Important Updates to Mastercard Merchant Advice Code (MAC) Program Standards
Mastercard Merchant Advice Codes (MACs) are codes that Mastercard supports to enable Issuers to communicate additional information to merchants regarding a transaction response, indicating further actions that should be taken concerning subsequent transactions. Continual resubmission of transactions following a permanent decline results in unnecessary declines, increased uncertainty, and operational costs.
Effective 1 January 2026, Mastercard is revising the Acquirer MAC TPE Program criteria in both the US and Canada regions by removing the same transaction amount criteria from the existing program rules.
| Program Detail | Current MAC TPE Criteria (Pre-1 January 2026) | New MAC TPE Criteria (Effective 1 January 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Triggering Event (Non-Compliance) | The merchant submits a Card-Not-Present (CNP) authorization request (Dual Message System) declined with MAC 03 or MAC 21, AND a previous CNP transaction (within the past 30 days) used the same card, at the same merchant, and had the same transaction amount was declined with MAC 03 or 21. | The merchant submits a CNP authorization request (Dual Message System) declined with MAC 03 or MAC 21, AND a previous CNP transaction (within the past 30 days) on the same card and at the same merchant was declined with MAC 03 or 21. (The transaction amount is no longer a factor.) |
| Billing Event (Non-Compliance Fee) | Mastercard Excessive Authorizations (MEXS) | Mastercard Excessive Authorizations (MEXS) |
What this means for your authorization logic:
Previously, systems sometimes bypassed TPE penalties by attempting a retry using a different transaction amount. This loophole is being closed.
| Decline Scenario | Action Required (Mandatory) |
|---|---|
| If a Card-Not-Present (CNP) authorization request is declined by the Issuer and includes a Merchant Advice Code (MAC) value of 03 or 21. | Your system must avoid resubmitting any subsequent transactions for the same card and the same merchant ID within the 30-day monitoring window, even if the transaction amount is changed. |
- MAC 03 advises the Merchant Do not try again.
- MAC 21 indicates a Payment Cancellation Service (PCS) decline.
Updated 13 days ago