Prohibited Merchants
Restricted MerchantsDocuments To Request
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| Prohibited Merchants Or Product Types | Clarifications | Merchants Industry |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Material & Entertainment (Retail, Card Present) |
Includes adult or sexually oriented products, services, and media. No Adult Videos. (See Gentlemen’s Club BMO Exception) | Restricted |
| Advertising | Monthly or Quarterly Billing Max | Restricted |
| Age Sensitive Products (Card Not Present-CNP) |
Tobacco/Alcohol/ (firearms/guns refer to Gun Sales) | Restricted |
| Aggregators (or Payment Facilitators- PayFac’s) |
Properly registered | Restricted |
| Air Craft Services | Restricted | |
| Airlines | Includes charters, private jets, aircraft lease payments, regional, national and international airlines. | Prohibited |
| Ammunition & Gun Sales (Retail, No Gun Shows, No Personal Sales, No Assault Weapons) | Merchants primarily selling weapons, weapon parts, or ammo via card present (swiped) transactions. (ATF states Sale of ammunition alone does not require a license) | Restricted (FFL required unless they provide a LOI stating they will only sell ammo) |
| Animals by Mail | (Recommend-Shipping guidelines to confirm they follow federal and state shipping laws) | Restricted |
| Art Galleries and Art Dealers | Restricted | |
| Auctions | Card present (CNP under Online Auctions) | Restricted |
| Automobile Rental Car Agencies | Restricted | |
| Automobile Sales (Used) | Includes all merchants primarily engaged in the sale of used vehicles. Requires letter of intent (deposits, repairs/service only) repairs and service only for TBB no deposits |
Restricted |
| Bail Bonds | Includes businesses primarily acting as a surety for persons accused in court. | Restricted (Collect license or certification needed to sell Bail Bonds prior to approval) |
| Bill Payment Services | Businesses that primarily offer centralized portals for bill payment to third party vendors.(Also refer to Aggregators) | Restricted |
| Bridal and Formal Wear | Restricted | |
| Business Opportunities (Work-at-Home) | Opportunities with deceptive marketing, promises of wealth, products / services of questionable value. Investment opportunities/Multi level marketing (e.g. a website featuring ‘levels’ compensation plans) | Restricted |
| Business physically located outside the US /Offshore Merchants (or Embassy, Foreign Consulate or other Foreign Government |
Prohibited | |
| Business Selling Goods or Services Internationally | Includes businesses primarily engaged in the exportation of goods outside the United States. |
Restricted |
| Cable Box Descramblers | Includes all devices or software designed to circumvent copyright protection techniques. | Prohibited |
| Carpet and Flooring | (Recommended-Copy of contractor license & contract with full terms and conditions) | Restricted |
| Catering | (Recommended-Contract with full terms and conditions) | Restricted |
| Cell Phone Stores and Plans | Restricted | |
| Charters & Tours | Excluding Day trips | Restricted |
| Check Cashing | Includes businesses primarily engaged in check cashing services. | Prohibited |
| Coin Dealers | Includes businesses primarily engaged in the sale of coins or the exchange of foreign currency. (Minimum 5 yrs. in business and 6 months satisfactory previous processing) |
Restricted |
| Collectibles/Memorabilia | Restricted Addendum Needed | |
| Collection Agencies | Uncollectable Debt | Restricted |
| Concierge Services | Restricted | |
| Construction/ Home Improvement Contractors | (Recommended-Copy of contractor license & contract with full terms and conditions) for Cabinets & Counter installation refer to Kitchen and Bathroom, for Window and door sales refer to Window and Door Sales |
Restricted |
| Consumer Electronic and Computer Hardware, Products, Sales, Supplies, Service, and Repairs | MOTO/ Internet require 1 yr. in operations plus minimum 6 months satisfactory previous processing |
Restricted |
| Counterfeit Goods | (i.e. Gucci, Rolex, etc.) to include ‘tribute’ items, such as ‘Louis Vitton’ bag; replicas, reproduction of original luxury goods |
Prohibited |
| Coupon Books (Printed) | Merchants that are primarily engaged in the sale of coupon books and coupon club memberships. |
Restricted |
| Credit Card Protection Services / Identity Theft | Includes all services designed to pay credit card balances due to unemployment or exigent circumstances. |
Prohibited |
| Credit Repair Services | Includes all services and counseling purportedly designed to repair consumer or business credit. |
Restricted |
| Cross border Trade | Blood Products or Pharmaceuticals. | Prohibited |
| Crowd Funding | (i.e. Kickstarter, GoFundMe) | Prohibited |
| Cruise Lines | Businesses offering matchmaking services, memberships and social networks dedicated to dating. |
Restricted |
