Authorizations with Card Verification Numbers

Card verification numbers (CVNs) are a required feature for the authorization service.
The CVN is printed on a payment card, and only the cardholder can access it. The CVN is used in card-not-present transactions as a verification feature. Using the CVN helps reduce the risk of fraud.
CVNs are not included in payment card track data and cannot be obtained from a card swipe, tap, or dip.
CVNs must not be stored after authorization.
IMPORTANT
In Europe, Visa mandates that you not include a CVN for mail-order transactions and not record a CVN on any physical format such as a mail-order form.

CVN Locations and Terminology

For Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Diners Club, UnionPay, and JCB, the CVN is a three-digit number printed on the back of the card, to the right of the signature field. For American Express, the CVN is a four-digit number printed on the front of the card, above and to the right of the card number.
Each payment card company has its own name for this value:
  • American Express and Discover call it the Card Identification Number (CID).
  • JCB calls it the Card Authentication Value (CAV2).
  • Mastercard calls it the Card Validation Code (CVC2).
  • UnionPay calls it the Card Validation Number (CVN2).
  • Visa calls it the Card Verification Value (CVV2).