MCC 5999: Miscellaneous and Specialty Retail Stores

MCC 5999 is the merchant category code for miscellaneous and specialty retail stores. Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express assign it to businesses such as specialty retailers, CBD shops, and online stores.

Code
5999
Category group
Miscellaneous Stores
Risk rating
Elevated risk

Which businesses use MCC 5999?

Acquiring banks assign MCC 5999 to merchants whose primary line of business is miscellaneous and specialty retail stores. Common examples include:

  • Specialty retailers
  • CBD shops
  • Online stores

Is MCC 5999 considered high risk?

Acquirers review this MCC more closely because of card-not-present volume, refund rates, or chargeback history. Expect extra documentation and possible volume caps.

How does MCC 5999 affect processing fees?

MCC 5999 determines which interchange category Visa and Mastercard apply to each transaction. Codes in the miscellaneous stores range share interchange programs, so two merchants with the same card mix but different MCCs can pay different wholesale rates.

Payment processing for MCC 5999 merchants

Niche Payments runs a dedicated ecommerce payment processing program for businesses classified under MCC 5999. Card-not-present processing that scales with your store.

  • Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and custom checkout integrations
  • Subscription and recurring billing with smart retries
  • Chargeback alerts and 3-D Secure to protect card-not-present sales

Frequently asked questions

What does MCC 5999 mean?

MCC 5999 is the merchant category code for Miscellaneous and Specialty Retail Stores. Card networks use it to classify transactions from businesses such as specialty retailers, CBD shops, and online stores.

Is MCC 5999 high risk?

MCC 5999 is generally rated elevated risk. Acquirers review this MCC more closely because of card-not-present volume, refund rates, or chargeback history. Expect extra documentation and possible volume caps.

Can a business change its MCC from 5999?

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 5999 does not describe the primary line of business.