
What is Address Verification?
Address Verification only request transactions are identical to Account Verification transactions. However, for United Kingdom (UK)
issued Cards, Address Verification Service (AVS) data will be stripped from the request before sending to the Host Issuer (thus making the message a regular
Account Verification).
In the response to the Acquirer, the Address Verification result in field 44.2 will be 'U' address not verified
(not email address verification).
Processing code should indicate a purchase transaction. Field 3 should be 000000.
The Transaction Amount in field 4 must be zero.
Data field 18 contains a code indicating the Merchant's type of business. This code is also
known as the Merchant Category Code (MCC). Merchant type can be any valid code for a Card-present or Card-not-present transaction.
The point-of-sale (POS) Condition Code must indicate Account Verification. Field 25 must be 51.
Address data (not UK addresss verification) must be present in field 123.
Address verification response code field 39 should be 85 (no reason to decline).
Field 44.2 - Address Verification Result Code is in the response message.
Field 51 - Request for Account Number verification without authorization, request for Account Number verification and address verification
without authorization, or Request for Account Number and CVV2 verification without authorization.
Authorization Request with address verification
Processing code should indicate a Card-present or Card-not-present purchase transaction. Field 3 should be 00xxxx (purchase).
Expiry date is optional. Omit field 14 if not known or if track data is present.
Merchant type must be valid for a Card-present or Card-not-present transaction.
The POS Condition Code may indicate normal or mail/phone order.
Field 25 must be 00 (normal transaction) or 08 (mail/phone order/mail address verification/postal/letter/
us/form/service/system/post office/free/international/sender/gecode).
Address verification data must be present. Field 123 must be included.
The response includes an Address Verification Result Code in field 44.2.
Address verification Mail/Phone Order Transaction
Processing code must indicate a purchase transaction. Field 3 must be 00xxxx (cannot be 11xxxx).
Field 18 may contain an MCC which is listed in the MOTO Merchant Category Group. For a list of all valid MCCs, see the document, Visa Europe Merchant
Data Standards.
POS Condition Code must indicate mail or telephone order; field 25 must be 08.
The request must not include a PIN. Fields 52 and 53 must not be included.
Address verification data is required. Field 123 must be present. Data field 44.2 contains a Visa-defined code that describes the
results of a Visa address verification.
The Address Verification Service (AVS) can be used for all Merchants that include field 123 - Verification Data in their authorization or
financial request messages.
It can also be used for MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and in the US, proprietary and private label transactions.
Verification requests
Verification requests: The following points apply on Verification requests:
Field 38 is used in "no reason to decline" responses to verification requests. That is, when the response code is 85.
Address verification: If STIP provides the authorization decision after the Issuer has supplied the address verification response
(as in some Airline transactions);
The Acquirer receives the authorization code assigned by STIP instead of the code assigned by the Issuer:
unless the host Issuer has inserted a response code in field 39 other than 00 or 85.
• Use any valid code for Authorization Requests that include address verification data in field 123.
Address verification requests support both Card-present and Card-not-present requests in all Merchant categories with or without
authorization amount requests
• Use code 51 for Account Verification, and address verification request messages without authorization.
Code 51 is only valid for Visa and MasterCard transactions
Note that although MasterCard AVS-only transactions are no longer supported, code 51 is used in account status inquiries.
CVV2 verification only requests: These request messages are used to check CVV2 data in a Card-present transaction at the Point-of-Transaction.
This is useful when the magnetic stripe cannot be read. Acquirers submit CVV2 verification only 0100 request messages, with a
condition code of 51 in this field, a Transaction Amount of zero in field 4, and the CVV2 data to be verified in field 126.10.
Host issuers that perform their own CVV2 validation must be prepared to receive CVV2 verification only request messages.
Host issuer 0110 response messages must contain a Transaction Amount of zero in field 4, a response code of 85, and a valid CVV2 results value
in field 44.10.
