Rules and regulations

Our set of rules and regulations allow those who accept Visa, as well as other parties, to understand their rights and responsibilities. They help to ensure Visa payments remain preferred and trusted.

Our operating regulations are mandatory internal requirements for Visa card issuing banks and acquiring banks. They're organised in geographic and business sectors.

For example, international operating regulations govern worldwide issues while Visa Europe operating regulations cover issues relevant to Europe. Visa members in individual countries also need to adhere to national regulations.

What this means for you

As a retailer or merchant, you're obliged to conform to Visa acquirer rules and regulations. Your acquiring bank may also have rules of its own. Our rules and regulations include:

  • How and where you can use the Visa sign
  • Which cards you can accept
  • How to carry out transactions properly
  • Security measures that must be put in place
  • Use of cardholder information
  • Rules for specific retail sectors and channels such as online, mail or telephone payments
  • Your payment guarantee
  • Your acquiring bank’s obligations
  • How disputed transactions or chargebacks are handled.