Trackformatofmagneticstripecards

by

L.Padilla
Thispagecontainsanexplanationabouttheformatofthethreemagnetic
tracksinstandardidentificationcards,particularlythoseusedinfinancial
transactions,i.e.,creditanddebitcards.Itisasummaryofthe
internationalstandardsISO7813(tracks1and2)andISO4909(track
3).
Track1(IATA)
Upto79ALPHA7bit(includingparity)characters
(alphanumeric)includingSS,ESandLRC.Readonly.It
comprisesthefollowingfields(inthisorder):
o SS:StartSentinel.1character:%.
o FC:FormatCode.1character(alphabeticonly):
A:Reservedforproprietaryuseofcardissuer.
B:Bank/financial.Thisistheformatdescribedhere.
CM:ReservedforusebyANSISubcommitteeX3B10.
NZ:Availableforusebyindividualcardissuers.
o PAN:PrimaryAccountNumber.Upto19digits:
InaccordancewiththeaccountnumberingschemeinISO
7812.
Itconsistsofthefollowingparts:
IIN:IssuerIdentificationNumber.Upto6digits:
Itconsistsofthefollowingparts:

 MII:MajorIndustryIdentifier.Upto2digits:
0:ReservedforfutureusebyISO/TC68.
00:Institutionsotherthancardissuers.
1:Airlines.
2:Airlinesandotherfutureassignments.
3:Travelandentertainment.
4:Banking/financial.
5:Banking/financial.
59:Financialinstitutionsnotregisteredby
ISO.
6:Merchandisingandbanking.
7:Petroleum.
8:Telecommunicationsandotherfuture
assignments.
89:Telecommunicationsadministrationsand
privateoperatingagencies.
9:Reservedfornationaluse.
II:IssuerIdentifier.Upto5digits:
Identifiestheissuer.Insomecasesthefirst
digitindicatesthelengthoftheIINorthe
responsibilityofitsassignmentoutsideof
ISO.IfMII=9thenthefirst3digitsshould
bethecountrycode(CC).
IAI:IndividualAccountIdentification.Upto12
digits:
Assignedbythecardissuinginstitution.
CD:CheckDigit.1digit:
CalculatedusingtheLuhnformulaforcomputing
modulus10"doubleadddouble"checkdigit:
Doublethevalueofalternate(odd)digitsstartingby
theleastsignificant(firstrighthand)digit.Thenadd
theindividualdigitsofdoubled(odd)numbersand
evendigitsoftheoriginalnumber.Ifthevalueends

in0thenthecheckdigitis0.Otherwisesubtractthe
valuefromthenexthighernumberendingin0(tens
complementoftheunitdigit).Theresultisthecheck
digit.Example:Iftheaccountnumberwithoutcheck
digitis123456789012344then(8)+4+(6)+2+
(2)+0+(1+8)+8+(1+4)+6+(1+0)+4+(6)
+2+(2)=65,thereforethecheckdigitis7065=
5andsothecompleteaccountnumberis12345678
90123445.
MasterCardPANisvariableupto16digitsandVISAis13
or16digits,includingcheckdigit.
o FS:FieldSeparator.1character:^.
o CC:CountryCode.3digits:
OnlyifPANstartswith59(MasterCard).
CountrycodesaredefinedinISO3166:724forSpain,840
forUSA,etc.
o NM:Name.226characters:
Surname(s)(separatedbyspaceifnecessary).
Surnameseparator:/.
Firstname(s)orinitial(s)(separatedbyspaceifnecessary).
Period(whenfollowedbytitle).
Title(whenused).
Ifthisfieldisnotusedthecontentwillbeanspace
followedbyasurnameseparator(/).
o FS:FieldSeparator.1character:^.
o ED:ExpiryDate.4digits:YYMM.
IfthisfieldisnotusedaFSwillbeinplace.
RequiredbyMasterCardandVISA.

