MCC 5311: Department Stores
MCC 5311 is the merchant category code for department stores. Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express assign it to businesses such as department stores, and big-box retailers.
- Code
- 5311
- Category group
- Retail Outlet Services
- Risk rating
- Standard risk
Which businesses use MCC 5311?
Acquiring banks assign MCC 5311 to merchants whose primary line of business is department stores. Common examples include:
- Department stores
- Big-box retailers
Is MCC 5311 considered high risk?
Most acquirers approve this MCC with standard underwriting, no rolling reserve, and access to the lowest interchange categories.
How does MCC 5311 affect processing fees?
MCC 5311 determines which interchange category Visa and Mastercard apply to each transaction. Codes in the retail outlet services range share interchange programs, so two merchants with the same card mix but different MCCs can pay different wholesale rates.
Payment processing for MCC 5311 merchants
Niche Payments runs a dedicated high-volume payment processing program for businesses classified under MCC 5311. Interchange-plus pricing for merchants processing millions a month.
- Interchange-plus and Level 2 / Level 3 data rates
- Dedicated account manager and custom reserve terms
- Multi-location and multi-entity reporting in one dashboard
Frequently asked questions
What does MCC 5311 mean?
MCC 5311 is the merchant category code for Department Stores. Card networks use it to classify transactions from businesses such as department stores, and big-box retailers.
Is MCC 5311 high risk?
MCC 5311 is generally rated standard risk. Most acquirers approve this MCC with standard underwriting, no rolling reserve, and access to the lowest interchange categories.
Can a business change its MCC from 5311?
A business can request a different MCC through its acquiring bank. The acquirer reviews what the business actually sells and reassigns the code only if 5311 does not describe the primary line of business.