Quack Car Wash
Electronics Repair Shops
uBreakiFix · Batteries Plus Bulbs · Local electronics repair
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Repair Shops
Local AC repair companies · Refrigeration service firms · Commercial HVAC repair
Small Appliance Repair Shops
Local appliance repair · Small engine repair shops · Kitchen appliance service
Watch, Clock, and Jewelry Repair
Watch repair shops · Jewelry repair centers · Clock restoration services
Furniture Reupholstery, Repair, and Refinishing
Local upholstery shops · Furniture refinishing studios · Antique restoration
Welding Services
Mobile welding services · Custom fabrication shops · Structural welding companies
Repair Shops and Related Services (NEC)
General repair shops · Locksmith services · Sharpening services
Personal Services
12 codesLaundry, Cleaning, & Garment Services
Dry cleaners · Laundromats · Wash & fold services
Beauty & Barber Shops
Hair salons · Barber shops · Nail salons · Spas
Funeral Services & Crematories
Funeral homes · Cremation services · Memorial services
Laundry Services — Family and Commercial
Local laundromats · Wash & fold services · Commercial laundry facilities
Dry Cleaners
Local dry cleaners · Martinizing Dry Cleaning · ZIPS Dry Cleaners
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning
Stanley Steemer · Chem-Dry · Local carpet cleaners
Photographic Studios
JCPenney Portrait Studios · Lifetouch · Local photography studios
Shoe Repair, Hat Cleaning, and Shoe Shine
Cobbler shops · Shoe repair stands · Hat cleaning services
Tax Preparation Services
H&R Block · Jackson Hewitt · Liberty Tax Service
Clothing Rental — Costumes, Uniforms, and Formal Wear
Men's Wearhouse tuxedo rental · Rent the Runway · Costume shops
Health and Beauty Spas
Burke Williams · Hand & Stone Massage · European Wax Center
Miscellaneous Personal Services (NEC)
Pet grooming · Personal assistant services · Miscellaneous personal care
Professional Services
23 codesDoctors & Physicians (Not Elsewhere Classified)
Doctor offices · Medical clinics · Telehealth providers
Dentists & Orthodontists
Dental offices · Orthodontist practices · Dental chains like Aspen Dental
Optometrists & Ophthalmologists
Eye doctors · LensCrafters · Vision centers
Chiropractors
Chiropractic offices · The Joint Chiropractic
Hospitals
HCA Healthcare · Mayo Clinic · Community hospitals
Health Practitioners & Medical Services (Not Elsewhere Classified)
Physical therapists · Acupuncturists · Mental health services · Lab services
Elementary & Secondary Schools
Private schools · Charter schools · K-12 education
Colleges, Universities, & Professional Schools
Universities · Community colleges · Professional schools · Coursera
Civic, Social, & Fraternal Associations
Rotary Club · Elks Lodge · VFW · Lions Club
Osteopathic Physicians
Osteopathic clinics · DO physicians · Osteopathic medical centers
Chiropractors
The Joint Chiropractic · Local chiropractors · Chiropractic wellness centers
Opticians, Optical Goods, and Eyeglasses
LensCrafters · Warby Parker · Pearle Vision
Nursing and Personal Care Facilities
Brookdale Senior Living · Kindred Healthcare · Local nursing homes
Medical and Dental Laboratories
Quest Diagnostics · LabCorp · Dental lab services
Testing Laboratories (Non-Medical)
SGS Group · Bureau Veritas · Intertek
Schools and Educational Services (NEC)
Tutoring centers · Language schools · Online education platforms
Child Care Services
KinderCare · Bright Horizons · Local daycare centers
Religious Organizations
Churches · Mosques · Synagogues · Temples
Automobile Associations
AAA · ADAC · RAC
Membership Organizations (NEC)
Professional associations · Trade organizations · Social clubs
Testing Laboratories (NEC)
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) · TUV Rheinland · CSA Group
Architectural, Engineering, and Surveying Services
AECOM · Jacobs Engineering · Local architecture firms
Accounting, Auditing, and Bookkeeping Services
Deloitte · KPMG · Local accounting firms
Retail Stores
27 codesMotor Vehicle Supplies & New Parts
AutoZone · O'Reilly Auto Parts · NAPA
Computers, Peripherals, & Software
Apple Store · Micro Center · Newegg
Department Stores
Macy's · Nordstrom · Target · Kohl's
Variety Stores
Dollar Tree · Dollar General · Five Below
General Merchandise Stores (Not Elsewhere Classified)
Amazon (some transactions) · Costco · BJ's Wholesale
Service Stations (with or without Ancillary Services)
Shell · ExxonMobil · BP · Chevron
Automated Fuel Dispensers
Pay-at-pump stations · Automated gas stations
Motorcycle Shops & Dealers
Harley-Davidson · Honda Powersports · Local motorcycle dealers
Office and Commercial Furniture
Steelcase · Herman Miller · Haworth
Construction Materials (NEC)
Local building supply yards · Specialty construction suppliers · Insulation dealers
Photographic, Photocopy, and Microfilm Equipment
Canon business solutions · Xerox dealers · Konica Minolta resellers
Commercial Equipment (NEC)
Restaurant supply stores · Commercial kitchen equipment · Industrial supply companies
Dental/Medical/Ophthalmic/Hospital Equipment and Supplies
Henry Schein · McKesson · Cardinal Health
