Credit Card Processing

Visa CPS/Small Ticket

by Ben Dwyer

May 12, 2016

Visa’s CPS Small Ticket category determines the interchange cost for card-present transactions that are $15 or less.

In the past, the category had subcategories for credit, debit, and prepaid cards. As of 2023, there are only subcategories for debit and prepaid cards.

Interchange rate & fee (debit): 1.55% + $0.04*

Interchange rate & fee (prepaid): 1.60% + $0.05

*Note that this fee only applies to unregulated debit transactions. Regulated debit transactions (transactions involving a debit card issued by a bank with $10 billion or more in assets) are capped at the interchange level, receiving a rate & fee of 0.05% + $0.22.

Also known as:
Small Ticket

CPS Small Ticket is the Visa interchange category that is used to calculate the interchange cost for card-present transactions of $15 or less. It is not necessary to obtain the cardholder’s signature.

Qualification criteria:
The CPS Retail interchange category will apply under the following conditions:

  • The card is present at the time of the transaction
  • The total is $15 or less
  • The card is swiped (magnetic strip cards) or dipped (EMV chip cards)
  • The transaction is settled within 48 hours
  • The cardholder ID method must not be equal to “4”
  • Restaurant (MCC 5812 and 5814) transactions are allowed if the amount is less than $15 and the transaction is submitted with a valid MVV for a Retail Performance Credit program.

Typical bundled qualification:
Although qualifications for transactions vary by processor, many processors consider the CPS Small Ticket interchange category “qualified” for transactions processed by card-present and card-not present businesses.

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