| Debt Consolidation | Includes all entities offering to consolidate Debt / Debt Relief / Credit Insurance | Prohibited |
| Debt Counseling Services | Includes all entities offering counseling services to reduce debt (no debt consolidation) | Restricted |
| Debt Representation Services (No Past Due Debt Collection, Includes Legal & Consulting Services, Bankruptcy Law) | Services primarily focused on all forms of debt reduction, negotiation, settlement (includes tax and mortgages). Includes bankruptcy lawyers. |
Prohibited |
| Detective Services/ Private Investigators | Includes unlicensed private investigators, unlicensed detective agencies and related services. |
Restricted |
| Dietary Supplements | Restricted | |
| Direct Marketing – Catalog & Retail | Goods sold via a combination of catalog and retail store. | Restricted |
| Direct Marketing – Catalog Businesses | Mail order houses where customers select products from printed or electronic catalog with no face-to-face sales. |
Prohibited |
| Direct Marketing – Continuity, Subscriptions | Services offered via continuity subscription basis until the cardholder cancels (movies, music, newspapers) |
Prohibited |
| Direct Marketing – Inbound Teleservices | Merchants that offer information services (inbound calls) may include, polls, sweepstakes, horoscopes, etc. |
Prohibited |
| Direct Marketing – Insurance Services | Insurance services offered via direct mail, billing insert, magazine or television ads. | Prohibited |
| Direct Marketing – Not Elsewhere Classified | Merchants that offer products / services with direct marketing methods; infomercials, direct response ads, etc. |
Prohibited |
| Direct Marketing – Outbound Telemarketing | Merchants that solicit customers via outbound calls and mailings and typically include vitamins, cosmetics, etc. (including MCC’s 5965, 5966, & 5967) |
Prohibited |
| Direct Marketing – Travel Related Services | Travel packages and subscriptions offered to customers via direct mail and outbound telemarketing. |
Prohibited |
| Discount Buying Clubs | Businesses primarily offering memberships or access to purchase merchandise at discounted prices. |
Prohibited |
| Document Preparation Services | Restricted | |
| Drug Paraphernalia | Includes products generally used for the consumption or distribution or illegal substances. | Restricted |
| Educational Materials/ Seminars/ Self Help/ Life Coaching |
Restricted | |
| Electronic Cigarettes (E-Cigarettes) | Card present-retail only (Card-not-present prohibited) | Restricted |
| Embassy, Foreign Consulate or other foreign government | Prohibited | |
| Escort Services (Sexually Suggestive) | Includes merchants with sexually oriented marketing offering dating, escort and companionship services. |
Restricted |
| Essay Mills/Paper Mills | Ghost writing services that sell term papers, essays etc. with intent that purchaser will submit documents as own |
Prohibited |
| Extended Warranties (Products or Services) | Businesses offering extended warranty coverage for products or services. (including protection services) |
Prohibited |
| Financed Payments via Credit Card | (All products and Services) | Prohibited (Registered Debit Card Restricted) |
| Fireworks Retailers (Unlicensed) | All businesses selling via card not present or card present without a valid license. Licensed retailers acceptable. |
Prohibited |
| Foreign Entity or Foreign Resident owned Merchants |
Restricted | |
| Fortune Tellers, Psychics, Astrologers, Spiritual Readers |
Includes astrologers, numerologists, palm readers, psychics, and spiritual advisers. | Restricted |
| Freight Forwarding, Shipping Businesses | Businesses that primarily forward packages or freight on the behalf of other carriers. | Restricted/td> |
| Furniture & Mattress Stores (Office / Commercial or Home Furnishings with Excessive Forward Delivery) | All Internet / MOTO furniture sales, and card present sales with average delivery timeframes greater than 7 days. |
Restricted (Requires Bank Concurrence) |
| Future Service Liability Greater than one year | All products types, services, memberships | Prohibited |
| Gambling/ Sports Forecasting (MCC 5967 / 7995) | Includes all gambling, wagering, lottery, fantasy sports, casino chips, and off-track betting activity. (Also includes Lottery Sales/Horse and Dog Racing/ Skill Games/) |
Prohibited |
| General Contractors | (Recommended-Copy of contractor license & contract with full terms and conditions) | Restricted |
| Gentlemen’s Clubs | Prohibited | |
| Get Rich Quick Services | Includes services marketed as minimal effort and high return or promises of wealth. | Prohibited |
| Gold, Coins, Precious Metals | Prohibited | |
| Golf Clubs-Custom Made | Minimum 1 yr. in business and 3 months previous processing | Restricted |
| Government Grant Services | All services to aid individuals with applying, qualifying or obtaining government grants. | Prohibited |
