SOURCE-BACKED REFERENCE ENTRY · VISA · OCTOBER 2026
MCC 5921:
Package Stores – Beer, Wine, and Liquor
A classification for packaged liquor stores; wine shops.
View the source & scope ↓THE CLASSIFICATION
What does MCC 5921 cover?
A classification for packaged liquor stores; wine shops.
The code belongs to the Alcohol & tobacco retail group in this directory. The acquirer must confirm the appropriate assignment for the merchant and the relevant card network.
ILLUSTRATIVE BUSINESS FIT
What could a matching business look like?
- Packaged liquor stores
- Wine shops
These examples illustrate the classification. They are not verified NUMUS customers or confirmed transaction-level assignments.
LOOK BEYOND THE LABEL
Risk & provider review
Alcohol retail adds age and sales-channel considerations to physical-goods retail; local checkout and remote delivery differ materially.
Why this category sits here
- Age-restricted products
- Sales and delivery controls
Operating assumptions
Lawful in-person sales with applicable age, product and payment controls; remote channels need separate review.
What could raise the risk?
- Cross-border alcohol sales
- Weak age verification or delivery controls
Assessment basis: Individual business-category assessment. This is an editorial category assessment, not a bank’s rating, an individual merchant decision, a forecast of losses or a promise of approval.
How we assess risk & source references ↗No specific high-integrity-risk flag is reproduced here from the reviewed Visa classification section. This is not an exemption or a finding that no other requirements apply.
Questions worth preparing
- What goods or services generate the largest share of your sales?
- How and when do customers pay, and when are products or services delivered?
- Does a more specific network classification describe your actual business?
Your provider may also ask about transaction size, monthly volume, refunds, disputes, customer locations and delivery timing. Use your actual business facts when discussing the code.
CHECK THE REFERENCE
Source, date & scope
Code and classification reference: Visa Merchant Data Standards Manual, October 2026. Directory reviewed November 3, 2026.
Visa source · PDF page 62 · printed page 59 ↗Source erratum reconciled: Visa prints the liquor-store row as a second 5912 on page 72. This directory uses 5921, supported by Visa’s page 59 cross-reference and Mastercard’s June 2026 page 166 entry. Pharmacy remains 5912.
Mastercard Quick Reference Booklet · 2 June 2026 · corroborating entry ↗Network descriptions and requirements can differ. This entry does not assert complete Mastercard coverage. Confirm current classifications and any special registration requirements with your acquirer.
Read the directory methodology →CONNECT THE NEXT PIECE
Build the payment setup around it.
THE BUSINESS BEHIND THE CODE
Find processing that fits
your actual business.
Your MCC is one piece of the conversation. Tell NUMUS what you sell, how you deliver it, and how your customers pay. We’ll help you take the next step.