What Is the MCC Code for Kratom?

MCC 5999 is the code associated with kratom, but knowing the code is only the starting point. A merchant category code describes a business category; it does not override product restrictions. A processor must still consider your actual inventory, sales practices, and shipping restrictions before deciding whether it can support your business.

Describe your products as kratom when requesting a merchant account rather than relying on a broad retail description. Provide product labels and lab testing alongside your application. Clear disclosure helps partner processors evaluate the business you actually operate, instead of reviewing an incomplete description that leaves the central product question unanswered.

HighRiskMerchantProcessors.com is a matching service, not a payment processor, acquiring bank, or underwriter. It connects merchants with high-risk payment processors in the MerchantCardLeads partner network. The appropriate classification and acceptance decision should be confirmed with the prospective provider; requesting MCC 5999 alone does not establish eligibility for a kratom merchant account.

Kratom is unscheduled federally, but it is banned or age-restricted in several states and cities. That distinction matters when presenting an online store for payment processing. Federal scheduling status does not establish that every destination is suitable for sales, and merchants should not present it as proof of unrestricted market access.

FDA warnings also contribute to most processors excluding kratom. For underwriting, product information therefore matters alongside financial records. Your labels, lab testing, and website should give a consistent picture of what customers purchase. Supplying those materials helps a prospective provider assess the business without relying solely on its merchant category code.

Prepare a state-restriction shipping policy that reflects where your business sells and ships kratom. Check applicable state and local requirements rather than assuming one nationwide approach is sufficient. If your shipping practices and written policy differ, resolve that mismatch before submitting the website for review by a prospective partner processor.

According to their published policies, Stripe, Square, PayPal, and Shopify Payments prohibit kratom. The exclusion also applies to the Authorize.net default acquirer under its published policy. Selecting MCC 5999 does not create an exception to those restrictions, so review product eligibility before investing effort in an application or checkout setup.

Keep the Authorize.net default-acquirer restriction distinct from questions about any proposed processing arrangement. Ask the prospective partner processor to identify the acquiring relationship and confirm whether kratom is supported. Do not assume that access to a familiar payment platform or checkout tool establishes permission to process payments for your products.

When seeking an alternative, lead with the fact that you sell kratom and explain your sales channels. Share your website, product documentation, and restricted-destination policy early. This gives partner processors relevant information for evaluating fit and avoids treating a different provider as a way to bypass disclosure of your inventory.

Prepare a merchant application, government ID for owners holding 25% or more, a voided business check, and your EIN letter or formation documents. Include three to six months of business bank statements and, if available, prior processing statements for that period. Present records consistently so the business and ownership details are clear.

Your website should include refund, terms, and privacy policies. Kratom applications also call for product labels, lab testing, and a state-restriction shipping policy. Organize these materials with your financial documents so underwriters at the acquiring bank can review both the business operations and the products being offered to customers online.

The typical market rate range is 4.0%–6.0% plus $0.25–$0.30 per transaction. The supplied typical market reserve range is a 10% rolling reserve, set by the acquiring bank. These are market references, not a quote or promised terms. Ask the prospective provider to explain its proposed pricing and reserve arrangement before proceeding.