Metal Service Centers and Offices
Ryerson · Reliance Steel · Service Center Metals
Electronic Parts and Equipment (NEC)
Arrow Electronics · Avnet · Mouser Electronics
Hardware Equipment and Supplies
Fastenal · Grainger · MSC Industrial
Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies
Ferguson Enterprises · Hajoca · Winsupply
Industrial Supplies (NEC)
Grainger · McMaster-Carr · Motion Industries
Durable Goods (NEC)
Specialty wholesale distributors · General merchandise wholesalers · Mixed durable goods dealers
Stationery, Office Supplies, Printing, and Writing Paper
Staples Business Advantage · Office Depot B2B · Paper mills
Piece Goods, Notions, and Other Dry Goods
Fabric wholesale distributors · Textile mills · Notions suppliers
Uniforms and Commercial Clothing
Cintas · UniFirst · Aramark Uniform Services
Commercial Footwear
Safety boot distributors · Work shoe wholesalers · Uniform footwear suppliers
Books, Periodicals, and Newspapers
Ingram Book Group · Baker & Taylor · News distributors
Florist Supplies, Nursery Stock, and Flowers
Wholesale flower markets · Nursery stock distributors · Floral supply companies
Paints, Varnishes, and Supplies
Sherwin-Williams wholesale · PPG Industries · Paint supply distributors
Non-Durable Goods (NEC)
General non-durable wholesale · Disposable product distributors · Packaging suppliers
Transportation
14 codesLocal & Suburban Commuter Passenger Transportation
Metro/subway systems · City buses · Commuter rail
Taxicabs & Rideshares
Uber · Lyft · Yellow Cab · Local taxi companies
Bus Lines
Greyhound · FlixBus · Megabus
Motor Freight Carriers, Trucking
FedEx Freight · XPO Logistics · Local trucking companies
Courier Services — Air & Ground
FedEx · UPS · DHL
Airports, Flying Fields, & Airport Terminals
Airport parking · Terminal shops · Airport services
Railroads
Amtrak · BNSF Railway · Union Pacific
Passenger Railways
Eurostar · Deutsche Bahn · SNCF · Renfe
Ambulance Services
AMR (American Medical Response) · Local ambulance services · Air ambulance companies
Public Warehousing and Storage
Public Storage · Extra Space Storage · CubeSmart
Marinas, Marine Service, and Supplies
Local marinas · West Marine · Boat US
Tolls and Bridge Fees
E-ZPass · FasTrak · SunPass
Transportation Services (NEC)
Ride-share services · Courier services · Shuttle services
Parking Lots and Garages
SpotHero · ParkWhiz · LAZ Parking
Utilities & Telecom
7 codesTelecommunication Equipment & Telephone Sales
Phone stores · Telecom equipment dealers
Telecommunication Services
AT&T · Verizon · T-Mobile · Local phone companies
Computer Network/Information Services
Internet service providers · CompuServe · Cloud services
Cable, Satellite, & Pay Television
Comcast/Xfinity · DirecTV · Dish Network · Spectrum
Telephone Companies — Key Entry
Regional phone companies · Local exchange carriers · CLEC providers
Telegraph Services
Western Union (legacy) · Telegraph companies
Utilities — Electric, Gas, Water, Sanitary
Local electric companies · Municipal water departments · Gas utilities
Frequently asked questions
What are low-risk MCC codes?
Low-risk MCC codes are merchant category codes assigned to industries with historically low chargeback rates, minimal fraud exposure, and straightforward regulatory environments. Examples include grocery stores (5411), gas stations (5541), and general retail (5311). These codes qualify for the lowest interchange rates and are accepted by virtually all payment processors.
Do low-risk MCCs guarantee low processing fees?
Low-risk MCCs qualify for standard or preferred interchange rates, which are the lowest tier. However, your actual processing cost also depends on your acquirer's markup, transaction volume, card-present vs card-not-present mix, and average ticket size. Payment orchestration can further reduce costs by routing to the most competitive acquirer for each transaction.
Can a low-risk MCC merchant still get flagged?
Yes. Even with a low-risk MCC, individual merchants can be flagged if their chargeback rate exceeds network thresholds (typically 0.9% for Visa and 1% for Mastercard). Unusual transaction patterns, sudden volume spikes, or cross-border activity can also trigger enhanced monitoring regardless of MCC classification.
Which payment processors accept all low-risk MCCs?
Virtually every payment processor and acquirer accepts low-risk MCC codes. This includes Stripe, Adyen, Worldpay, Checkout.com, and all major banks. The wide acceptance means merchants can shop for the most competitive rates and use payment orchestration to optimize across multiple providers.
How does Tagada optimize processing for low-risk merchants?
Even for low-risk MCCs, Tagada's orchestration engine improves economics by routing each transaction to the acquirer offering the lowest interchange + markup combination for that specific card type, issuing country, and transaction size. This typically saves 0.1-0.3% on processing costs at scale.
Reduce processing costs even further
Tagada routes each transaction to the acquirer with the lowest interchange + markup for that specific card type and geography — saving low-risk merchants 0.1-0.3% at scale.