o SC:ServiceCode.3digits:
Digit1(mostsignificant):Interchangeandtechnology:
0:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
1:Availableforinternationalinterchange.
2:Availableforinternationalinterchangeandwith
integratedcircuit,whichshouldbeusedforthefinancial
transactionwhenfeasible.
3:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
4:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
5:Availablefornationalinterchangeonly,exceptunder
bilateralagreement.
6:Availablefornationalinterchangeonly,exceptunder
bilateralagreement,andwithintegratedcircuit,which
shouldbeusedforthefinancialtransactionwhenfeasible.
7:Notavailableforgeneralinterchange,exceptunder
bilateralagreement.
8:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
9:Test.
Digit2:Authorizationprocessing:
0:Transactionsareauthorizedfollowingthenormalrules.
1:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
2:Transactionsareauthorizedbyissuerandshouldbe
online.
3:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
4:Transactionsareauthorizedbyissuerandshouldbe
online,exceptunderbilateralagreement.
5:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
6:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
7:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
8:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
9:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
Digit3(leastsignificant):RangeofservicesandPIN
requirements:

0:NorestrictionsandPINrequired.
1:Norestrictions.
2:Goodsandservicesonly(nocash).
3:ATMonlyandPINrequired.
4:Cashonly.
5:Goodsandservicesonly(nocash)andPINrequired.
6:NorestrictionsandrequirePINwhenfeasible.
7:Goodsandservicesonly(nocash)andrequirePINwhen
feasible.
8:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
9:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
IfthisfieldinnotusedaFSwillbeinplace.
RequiredbyMasterCardandVISA.
o PVV:OffsetorPVV(PINVerificationValue).5digits:
RequiredbyMasterCardandVISA.
o DD:DiscretionaryData.Restofcharacters:
Reservedforproprietaryuseofcardissuer.
o ES:EndSentinel.1character:?.
o LRC:LongitudeRedundancyCheck.1character.
Track2(ABA)
Upto40BCD5bit(includingparity)characters(numeric)
includingSS,ESandLRC.Readonly.Itcomprisesthefollowing
fields(inthisorder):
o SS:StartSentinel.1character:;.
o PAN:PrimaryAccountNumber.Upto19digits:
InaccordancewiththeaccountnumberingschemeinISO
7812.

Itconsistsofthefollowingparts:
IIN:IssuerIdentificationNumber.Upto6digits:
Itconsistsofthefollowingparts:
MII:MajorIndustryIdentifier.Upto2digits:
0:ReservedforfutureusebyISO/TC68.
00:Institutionsotherthancardissuers.
1:Airlines.
2:Airlinesandotherfutureassignments.
3:Travelandentertainment.
4:Banking/financial.
5:Banking/financial.
59:Financialinstitutionsnotregisteredby
ISO.
6:Merchandisingandbanking.
7:Petroleum.
8:Telecommunicationsandotherfuture
assignments.
89:Telecommunicationsadministrationsand
privateoperatingagencies.
9:Reservedfornationaluse.
II:IssuerIdentifier.Upto5digits:
Identifiestheissuer.Insomecasesthefirst
digitindicatesthelengthoftheIINorthe
responsibilityofitsassignmentoutsideof
ISO.IfMII=9thenthefirst3digitsshould
bethecountrycode(CC).
IAI:IndividualAccountIdentification.Upto12
digits:
Assignedbythecardissuinginstitution.

 CD:CheckDigit.1digit:
CalculatedusingtheLuhnformulaforcomputing
modulus10"doubleadddouble"checkdigit:
Doublethevalueofalternate(odd)digitsstartingby
theleastsignificant(firstrighthand)digit.Thenadd
theindividualdigitsofdoubled(odd)numbersand
evendigitsoftheoriginalnumber.Ifthevalueends
in0thenthecheckdigitis0.Otherwisesubtractthe
valuefromthenexthighernumberendingin0(tens
complementoftheunitdigit).Theresultisthecheck
digit.Example:Iftheaccountnumberwithoutcheck
digitis123456789012344then(8)+4+(6)+2+
(2)+0+(1+8)+8+(1+4)+6+(1+0)+4+(6)
+2+(2)=65,thereforethecheckdigitis7065=
5andsothecompleteaccountnumberis12345678
90123445.
MasterCardPANisvariableupto16digitsandVISAis13
or16digits,includingcheckdigit.
o FS:FieldSeparator.1character:=.
o CC:CountryCode.3digits:
OnlyifPANstartswith59(MasterCard).
CountrycodesaredefinedinISO3166:724forSpain,840
forUSA,etc.
o ED:ExpiryDate.4digits:YYMM.
IfthisfieldisnotusedaFSwillbeinplace.
RequiredbyMasterCardandVISA.
o SC:ServiceCode.3digits:
Digit1(mostsignificant):Interchangeandtechnology:

0:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
1:Availableforinternationalinterchange.
2:Availableforinternationalinterchangeandwith
integratedcircuit,whichshouldbeusedforthefinancial
transactionwhenfeasible.
3:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
4:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
5:Availablefornationalinterchangeonly,exceptunder
bilateralagreement.
6:Availablefornationalinterchangeonly,exceptunder
bilateralagreement,andwithintegratedcircuit,which
shouldbeusedforthefinancialtransactionwhenfeasible.
7:Notavailableforgeneralinterchange,exceptunder
bilateralagreement.
8:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
9:Test.
Digit2:Authorizationprocessing:
0:Transactionsareauthorizedfollowingthenormalrules.
1:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
2:Transactionsareauthorizedbyissuerandshouldbe
online.
3:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
4:Transactionsareauthorizedbyissuerandshouldbe
online,exceptunderbilateralagreement.
5:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
6:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
7:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
8:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
9:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
Digit3(leastsignificant):RangeofservicesandPIN
requirements:
0:NorestrictionsandPINrequired.
1:Norestrictions.
2:Goodsandservicesonly(nocash).
3:ATMonlyandPINrequired.

4:Cashonly.
5:Goodsandservicesonly(nocash)andPINrequired.
6:NorestrictionsandrequirePINwhenfeasible.
7:Goodsandservicesonly(nocash)andrequirePINwhen
feasible.
8:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
9:ReservedforfutureusebyISO.
IfthisfieldinnotusedaFSwillbeinplace.
RequiredbyMasterCardandVISA.
o PVV:OffsetorPVV(PINVerificationValue).5digits:
RequiredbyMasterCardandVISA.
o DD:DiscretionaryData.Restofcharacters:
Reservedforproprietaryuseofcardissuer.
o ES:EndSentinel.1character:?.
o LRC:LongitudeRedundancyCheck.1character.
Track3(THRIFTTTS)
Upto107BCD5bit(includingparity)characters(numeric)
includingSS,ESandLRC.Readandwrite.Itcomprisesthe
followingfields(inthisorder):
o SS:StartSentinel.1character:;.
o FC:FormatCode.2digits:
00:Notvalidforinternationalinterchange.
0102:Bank/financial.Thesearetheformatsdescribed
here.
0319:ReservedforfutureusebyISO/TC68.
2089:ReservedforfutureusebyISO/TC95SC17.

9099:Reservedforproprietaryuseofcardissuer,butnot
forinternationalinterchange.
o PAN:PrimaryAccountNumber.Upto19digits:
InaccordancewiththeaccountnumberingschemeinISO
7812.
Itconsistsofthefollowingparts:
IIN:IssuerIdentificationNumber.Upto6digits:
Itconsistsofthefollowingparts:
MII:MajorIndustryIdentifier.Upto2digits:
0:ReservedforfutureusebyISO/TC68.
00:Institutionsotherthancardissuers.
1:Airlines.
2:Airlinesandotherfutureassignments.
3:Travelandentertainment.
4:Banking/financial.
5:Banking/financial.
59:Financialinstitutionsnotregisteredby
ISO.
6:Merchandisingandbanking.
7:Petroleum.
8:Telecommunicationsandotherfuture
assignments.
89:Telecommunicationsadministrationsand
privateoperatingagencies.
9:Reservedfornationaluse.
II:IssuerIdentifier.Upto5digits:
Identifiestheissuer.Insomecasesthefirst
digitindicatesthelengthoftheIINorthe
responsibilityofitsassignmentoutsideof
ISO.IfMII=9thenthefirst3digitsshould
bethecountrycode(CC).

