What Is an MCC Code? How Merchant Category Codes Affect Your Credit Card Rewards
An MCC code (Merchant Category Code) is a 4-digit number assigned by Visa, Mastercard, or American Express to every merchant based on the type of business they operate. When you swipe your credit card, the merchant's MCC code tells your card issuer which spending category to apply — and whether you earn a bonus reward rate or just base rewards.
What Is an MCC Code?
A Merchant Category Code (MCC) is a 4-digit classification number used by payment networks to identify what kind of business a merchant operates. Every business that accepts credit cards is assigned an MCC code during merchant onboarding. The code is embedded in every transaction and travels with the payment data to your card issuer.
MCC codes matter because credit cards use them to determine bonus categories. When you earn 3x points at restaurants, your card is not looking at the restaurant's name — it's checking whether the merchant's MCC falls within the "Eating Places & Restaurants" category (MCC 5812). If it does, you get 3x. If not (say, a food truck with MCC 5999), you may only earn 1x.
How MCC Codes Are Assigned
Payment networks (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover) assign MCC codes based on the merchant's primary business activity at the time of merchant account setup. The process works like this:
- The merchant applies for a payment processing account through a bank or payment processor.
- The acquiring bank classifies the merchant's primary business and selects the appropriate MCC.
- The MCC is registered with the card networks and embedded in every transaction the merchant processes.
- Merchants can request an MCC change but it is rarely granted without a documented change in primary business.
Why MCC Codes Matter for Rewards
Credit card issuers write their bonus category rules in terms of MCC codes — not merchant names. The Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 3x on "travel" which it defines as MCCs covering airlines, hotels, car rentals, taxis, trains, and more. The Amex Gold earns 4x at "restaurants" which maps to MCCs 5812 (Eating Places), 5814 (Fast Food), and a handful of others.
This creates real-world situations where identical purchases earn different rewards. A grocery store with MCC 5411 earns 6x on the Blue Cash Preferred — but a "grocery-adjacent" store coded as 5999 (Misc. Food Stores) earns only 1x. Knowing the MCC before you swipe can mean 5x more rewards on the same purchase.
Most Common MCC Codes for Credit Card Rewards (April 2026)
| MCC | Description | Category | Cards with Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4511 | Airlines, Air Carriers ( not listed elsewhere) | transportation | 105 cards |
| 5813 | Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages), Bars, Taverns, Cocktail lounges, Nightclubs and Discotheques | dining | 83 cards |
| 5814 | Fast Food Restaurants | dining | 83 cards |
| 5812 | Eating places and Restaurants | dining | 83 cards |
| 7011 | Lodging – Hotels, Motels, Resorts, Central Reservation Services (not elsewhere classified) | lodging | 78 cards |
| 4121 | Taxicabs and Limousines | transportation | 51 cards |
Source: PointsPick database of 2026 credit card bonus structures. Look up any MCC code →
How to Look Up an MCC Code
There are three ways to find the MCC code for any merchant:
- Use our MCC Lookup Tool — search by merchant name or category to see the MCC code and which credit cards earn bonus rewards there.
- Check your credit card statement — some issuers include the merchant's category in your transaction history. Chase and Amex often label transactions with the category used for rewards calculation.
- Call the merchant — merchants can ask their acquiring bank or payment processor for their registered MCC code. It's public information.
MCC Code Gotchas to Watch Out For
Several common situations cause unexpected MCC classifications that reduce your rewards:
- Wholesale clubs — Costco (MCC 5300 Wholesale Clubs) does not code as a grocery store. Cards that earn 6x at groceries (like Blue Cash Preferred) earn only 1x at Costco.
- Superstores — Walmart and Target are coded as general merchandise stores (MCC 5310–5399), not grocery stores, even when you buy food there.
- Airport lounges vs. airlines — Lounge access fees may code as "passenger railways" or "misc. services" rather than "airlines," losing the airline bonus on some cards.
- Online delivery platforms — DoorDash and Uber Eats may code as "computer network services" or "transportation" rather than restaurants on some transactions.