If a processor has terminated your merchant account, there is a good chance your business was added to the MATCH list. It is the database card acquirers check before they approve a new merchant, and a listing can follow you, and the owners of your business, for five years.
Most guides on MATCH are out of date. This one is based on the current rulebook: Mastercard’s Security Rules and Procedures, Merchant Edition (August 4, 2026), Chapter 11. Below we cover what MATCH is, every current reason code, how long a listing lasts, and the realistic ways to get removed or keep processing.
Quick Answers
- What is the MATCH list? Mastercard’s database of merchants that acquirers have terminated for specific risk reasons. Its official name is now MATCH Pro, short for Mastercard Alert To Control High-risk Merchants.
- How long does a listing last? Five years, then it is purged automatically.
- Can I get off early? Only in two situations: the acquirer listed you in error, or you were listed for PCI noncompliance (reason code 12) and are now compliant.
- Can I still get a merchant account? Sometimes. Mastercard’s rules say a listed merchant may be onboarded. Most mainstream acquirers decline, but some high-risk processors will approve with extra conditions.
Table of Contents
- What Is the MATCH List?
- MATCH Reason Codes (2026)
- How and When Merchants Get Added
- How to Find Out If You Are on MATCH
- How to Get Off the MATCH List
- How to Keep Processing While Listed
- What About Visa?
- FAQs
What Is the MATCH List?
MATCH (Mastercard Alert To Control High-risk Merchants) is a shared database run by Mastercard. Older guides call it the “Member Alert to Control High-risk Merchants” or the Terminated Merchant File (TMF), its earlier name. Whatever you call it, it works the same way:
- Acquirers must report. When an acquirer terminates a merchant for one of the listed reasons, it must add that merchant to MATCH Pro.
- Acquirers must check. “An Acquirer must check MATCH Pro before signing an agreement with a Merchant,” according to Section 11.6 of the rules. Payment facilitators and other registered service providers can use it too.
- It lists people, not just companies. A record can include up to five principal owners, and searches match on business name, DBA, address, phone, tax ID, website, and owner names and emails, including “sound-alike” matches. Opening a new LLC does not get around a listing.
Being on MATCH is not a legal finding or a ban. Mastercard says plainly that “an Acquirer may onboard a Merchant … listed in MATCH Pro.” In practice, though, many banks treat a listing as an automatic decline, so it can feel like a ban.
MATCH Reason Codes (2026)
The current rules list 11 reason codes. If you are reading a guide with 14 codes, it is using an old version: “Common Point of Purchase” (02) has been folded into code 01, and “Fraud Conviction” (07) and “Merchant Collusion” (11) no longer appear.
| Code | Name | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Account Data Compromise | Card data was accessed or disclosed without authorization and later used for fraud (includes common point of purchase cases). |
| 03 | Transaction Laundering | Processing card sales that are not covered by your merchant agreement, such as running another business’s transactions. |
| 04 | Excessive Chargebacks | Mastercard chargebacks over the previous three months exceeded 1.5% of sales transactions and totaled at least $5,000. |
| 05 | Excessive Fraud | Fraud of 8% or more of sales volume over the previous three months, with 10 or more fraudulent transactions totaling at least $5,000. |
| 06 | Coercion | A transaction made under threat of physical harm or unlawful taking of property. |
| 08 | Questionable Merchant Audit Program | Mastercard identified the merchant as a questionable merchant through its audit program. |
| 09 | Liquidation / Insolvency | The business is, or is likely to become, unable to pay its financial obligations. |
| 10 | Violation of Standards | Breaking card rules, such as improper surcharging, minimum purchase rules, or using an inaccurate merchant category code (MCC), name or address. |
| 12 | PCI DSS Noncompliance | Failing to comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. |
| 13 | Illegal Transactions | Processing transactions that are illegal. |
| 14 | Identity Theft | The identity of the merchant or its owners was stolen to open the account. |
Codes 04 and 05 are the ones high-risk merchants hit most often. Note that MATCH thresholds are separate from the card brands’ monitoring programs, such as Visa’s VAMP. You can be flagged in a monitoring program long before you reach a MATCH termination. Our guide on chargebacks and VAMP rules explains those thresholds.
How and When Merchants Get Added
Under Section 11.5, an acquirer must add a merchant within five calendar days of deciding to terminate it (or of learning about a reason-code issue), if it has reason to believe one of the conditions above exists. Many older articles still say “one business day”; that is no longer the rule.
The rules also include protections for merchants:
- An acquirer “may not use or threaten to use MATCH Pro as a collection tool” for minor issues. A reason code must actually be met or suspected.
- The acquirer stays responsible for the accuracy of every listing it makes.
- Records “remain on the MATCH Pro system for five years, at which point they are automatically purged” (Section 11.10).