 IAI:IndividualAccountIdentification.Upto12
digits:
Assignedbythecardissuinginstitution.
CD:CheckDigit.1digit:
CalculatedusingtheLuhnformulaforcomputing
modulus10"doubleadddouble"checkdigit:
Doublethevalueofalternate(odd)digitsstartingby
theleastsignificant(firstrighthand)digit.Thenadd
theindividualdigitsofdoubled(odd)numbersand
evendigitsoftheoriginalnumber.Ifthevalueends
in0thenthecheckdigitis0.Otherwisesubtractthe
valuefromthenexthighernumberendingin0(tens
complementoftheunitdigit).Theresultisthecheck
digit.Example:Iftheaccountnumberwithoutcheck
digitis123456789012344then(8)+4+(6)+2+
(2)+0+(1+8)+8+(1+4)+6+(1+0)+4+(6)
+2+(2)=65,thereforethecheckdigitis7065=
5andsothecompleteaccountnumberis12345678
90123445.
MasterCardPANisvariableupto16digitsandVISAis13
or16digits,includingcheckdigit.
Iftrack3istobeusedtogetherwithtrack2thenPANisan
optionalfield.
o FS:FieldSeparator.1character:=.
o CC:CountryCode.3digits:
CountrycodesaredefinedinISO3166:724forSpain,840
forUSA,etc.
IfthisfieldinnotusedaFSwillbeinplace.
o CuC:CurrencyCode.3digits:

CurrencycodesaredefinedinISO4217:724forSpanish
peseta,840forUSdollar,etc.
If3zeros(000)arewritteninthisfielditmeanscardnot
validforinternationalinterchange.
o CE:CurrencyExponent.1digit:
05:Poweroftenbywhichmultiplythecurrencyamount
fields(AAandAR)togettheiractualvaluesinthe
currencyoftheCuCfield.
o AA:AmountAuthorizedpercycle.4digits:
Maximumamountofmoneypermittedinonecycle.
If4zeros(0000)arewritteninthisfielditmeanscardnot
validforchargeoperations(nodebit).
o AR:AmountRemainingthiscycle.4digits:
Maximumamountofmoneypermittedinthiscycle.This
fieldisdynamic,itisinitializedwiththevalueoftheAA
fieldthefirsttimethecardisusedinanewcycle.Thenitis
modifiedaccordingly.
o CB:CycleBegin(ValidityDate).4digits:
Dateinwhichactualcyclebegan.TheformatisYDDD
whereYstandsfortheleastsignificantdigitoftheyearand
DDDisthedayoftheyear(001to366).Thefieldmustbe
updatedeachtimeanewcyclebegin.
Alternativelythisfieldmayindicatethedatefromwhich
thecardisvalid.
o CL:CycleLength.2digits:
00:Infinite,ARshouldbedecrementedbutneverreset.
0179:Numberofdays.

80:Cyclebegineach7days.
81:Cyclebegineach14days.
82:Cyclebeginseach1stand15thdaysofeverymonth.
83:CyclebeginsthedayofthemonthspecifiedinCBof
everymonth.
84:CyclebeginsthedayofthemonthspecifiedinCBof
everythirdmonth.
85:CyclebeginsthedayofthemonthspecifiedinCBof
everysixthmonth.
86:CyclebeginsthedayoftheyearspecifiedinCBof
everyyear.
8789:ReservedforfutureusebyISO/TC68.
9099:Reservedforproprietaryuseofcardissuer,butnot
forinternationalinterchange.
Thisfieldrepresentsthedurationofthecycleforwhichthe
AAlimitholds.
o RC:RetryCount.1digit:
NumberofremainingPINtrials.Itisinitializedto3and
reducedbyoneunitaftereverywrongPINentered.Itis
resetto3afterasuccessfulPINintroduction.Whenthis
fieldreaches0thecardisinvalidforanyinterchange
purpose.
o PINCP:PINControlParameters(PINPARM).6digits:
IfFC=01thetwofirstdigitsrepresentthealgorithmused
tocalculatePIN,where0009meanprivatealgorithm,10
19meanDEAandvalues20to99arereservedforfuture
usebyISO/TC68.Next4digitsarePINoffset,a
complementaryvalueofPINsocustomerscanchangetheir
PIN,orPVV.
IfFC=02thefirstdigitrepresentsthealgorithmusedto
calculatePIN,where0meansprivatealgorithm,1means
DEAandvalues2to9arereservedforfutureuseby
ISO/TC68.Theseconddigitrepresentsakeyforthe
algorithm.Next4digitsarePINoffset,acomplementary

