What are Merchant Category Codes?

How do MCCs affect how I earn Adapta points?

Full list of CIBC Adapta Mastercard spend categories and Merchant Category Codes:

Grocery and drug stores:

Merchants that sell a complete line of food merchandise for home consumption. Food products for sale include groceries, meat, produce, dairy products, and canned, frozen, prepackaged, and dry foods. Other products for sale may include a limited selection of housewares, cleaning and polishing products, personal hygiene products, cosmetics, greeting cards, books, magazines, household items, and dry goods. These merchants also may operate specialized departments such as an in-store deli counter, meat counter, pharmacy, or floral department.

Wholesale distributors of prescription and proprietary drugs, vitamins, toiletries, antiseptics, bandages, pharmaceuticals, biological or related products, and other miscellaneous small articles typically for sale in drug stores.

Merchants that sell prescription and proprietary drugs and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines. Drug stores may also sell related products and sundries such as cosmetics, toiletries, tobacco, heating pads, back supports, novelty merchandise, greeting cards, and a limited supply of food items. Operators of soda fountains or lunch counters within drug stores also should use this MCC.

Pet stores:

Retailers that sell pets (for example, dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles, hamsters, and rabbits), pet food, and pet supplies.

Dining and drinks:

Merchants that prepare food and drinks for immediate consumption, typically on the merchant’s premises and also provide catering services. Such merchants provide table service by a waiter or waitress, and a gratuity may be added to the bill.

Merchants that sell alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer, ale, mixed drinks, and other liquors and beverages for consumption on the premises. Drinking places include bars, beer gardens, microbreweries, pubs, taprooms, cocktail lounges, discotheques, nightclubs, saloons, taverns, comedy clubs, and wine bars.

Merchants that sell prepared food and beverages for immediate consumption either on the premises or packaged for carry-out. Fast food restaurants may or may not operate a drive-up window for ordering and pick-up, and may or may not provide table service by a waiter or waitress. In any case, orders are paid for at the counter or at a drive-up window. Fast food restaurants include cafes, cafeterias, grills, coffee shops, diners, pizza parlors, sandwich bars or shops, deli shops, and snack shops. If table service is provided, a gratuity may be added to the bill. Such merchants generally do not sell alcoholic beverages.

Gas and EV:

Merchants that sell electric vehicle charging services.

Merchants that sell fuel for consumer use and may or may not also have a convenience store, car wash, or automotive repair shop on the premises. This MCC includes service station merchants located at a marina that have a separate merchant agreement from that of the marina.

Merchants that sell automotive gasoline using typically unattended automated fuel dispensers, enabling cardholders to purchase fuel by completing the transaction at the pump.

Transit and parking:

Suburban and local commuter passenger, including ferries, and providers of local and suburban mass passenger transportation over regular routes and on regular schedules, including railway commuter transportation.

Railroads that primarily provide long-distance passenger transportation. Such railroads may or may not include overnight accommodations on the train during long distance travel.

Passenger automobile transportation services that do not operate on a regular schedule or an established route.

Merchants that provide temporary parking services for automobiles, usually on an hourly, daily, or monthly contract or fee basis.

Passenger bus transportation services that operate on a regular schedule over predetermined routes.

Entertainment:

Merchants that operate movie theaters, including drive-in theaters. Such merchants sell tickets and refreshments, and may or may not offer advance ticket reservations via the phone.

Merchants that operate live theatrical productions, such as road companies and summer theater groups. Services associated with theatrical productions and concerts are also included, such as casting agencies, booking agencies, scenery, lighting, and other equipment services, and theatrical ticket agencies.

Merchants that provide entertainment other than theatrical productions, and includes musicians, bands, orchestras, comedians, and magicians. Merchants that specialize in providing music (live bands or disc jockeys [DJs]) for weddings or special events are also included.

Merchants that operate and promote semiprofessional and professional athletic clubs (such as baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and soccer), promote amateur and professional athletic events, and manage individual athletes. Sports arenas and stadiums are also included.

Merchants that operate tourist attractions and exhibits for entertainment, such as expositions, botanical gardens, craft shows, museums, and wineries.

Merchants that operate amusement parks and carnivals offering mechanical rides, snacks and food stands, games, animal exhibits, and entertainment. Circuses, fortune tellers, astrologers, tarot card readers, and mystics also are included.

Merchants that operate sea life parks and zoos for the entertainment and education of the general public.

Merchants that operate indoor playgrounds, interactive games and amusement machines, such as jukeboxes, video games, pinball machines, paintball, and laser tag games, mechanical games, and instant photograph booths.

E-Games and subscriptions:

The connection and ongoing delivery of television programming or radio programming on a subscription or fee basis.

