DEFINITION
MCC 7392: Consulting, Management, or Public Relations Services
MCC Database / 7392: Consulting, Management, or Public Relations Services
Every merchant is assigned a merchant category code (MCC) — a four-digit number used by card networks to classify the primary business activity. MCCs determine how transactions are processed, how fees are structured, and how risk is assessed.
Let’s take a closer look at MCC 7392.
What is MCC 7392?
MCC 7392 covers businesses providing consulting, management, and public relations services. Some examples include legal consulting, strategy consulting, organizational development, financial planning, marketing advising, HR policy design, and PR campaigns.
These services can be offered to private, nonprofit, or government entities under fee or contract based arrangements.
Is MCC 7392 considered high risk?
From a pure MCC perspective, it’s not high risk. However, your processor can consider a particular account with this MCC as being high risk depending on the exact nature of the business, business history, billing models, and various other factors. This is especially true for legal and financial services.
Even general consulting services may trigger extra scrutiny, especially if transactions are card-not-present or recurring.
High-risk classification can lead to more extensive underwriting, higher fees, reserves, or program enrollment.
Does MCC 7392 require a license?
Compliance depends on your specialization:
- Legal and financial consultants often need professional licensure, bonding, and industry oversight.
- Consultants handling sensitive business data may need to adhere to privacy standards like GDPR or CCPA.
- Senior consulting engagements may involve contract terms emphasizing confidentiality, liability, and performance deliverables.
Processors and acquirers may request relevant credentials during underwriting to assess risk and regulatory needs.
Does MCC 7392 have special fees or pricing?
Typically no, but if your processor deems the account to have elevated risk then you can expect additional fees.
- You may face higher per-transaction fees, reserves, or manual review for recurring billing.
- Your services may be subject to specialized processing fee tiers due to perceived liability.
It’s important to review pricing language closely and compare quotes carefully for clarity on risk-based pricing.
Can I have multiple MCCs if I offer multiple services?
Yes, an additional MCC assignment may be justified if your offerings operate independently with separate brands, websites, and merchant accounts.
However, processing payments for multiple services — such as branding advice and website design — with a single merchant account means a single MCC should reflect your main revenue stream. Which in this case, would be MCC 7392.
What are some similar MCCs?
Related codes include:
Choosing the right MCC affects fees, compliance, and fraud monitoring.
Ready to Accept Payments for Your Consulting or PR Services?
AltoPay offers tailored merchant solutions with transparent pricing, risk control, and compliance support — perfect for consultants, agencies, and advisory firms.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What else do I need to know about MCCs?
Are MCCs the same across all card networks and acquirers?
Card networks technically have their own list of MCCs, but descriptions and interpretations are pretty standard. Acquirers and processors, on the other hand, can have very different opinions about what your MCC should be.
Who decides my MCC?
Your acquiring bank or payment processor assigns an MCC when a merchant account is issued. If you are an established business, the MCC will probably be the same as what you used previously. If you are a new business, the acquirer or processor will choose an MCC that best reflects your primary source of revenue.
How do I know what my MCC is?
Your MCC should appear on your VAR sheet (which could be called a registration form, onboarding sheet, or MID credential form), merchant account agreement, or payment platform dashboard. If you can’t find your MCC in any of those places, ask your acquirer or processor for help locating it.
Does my MCC affect my interchange rate?
Yes, different MCCs map to different fee schedules — including interchange — based on risk and industry norms.
Can my MCC affect my ability to process payments?
Processors and acquirers might limit or restrict acceptance for certain MCCs classified as high risk. If your business has one of these MCCs, you may be subjected to higher fees and account reserves.
How often can my MCC change?
MCCs aren’t usually dynamic — meaning your MCC will stay the same unless your primary revenue stream changes.
What happens if I’m misclassified with the wrong MCC?
Misclassification may lead to incorrect fees and processing delays, so it’s important to have the right code for your business. If you think your code is incorrect, reach out to your acquirer, processor, or service provider. You can challenge MCC assignments with documents that support your case.
For more than a decade, Jessica Velasco has been a thought leader in the payments industry. She aims to provide readers with valuable, easy-to-understand resources.
