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Vape and Tobacco Shop Merchant Account

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Vape and tobacco sellers sit on Visa's list of high integrity risk categories for card-absent sales, and processors publish their own restrictions. This page reports those documents. It does not promise approval, and it is not legal advice.

Nothing on this page is an approval or a guarantee. Each provider decides on its own whether to open an account and on what terms, and it can change its policies at any time.

What Visa calls this business

Visa assigns each merchant a four-digit category code. This is Visa’s own wording, from its Merchant Data Standards Manual (April 2026).

Search all merchant category codes

What Visa says

Visa's manual describes the category and flags it for card-absent transactions.

  • Visa describes MCC 5993, Cigar Stores and Stands, as merchants that sell tobacco, cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smokers’ supplies.

    Visa: Merchant Data Standards Manual (April 2026)· Checked 2026-10-15

  • Visa’s manual lists “high integrity risk” MCCs: for card-absent transactions 5122 (drugs and sundries), 5912 (drug stores and pharmacies), 5966 (outbound telemarketing), 5967 (adult content and services), 5993 (cigar stores and stands), 7273 (dating and escort services) and 7995 (betting); and for certain card-absent transactions 4816, 6211, 5968 (subscription “negative option” merchants), 5816 (skilled game wagering) and the crypto MCCs 6051 and 6012.

    Visa: Merchant Data Standards Manual (April 2026)· Checked 2026-10-15

  • Visa says a merchant with more than one line of business must give the high integrity risk line of business its own high integrity risk MCC and use another MCC for the rest.

    Visa: Merchant Data Standards Manual (April 2026)· Checked 2026-10-15

What Stripe publishes

  • Stripe lists tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, cigars and e-liquid sold in accordance with applicable law, as restricted, and says that in the United States merchants selling electronic tobacco may only sell products authorized by the Food and Drug Administration.

    Stripe: Prohibited and Restricted Businesses (updated 2026-09-22)· Checked 2026-10-15

  • Stripe says businesses in its restricted categories need extra due diligence, such as proof of licenses or more detail on the business model, and that even then Stripe might not approve the business and can modify or revoke approval at any time.

    Stripe: Prohibited and Restricted Businesses (updated 2026-09-22)· Checked 2026-10-15

What Square publishes

  • Square’s payment terms list businesses it does not support, including direct marketing or subscription offers or services, internet, mail order or telephone order sales of age-restricted products such as tobacco, and taking donations if you are a non-profit that regularly does business in California or holds property for charitable purposes there. They also say you may not use Square if you are connected to a business that sells illegal goods, giving cannabis as an example.

    Square Payment Terms (section 3, unsupported industries)· Checked 2026-10-15

Underwriting and reserves

  • Visa’s risk guide says high-brand risk merchants pose an elevated risk and need enhanced due diligence: a detailed review of the goods or services offered, how they are marketed and sold, validation of the merchant location, review of previous processing history, and checks of consumer complaint boards.

    Visa: Payment Facilitator and Marketplace Risk Guide (April 2021)· Checked 2026-10-15

  • Stripe’s explainer says high-risk merchant accounts typically come with higher fees and stricter contract terms, and that many require a rolling reserve, a percentage of transactions held by the provider for a period to cover chargebacks and disputes, and may have longer settlement periods.

    Stripe: High-risk merchant accounts explained (May 12, 2026)· Checked 2026-10-15

Questions to ask a provider before you apply

These are questions, not claims about any provider. Get the answers in writing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Visa code for a vape shop?

Visa describes MCC 5993 as merchants selling tobacco, cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smokers’ supplies. For card-absent transactions it is on Visa’s high integrity risk list.

Will Square or Stripe process vape sales?

Square’s terms list internet, mail order or telephone order sales of age-restricted products such as tobacco as unsupported. Stripe lists tobacco products including e-cigarettes as restricted, and says U.S. merchants may only sell electronic tobacco products authorized by the FDA. Read the live pages before applying.

Does being in person change anything?

Visa’s high integrity risk entry for this category applies to card-absent transactions. Providers may still apply their own rules to in-person sales, so ask.

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