| Hair restoration Services | Non-Medical nutraceutical type hair restoration products are prohibited for unreasonable guarantees. medical procedures for hair restoration ARE allowable on BMO Harris |
Restricted |
| Home Based Charities | Charities that are home based excluding well established and tax-exempt organizations and residential hospice care. |
Restricted |
| Hookah Establishments | Retail only- No Drug Paraphernalia | Restricted |
| Illegal Products | Including Illegal Synthetic Stimulants (Bath Salts), Salvia Divinorum or HGH | Prohibited |
| Immigration & Naturalization Services | Must be provided by licensed Attorney | Restricted |
| Internet Service Providers & Computer Networking |
MCC 4816 ( Also refer to Telecom merchants) | Restricted |
| Investment Opportunities & Ponzi Schemes | Includes all forms of securities, stocks, bonds, futures, and cash gifting activity. | Prohibited |
| Kitchen and Bathroom Cabinets & Counters | Installation (Large average tickets > $2.5K ) (Recommended-Copy of contractor license & contract with full terms and conditions) |
Restricted |
| Lead Lists (All Types) | Restricted | |
| Lifetime Memberships or Guarantees | Includes businesses offering services and guarantees in perpetuity. | Prohibited |
| Limousine and Taxi Services | Restricted | |
| Liquidation companies | Prohibited | |
| Loan Modification/Mortgage Relief Services | Prohibited | |
| Magazine Subscriptions (Internet, Direct Mail, Telephone) | Businesses primarily selling magazine subscriptions to one or more publications in any media format. |
Restricted (12 months Future Service or less) |
| Marijuana or Drug Sales | Includes all drugs that are illegal under any law (including Medical Marijuana regardless of any State laws). All types |
Prohibited |
| Massage Parlors, Massage Therapy (Unlicensed, Sexually Oriented) | Includes all unlicensed massage parlors and therapists, and all sexually oriented services |
Prohibited |
| Massage Therapists | Therapist certification or LMT Credentials required | Restricted |
| Medical & Dental Loan Payments/Financed payments via CC | (All products and Services) | Prohibited (Registered Debit Card Acceptors Restricted |
| Membership clubs | Must be | Restricted ( |
| Merchants requiring Card Brand Registration | Restricted | |
| Modeling Agencies / Beauty Pageant Organizations | Includes model scouting, social networks dedicated to modeling portfolios, marketing, and beauty pageants. |
Restricted |
| Modification Chips | Prohibited | |
| Money Services Businesses- Money Orders, Money Transfer Networks, Quasi-Cash (Redeemable Tokens, Bitcoins, Virtual Currency |
Includes merchants primarily offering money orders, travelers checks, wire transfer services or stored value cards. Includes All Bitcoin, Virtual Currencies and gambling tokens |
Prohibited |
| Moving Companies (long or local distance providers) | Restricted | |
| Multilevel Marketing Businesses | Opportunities focused on recruitment, wealth generation, questionable value of products or services. (Product sales Only) (called MLM) |
Restricted (Bank Concurrence Required) |
| Mutilation of Body Parts (Non-Cosmetic) | Includes all acts or simulated acts of mutilation via all forms of media. | Prohibited |
| Negative response marketing techniques by any type of merchant/ Deceptive marketing practices. | i.e. customer is automatically charged If they don’t return merchandise or cancel service at the end of a free or low cost trial period. Includes hidden disclosures, bogus claims and endorsements, refund/cancellation avoidance, poorly disclosed negative option, prechecked opt-in boxes for payment without cardholders active consent |
Prohibited |
| Non Profit or Charitable entities | Start ups (any business with less than 12 months of verifiable business history) | Restricted |
| Nutraceutical Businesses (Teeth Whitening, Colon Cleansers, Sexual Enhancements, etc.) | Merchants that are engaged in the sale of teeth whitening, colon cleansers, sexual enhancement supplements, etc. Also includes Acai, Hoodia, Noni Juice, HGH, Coral Calcium. |
Restricted |
| Online Auctions (CNP auctions) | Includes penny auctions | Restricted |
| Online Electronic Sales | Includes businesses primarily engaged in the sale of electronics via MOTO or the Internet. | Restricted |
| Online Jewelry Sales | Includes businesses primarily engaged in the sale of jewelry via MOTO or the Internet. | Restricted |
| Online Malls | Restricted | |
| Online/ Mail order Event Ticket Sales | Minimum 1 yr. in business and 6 months satisfactory previous processing | Restricted |
| Past Due Collection Services | Includes all entities attempting to collect on past due debt on the behalf of third parties. | Restricted |
| Patently Offensive Material (Racist, Bigoted Materials) | Includes merchants selling goods or services designed to incite hate, violence, or abuse of individuals or groups. |
Prohibited |
| Pawn Shops | Restricted | |
| Pay Per Click and parked websites | All types of products/services | Prohibited |
