CPS Small Ticket - Visa Interchange Categories and Fees

In the past, the category had subcategories for credit, debit, and prepaid cards. As of 2023, there are only subcategories for debit and prepaid cards. Interchange rate & fee (debit): 1.55% + $0.04* Interchange rate & fee (prepaid): 1.60% + $0.05 *Note that this fee only applies to unregulated debit transactions. Regulated debit transactions (transactions involving a debit card issued by a bank with $10 billion or more in assets) are capped at the interchange level, receiving a rate & fee of 0.05% + $0.22. Also known as: Small Ticket CPS Small Ticket is the Visa interchange category that is used to calculate the interchange cost for card-present transactions of $15 or less. It is not necessary to obtain the cardholder’s signature. Qualification criteria: The CPS Retail interchange category will apply under the following conditions:

The card is present at the time of the transaction
The total is $15 or less
The card is swiped (magnetic strip cards) or dipped (EMV chip cards)
The transaction is settled within 48 hours
The cardholder ID method must not be equal to “4”
Restaurant (MCC 5812 and 5814) transactions are allowed if the amount is less than $15 and the transaction is submitted with a valid MVV for a Retail Performance Credit program.

Typical bundled qualification: Although qualifications for transactions vary by processor, many processors consider the CPS Small Ticket interchange category “qualified” for transactions processed by card-present and card-not present businesses.

Ben Dwyer

Ben Dwyer began his career in the processing industry in 2003 on the sales floor for a Connecticut‐based processor. As he learned more about the inner‐workings of the industry, rampant unethical practices, and lack of assistance available to businesses, he cut ties with his employer and started a blog where he could post accurate information about credit card processing. As the blog gained in popularity, Ben began directly assisting merchants in their search for a processor. Ben believes in empowering businesses by providing access to fair, competitive pricing, accurate information, and continued support. His dedication to transparency and education has made CardFellow a staunch small business advocate in the credit card processing industry.

Visa CPS/Small Ticket

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