AVS (Address Verification System) Results
Address verification is performed by comparing portions of the billing address from the request message with address data on file at the issuing bank. Results are returned for the street address and for the postal code.
AVS can be considered either domestic or international, depending on the location of the bank that issued the customer's credit card. If the bank is in the U.S., the AVS is domestic. If the bank is outside the U.S., the AVS is international. Certain AVS codes are returned only for international AVS on Visa cards.
You should be prepared to handle both domestic and international AVS result codes. You can receive international AVS codes even if the customer has a U.S. billing address. Conversely, you can receive domestic AVS codes even if the customer has a non-U.S. billing address.
If AVS cannot verify the address, but the authorization is otherwise valid, you may receive an AVS decline. You can capture authorizations that receive an AVS decline. However, consider reviewing these orders to ensure that they are legitimate.
Settling authorizations that fail the AVS check might have an impact on the fees charged by your bank. Contact your bank for details about how AVS management might affect your discount rate.
Types of AVS Codes
Codes for American Express Cards: F, H, K, L, O, T, V
For American Express cards only. For American Express cards, you can receive Visa and CyberSource AVS codes in addition to the American Express AVS codes.
International Visa Codes: B, C, D, G, I, M, P
Domestic Visa Codes: A, E, N, R, S, U, W, X, Y, Z
The international and domestic alphabetic AVS codes are the Visa standard AVS codes. CyberSource maps the standard AVS return codes for other types of credit cards, including American Express cards, to the Visa standard AVS codes. For international cards, you can receive domestic AVS codes in addition to the international AVS codes.
CyberSource Codes: 1, 2
The numeric AVS codes are created by CyberSource and are not standard Visa codes. These AVS codes can be returned for any card type.
AVS Codes
| A | Street address matches, but 5-digit and 9-digit postal code do not match. |
| B | Street address matches, but postal code not verified. Returned only for non U.S.-issued Visa cards. |
| C | Street address and postal code do not match. Returned only for non U.S.-issued Visa cards. |
| D & M | Street address and postal code match. Returned only for non U.S.-issued Visa cards. |
| E | AVS data is invalid or AVS is not allowed for this card type. |
| F | Card member's name does not match, but billing postal code matches. Returned only for the American Express card type. |
| G | Non-U.S. issuing bank does not support AVS. |
| H | Card member's name does not match. Street address and postal code match. Returned only for the American Express card type. |
| I | Address not verified. Returned only for non U.S.-issued Visa cards. |
| K | Card member's name matches but billing address and billing postal code do not match. Returned only for the following processors and card types:
|
| L | Card member's name and billing postal code match, but billing address does not match. Returned only for the following processors and card types:
|
| M | See the entry for D & M. |
| N | Street address and postal code do not match. or Card member's name, street address and postal code do not match. Returned only for the American Express card type. |
| O | Card member's name and billing address match, but billing postal code does not match. Returned only for the following processors and card types:
|
| P | Postal code matches, but street address not verified. Returned only for non U.S.-issued Visa cards. |
| R | System unavailable. |
| S | U.S.-issuing bank does not support AVS. |
| T | Card member's name does not match, but street address matches. Returned only for the American Express card type. |
| U | Address information unavailable. Returned if the U.S. bank does not support non-U.S. AVS or if the AVS in a U.S. bank is not functioning properly. |
| V | Card member's name, billing address, and billing postal code match. Returned only for the following processors and card types:
|
| W | Street address does not match, but 9-digit postal code matches. |
| X | Street address and 9-digit postal code match. |
| Y | Street address and 5-digit postal code match. |
| Z | Street address does not match, but 5-digit postal code matches. |
| 1 | CyberSource AVS code. AVS is not supported for this processor or card type. |
| 2 | CyberSource AVS code. The processor returned an unrecognized value for the AVS response. |