If VEAS performs CVV2 validation on behalf of the Issuer, VEAS will check the CVV2 in all eligible
request messages and provide results data in response messages.
Note that field 25 can contain any code except 51, and field 18 may contain any valid value. Address verification only requests must include
field 123, field 25, which must be 51, and field 18, which may contain any valid value.
Acronyms used in data field descriptions for Address Verification
Field descriptions may include acronyms shown in the following table - Data field listing - acronyms used for account verification.
Acronym | "Definition" |
---|---|
3-D Secure | Three-Domain Secure (Merchant, Acquirer, Issuer) |
AAC | Application Authentication Cryptogram |
ACI | Authorization Characteristics Indicator |
ACS | Access Control Server |
ADM | Automated Dispensing Machine |
AFD | Automated Fuel Dispenser |
AFT | Account Funding Transaction |
AML | Anti-Money Laundering |
ARPC | Authorization Response Cryptogram |
ARQC | Authorization Request Cryptogram |
ATR | Assured Transaction Response |
Auto-CDB | Automated Cardholder Database Service |
AVS | Address Verification Service |
AWK | Acquirer Working Key |
BER | Basic Encoding Rules (as in TLV format) |
BCD | Binary-Coded Decimal Notation |
CAM | Card Authentication Method |
CAVV | Cardholder Authentication Verification Value |
CDB | Cardholder Database |
CPS | Custom Payment Service |
CRB | Card Recovery Bulletin |
CRS | Chargeback Reduction Service |
CSU | Card Status Update |
CVM | Card Verification Method |
CVN | Cryptogram Version Number |
CVR | Card Verification Results |
CVV | Card Verification Value |
DCC | Dynamic Currency Conversion |
dCVV | Dynamic Card Verification Value |
DDA | Dynamic Data Authentication |
DF | Data Filed (American Express) |
EA Server | Extended Access Server |
EIRF | Electronic Interchange Reimbursement Fee |
FPI | Fee Program Indicator |
GCAS | Global Customer Assistance Service |
IARS | International Automated Referral Service |
iCVV | Integrated Circuit Card (iCC) CVV |
IWK | Issuer Working Key |
MCC | Merchant Category Code |
MCG | Merchant Category Group |
MOTO | Mail Order or Telephone Order |
MVV | Merchant Verification Value |
OIF | Optional Issuer Fee |
OCT | Original Credit Transaction |
OTC | Over-the-Counter |
PACM | Positive Authorization Capacity Management |
PAD | Proprietary Authentication Data |
PCAS | Positive Cardholder Authorization Service |
PCR | Processing Centre Record |
PIN | Personal Identification Number |
PVKI | PIN Verification Key Index |
PVS | PIN Verification Service |
PVV | PIN Verification Value |
RCRF | Regional Card Recovery File |
RTS | Visa Europe Real Time Scoring |
SDA | Static Data Authentication |
SMS | Single Message Service |
STIP | Stand-in Processing |
TADC | Transaction Amount in Destination Currency |
T&C | Travel & Entertainment |
TC | For VSDC, TC = Transaction Certificate For VECSS, TC = Transaction Code |
TID | Transaction Indicator |
TLV | Tag-Length-Value (Format, see BER) |
TVR | Terminal Verification Results |
UCAF | Universal Cardholder Authentication Field (MasterCard) |
VAT | Value-Added Tax |
VCPS | Visa Contactless Payment Specification |
VECSS | Visa Europe Clearing and Settlement Service |
VIC | Visa Interchange Center |
VIP | Very Important Person |
V.I.P. | Visa Integrated Payments system |
VROL | Visa Resolve Online |
VSDC | Visa Smart Debit/Credit |
VSEC | Visa Secure Electronic Commerce |
VSS | Visa Europe Settlement Service |
VMTS | Visa Europe Member Test System |
XID | Electronic Commerce Transaction Identifier |