Audiovisual media including books, movies, and music: Merchants that sell audiovisual works to a cardholder in a digitized format. Such works are delivered by means of electronic transfer (such as uploading, downloading, or streaming) and include, but are not limited to, audiobooks, music files, ringtones, movies, videos, live or recorded events, digital periodicals or magazines, digital pictures, digital presentations, and news and entertainment programs.

Merchants that develop video or electronic games for play on smartphones, feature phones, personal computers, tablets, consoles, or other devices with networking capability. Such games may provide platforms to make “in-application” purchases of electronic or virtual items for use during play, including but not limited to game pieces, tokens, points, or other forms of game-specific value.

The description of each MCC includes the TCC(s) that are valid for that MCC. Only a valid combination of MCC and TCC may be used in a transaction.

Home improvement:

Retailers that sell glass, paint and painting supplies, wallpaper and hanging supplies, and other wall covering materials.

Merchants that sell floor coverings such as carpeting, area rugs, floor tile, linoleum, stone, wood, and brick, and may or may not also perform installation services.

Merchants that sell draperies, curtains, venetian blinds, window shades, and upholstery materials.

Merchants that sell a full range of hardware supplies for purchase by the general public. Products for sale may include small ticket electrical supplies, wiring, nuts, bolts, nails, screws, hammers, screwdrivers and other small tools, washers, keys, lights bulbs, brackets, and plumbing supplies

Merchants open to the general public that sell a wide range of home products and supplies, such as wallpaper, paint, lumber, garden supplies, electrical and lighting equipment and supplies, and home decorating items. These merchants also may sell finished products such as sinks, cabinets, and doors as well as do-it-yourself kits.

Merchants that sell fireplaces, wood stoves, fireplace parts, and accessories such as fireplace tools and screens.

Merchants that sell nursery stock, trees, shrubs, potted plants, seeds, bulbs, mulches, soil conditioners, fertilizers, pesticides, garden tools, and other garden supplies.

Electronics:

Merchants that sell or lease a wide variety of electronic goods, including computer hardware, and may also sell parts or accessories for the repair, construction, or assembly of electronic equipment. Electronic sales merchants may or may not also conduct repair work. Products for sale may include televisions, radios, VCRs, cameras, video cameras, stereo components, and car stereos and speakers.

Clothing:

Merchants that sell men’s and boys’ ready-to-wear clothing and accessories, including tie and hat shops.

Merchants that sell a general line of women’s ready-to-wear clothing such as women’s dresses, pants, suits, and coats. Also included are specialty shops such as those selling bridal wear or maternity clothing.

Merchants that sell women’s clothing accessories, including handbags, hats, costume jewelry, scarves, belts, hair bows and barrettes, lingerie, and hosiery.

Merchants that sell children’s and infants’ clothing, furnishings, and accessories.

Merchants that sell general lines of men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, furnishings, and accessories without specializing in sales for a particular sex or age group. This MCC includes jeans or denim clothing stores and unisex shops.

Merchants that sell men’s, women’s, or children’s footwear, including athletic footwear. Shoe stores frequently also carry a limited selection of handbags, socks, shoe ornaments, shoe polish, gloves, and hosiery.

Merchants that primarily sell men’s and women’s clothing and accessories. These merchants do not sell infants’ and children’s wear.

Merchants that sell used merchandise or secondhand goods. Products for sale may include accessories, shoes and clothing, furniture, books, bicycles, musical instruments, sewing machines, electronic equipment, appliances, and other household items. Typically, the items for sale have been donated or are on consignment. Such merchants may or may not also sell antiques.

Merchants selling a general line of merchandise at a discounted rate. Products for sale may include apparel, housewares, home furnishings, personal care products, and electronics. Such merchants typically operate a garden shop, have a primary checkout location at the front of the store, and promote and advertise low prices on an ongoing basis.

Merchants that sell specialized lines of apparel (excluding fur) and accessories that are not elsewhere classified. Merchants that specialize in apparel such as T-shirts, formal wear, and swimwear are included in this MCC.

Health and beauty:

Retailers that sell natural or synthetic cosmetics, including theatrical, medical, and daily-wear cosmetics.

The description of each MCC includes the TCC(s) that are valid for that MCC. Only a valid combination of MCC and TCC may be used in a transaction.

Merchants that operate sports and recreation facilities requiring membership. Examples of such facilities include exercise, athletic, and health clubs, country clubs, private golf courses, boating yacht clubs, swimming clubs, tennis clubs, bowling leagues, riding clubs, shooting and gun clubs, and racquetball clubs. Such merchants may or may not provide massage services and spa services such as facials, weight control counseling, aromatherapy, steam baths, and whirlpools.

Hotels and motels:

Only those lodging establishments for which a unique MCC has not been designated, including bed and breakfast and other local inns, resorts, cabins, cottages, and hostels.