How to Find Out If You Are on MATCH
Merchants cannot search MATCH Pro themselves, and there is no rule requiring a US acquirer to send you a formal listing notice. Signs you may be listed:
- Your account was terminated (not just closed by you), especially after chargeback, fraud or compliance problems.
- New applications are declined quickly, often with vague reasons.
- An underwriter asks about a previous termination you did not mention.
The fastest way to confirm is to ask. Under Section 11.4, the acquirer that listed you must provide its identity and the reason code, and acquirers are expected to answer questions about a listing within 7 calendar days. A new processor that gets a match on your application can also tell you which code came up.
How to Get Off the MATCH List
There is no general appeal to Mastercard. Under Section 11.13, a listing can be removed early in only two cases:
1. The listing was an error
If the acquirer agrees it listed you in error, it reports that to Mastercard and the record is removed. Any merchant can ask the acquirer for removal, and the rules state that “there is no requirement for a MATCH Merchant to engage legal counsel.” Your request should include your current and previous business names, address, the first and last names of the principal owners, and your website. The acquirer must respond within 30 calendar days.
Build your case with evidence: your actual chargeback and fraud ratios for the period, refund records, compliance documents, and any written communication about the termination. If the numbers do not meet the reason code’s thresholds, say so clearly.
2. You were listed for PCI noncompliance (code 12) and are now compliant
Once you become PCI DSS compliant, the acquirer can ask Mastercard to remove the listing. The request needs the acquirer’s attestation that you are compliant plus a letter or certificate of validation from a Mastercard-certified forensic examiner. If the acquirer is unwilling or unable to file the request, you can submit it to Mastercard yourself. This is the only route where a merchant can go directly to Mastercard.
If neither applies
For other codes, the listing usually stays until it expires after five years. Some merchants have taken legal action over wrongful listings. In Table Steaks v. First Premier Bank (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2002), a restaurant listed on the old terminated merchant file without notice won $259,000 against its bank and MasterCard. In Rockaway Beverage v. Wells Fargo (E.D.N.Y. 2019), a court allowed a merchant’s negligence and contract claims over a MATCH referral to proceed. Litigation is slow and expensive, but it shows acquirers can be held accountable for inaccurate listings. Talk to a payments attorney if you believe yours is wrong.
How to Keep Processing While Listed
A listing makes approval harder, not impossible. Some acquirers that specialize in high-risk merchants will review MATCH-listed businesses case by case. Expect conditions such as:
- A rolling reserve, where a percentage of each day’s sales is held for a set period
- Higher rates and lower monthly processing limits at first
- A personal guarantee, or in some cases a co-guarantor
- Close monitoring of chargebacks, refunds and fraud
Tip
Be upfront. Disclose the listing and the reason code on your application, and explain what you have fixed: new fraud tools, clearer billing descriptors, better refund policies or PCI remediation. Underwriters are far more likely to approve a merchant that explains a listing than one that hides it, because they will find it anyway.
Your application package should include recent processing statements, a chargeback reduction plan, proof of compliance (such as PCI documentation and licenses) and clear website policies. Our guide on choosing a high-risk merchant account provider covers what to ask before you sign.
What About Visa?
Visa runs a similar database called the Visa Merchant Screening Service (VMSS), used by acquirers to vet new merchants and to list terminated ones. Visa’s rules state that an acquirer “must not refuse to enter into an agreement based solely on information held on the VMSS.” Even so, a termination on one network often shows up in the other, so treat both seriously.
MATCH List FAQs
Is being on the MATCH list illegal?
No. A listing is a risk flag among card acquirers, not a criminal or legal finding. It does make it harder to get a merchant account.
Will opening a new business get me off MATCH?
No. MATCH searches owner names, addresses, tax IDs and phonetic matches. Trying to hide a listing through a new entity can also be treated as misrepresentation, which makes things worse.
Can an acquirer add me to MATCH just because I owe them money?
Not legitimately. The rules prohibit using MATCH Pro as a collection tool. A reason code must be met or suspected when the acquirer decides to terminate.
Does Stripe, PayPal or Square use MATCH?
Payment facilitators can be authorized MATCH Pro users, and Stripe publishes its own guide to MATCH. If one of these platforms closed your account, ask whether you were reported.
How do I avoid getting added in the first place?
Keep chargebacks well under 1% where possible, monitor fraud daily, stay PCI compliant, process only the business your agreement covers, and use an accurate MCC and billing descriptor. If your business is high risk, work with a processor that underwrites your industry upfront instead of one that may shut you down later.
Need a Merchant Account After a Termination?
A MATCH listing narrows your options, but it does not have to end your business. Motile works with acquirers that review high-risk and previously terminated merchants on their merits. Talk to our team about your situation, or explore our high-risk merchant account solutions.
This article is general information about card network rules, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm details with your acquirer or a payments attorney.
