Card Verification Value (CVV)

What is Card Verification Value (CVV)?

The Card Verification Value (CVV) is a three or four-digit security code printed on a physical credit or debit card. It is used as an additional security layer for card-not-present transactions to prove that the customer has the physical card in their possession.

Merchants are prohibited from storing CVV data after a transaction is authorized. This ensures that even if a merchant’s database is compromised, the security codes remain protected.

Why It Matters

• Reduces the risk of fraud in online and phone-based transactions

• Verifies that the cardholder has physical access to the card

• Required by most payment gateways to approve a transaction

• Protects consumers by adding a layer of security beyond the card number