| Payday Lending | Includes all entities primarily offering short-term loans, title loans, and cash advance services. |
Prohibited |
| Penny Auctions | Includes all pay per bid and bidding fee auction services. Normal auction houses and consignment shops are acceptable. |
Restricted |
| Pharmaceuticals (Card Not Present) | Includes all entities engaged in the card not present (keyed) sale of prescription drugs. | Prohibited (Retail only) |
| Pharmacies (Card Present) | 100% swiped only | |
| Plastic Surgeons | Restricted | |
| Political Fund Raising/ Political Action Committees / Political Campaigns (all Types) | Cannot promote anything illegal or brand damaging | Restricted |
| Pools and Hot Tubs | Restricted | |
| Prepaid /Discount health plans | Minimum 5 yrs. in business plus minimum 12 months satisfactory previous processing | Restricted |
| Prepaid Gift cards | Minimum 6 months previous processing | Restricted |
| Prepaid Phone Card Sales | Includes business primarily selling prepaid one-time use card, reloadable cards and virtual card accounts. |
Restricted |
| Products or services with Unreasonable Guarantees or claims |
Prohibited | |
| Pyramid Sales & Schemes | Includes opportunities focused on member recruitment with products or services of questionable value. |
Prohibited |
| Recurring Billing | Agreement term | Restricted |
| Salvia Divinorum | Prohibited | |
| Scooters/Hooverboards | Minimum 1 yr. in business and 6 months previous processing | Restricted |
| Search Engine Optimization (SEO) | Restricted | |
| Security and/or Surveillance equipment and service providers | Minimum 1 yr. in business and 6 months satisfactory previous processing | Restricted |
| Shell Banks | Prohibited | |
| Social Networking Sites | Restricted | |
| Sports Forecasting (MCC 5967/ 7995) | (Also found in Gambling) | Restricted |
| Storage & Warehouse Companies | Establishments primarily engaged in the renting or leasing of storage (or warehousing and storage of a general line of goods). |
Restricted |
| Surveillance Equipment (Excluding Home & Office Security Systems) | Includes all eavesdropping equipment, spy equipment, cellular signal boosters and jammers. (Minimum 1 yr. in business and 6 months satisfactory previous processing) |
Restricted |
| Technical Support Call Centers | Restricted | |
| Telecom Merchants and Transactions | Pre-paid phone cards, re-chargeable phone cards, recurring phone services (MCC 4814 and 4816) |
Restricted |
| Telemarketing companies offering | Free gift/prize or sweepstakes with purchase of product; chain letters; sale of any product/service that is prohibited; Hodge podge product mix; solicitation with outbound telephone calls via fax blasting, email spamming etc. (MCC 5965, 5966, 5967) |
Restricted |
| Timeshares & Services | Includes timeshare sales, rentals, fees, loan modifications, marketing, and all related services. |
Prohibited |
| Tobacco (Card Not Present) | Includes all entities engaged in the sale of tobacco products via card not present methods (keyed). No CNP-E-Cig |
Restricted (Annual registration/ Legal Opinion) |
| Tobacco Merchants (Card Present) | Includes merchants primarily engaged in the sale of tobacco products. | Restricted |
| Trade with Cuba | Prohibited | |
| Trade/ Vocational Schools | Minimum 1 yr. in business and 6 months satisfactory previous processing | Restricted |
| Travel Agencies & Tour Packages | Includes all travel and tour packages, discounted travel voucher and coupon programs. | Restricted |
| Travel Clubs | Includes all destination packages, travel membership programs, point redemption and conversion offers. |
Prohibited |
| Unlicensed Intellectual Property | Prohibited | |
| Used Car Sales (Excludes New Car Dealers) | Includes all merchants primarily engaged in the sale of used vehicles. Requires letter of intent (deposits, repairs/service only) repairs and service only for TBB |
Restricted Requires Letter of Intent stating the account will only be use for repairs, deposits, service/labor |
| Video Streaming & Audiotext Merchants | Includes phone and internet chat services, electronic bulletin boards, forums, sports scores and odds. |
Restricted |
| Vitamins, Nutritional Supplement Businesses | Businesses primarily engaged in the sale of vitamins and nutritional supplements. | Restricted |
| Web Design | MOTO/ Internet require 1 yr. in operations plus minimum 6 months satisfactory previous processing |
Restricted |
| Weight loss Center and Programs (Card not Present-CNP) | Restricted (Physician owned and operated with physician onsite) | |
| Weight loss Center and Programs (Card present only) | Must be physician owned and operated with Physician onsite (registered nurse also acceptable) |
Restricted |
| Window and Door Sales and Installation | (Recommended-Copy of contractor license & contract with full terms and conditions) | Restricted |
Prohibited & Restricted Merchant Guide
Download our Prohibited & Restricted Merchant Guide.