What Is the MCC Code for Vape & Tobacco?

MCC 5993 is the merchant category code associated with vape and tobacco businesses. When applying for payment processing, describe your actual products and sales channels rather than relying on the code alone. A clear description helps partner processors understand whether your business fits the acquiring bank’s requirements for this restricted category.

Your application should distinguish between products you sell and how customers receive them. For example, explain whether customers purchase in person or order through your website. Describe your age-verification process alongside those sales channels so the reviewing bank can evaluate the business as it actually operates, not just its category label.

Do not choose an unrelated merchant category to make a vape application appear less restricted. Accurate classification and consistent disclosures give the acquiring bank a clearer basis for review. If your inventory includes multiple product types, provide a straightforward inventory description and ask the partner processor how to present it.

Vape and tobacco processing involves age-restricted products, PACT Act shipping rules, and state flavor and excise laws. These considerations make the category restricted rather than an ordinary retail application. An acquiring bank needs to understand the products, the sales model, and how the merchant addresses requirements relevant to its operations.

State requirements matter, but there is no single state-specific licensing answer for every vape merchant. Prepare state tobacco or vapor licenses where required and explain where you operate. For online sales, describe your shipping practices and the locations you serve so the reviewing bank can identify questions specific to your business.

An MCC identifies the category; it does not establish that every product or sales arrangement is acceptable. Keep your product descriptions, website, and application consistent. When a partner processor asks about age verification or shipping, provide the actual process you use rather than a broad statement that your business follows requirements.

Start with a merchant application, government identification for owners with 25% or greater ownership, a voided business check, and your EIN letter or formation documents. These materials help establish who owns and operates the business. Check that business names and ownership details are consistent across the documents before submitting them.

Prepare three to six months of business bank statements and, if available, three to six months of prior processing statements. Existing processing history gives the reviewing bank context beyond the application. If you have no prior processing statements, disclose that clearly instead of leaving the partner processor to interpret missing records.

Your website should include refund, terms, and privacy policies. Also prepare a description of your age-verification process and state tobacco or vapor licenses where required. Make these materials reflect your real operations: a published policy is most useful when you can explain how your business puts it into practice consistently.

Published policies from Stripe, Square, PayPal, Shopify Payments, and Authorize.net’s default acquirer restrict or prohibit vape and tobacco processing. Review the relevant company’s published policy for your products and setup rather than assuming a general retail account will work. Platform compatibility and acceptance by an acquiring bank are separate questions.

Typical market pricing for vape and tobacco processing is 3.5%–5.5% plus $0.25–$0.30 per transaction. A 5–10% rolling reserve is also a typical market range, set by the acquiring bank. These ranges are not quotes or promised terms. Ask the partner processor to explain the proposed pricing and reserve terms in writing.

HighRiskMerchantProcessors.com matches merchants with high-risk payment processors in the MerchantCardLeads partner network. It is not a processor, acquiring bank, or underwriter. Partner processors help merchants present applications for review, while underwriters at the acquiring bank evaluate the business and determine whether an account can be offered and on what terms.