valueofPINsocustomerscanchangetheirPIN,orPVV.
IfthisfieldisnotusedaFSwillbeinplace.
o IC:InterchangeControl.1digit:
0:Norestriction.
1:Notavailableforinternationalinterchange.
28:Limitedinterchange,onlylocaluseandunder
agreement.
9:Limitedinterchange,recommendedfortestcards.
o PANSR:PANServiceRestriction.2digits:
Thefirstdigitdefinesthetypeofaccount:
0:Associatedaccountnumbernotencodedontrack.
1:Savingsaccount.
2:Currentorcheckingaccount.
3:Creditcardaccount.
4:Genericoruniversalaccount.
5:Interestbearingcurrentorcheckingaccount.
68:ReservedforfutureusebyISO/TC68.
9:Reservedforcardissuer'sinternaluse,notfor
interchange.
Theseconddigitdefinestheservicerestrictions:
0:Norestrictions.
1:Nocashdispense.
2:Nopointofsale(POS)transaction.
3:NocashdispenseandnoPOStransaction.
4:Authorizationrequired.
57:ReservedforfutureusebyISO/TC68.
89:Reservedforcardissuer'sinternaluse,onlylocaluse
andunderagreement.
o FSANSR:FSANServiceRestriction.2digits:
SamevaluesandmeaningasforPANSRfield.

o SSANSR:SSANServiceRestriction.2digits:
SamevaluesandmeaningasforPANSRfield.
o ED:ExpiryDate.4digits:YYMM.
IfthisfieldisnotusedaFSwillbeinplace.
o CSN:CardSequenceNumber.1digit:
Allowstodistinguishamongdifferentcardswiththesame
PAN.Itisincrementedbyoneunitinanyadditionalcard.
IfFC=02andaFSisinplaceitmeansthatfieldACSNis
present.
o CScN:CardSecurityNumber.9digits:
Thefirstdigitrepresentsthealgorithmusedtocalculatea
verificationvaluetovalidatetheinformationonthe
magnetictrackagainsttheembossedcharacters,where04
areavailablefornationaluse,58areavailablefor
internationalsecuritymethodsgivenbyISO/TC68,and9
isreservedforprivateuse.Next8digitsaretheverification
value.
IfthisfieldinnotusedaFSwillbeinplace.
o FSAN:FirstSubsidiaryAccountNumber.Variablenumber
ofdigits:
Thisisanoptionalfield.
o FS:FieldSeparator.1character:=.
o SSAN:SecondSubsidiaryAccountNumber.Variable
numberofdigits:
Thisisanoptionalfield.

o FS:FieldSeparator.1character:=.
o RM:RelayMarker.1digit:
0:IncludeADandDDfieldsintransactionsmessages.
1:DonotincludeADfieldintransactionsmessages.
2:DonotincludeDDfieldintransactionsmessages.
39:Invalid.
o CCD:CryptoCheckDigits.6digits:
Avalidationvaluewhichpermitsintegrityverificationof
themagneticstripecontent.
IfthisfieldinnotusedaFSwillbeinplace.
o AD:AdditionalData.Restofcharacters:
Optionalfieldreservedforproprietaryuseofcardissuerif
FC=01.
IfFC=02thefollowingsubfieldsarerequired:
TD:TransactionDate.4digits:
Dateoflastcashdispense.TheformatisYDDD
whereYstandsfortheleastsignificantdigitofthe
yearandDDDisthedayoftheyear(001to366).
IfthisfieldinnotusedaFSwillbeinplace.
AVV:AdditionalVerificationValue(s).8digits:
ValidationofthePINortwoadditionalPINs
correspondingtodifferentkeysofthesame
algorithm.Itcanbeaneightdigitvalue,twofour
digitnumbersor,inconnectionwiththelastfour
digitsofthePINCPfield,twosixdigitnumbers.
IfthisfieldinnotusedaFSwillbeinplace.

 ACSN:AlternativeCardSequenceNumber.3digits:
SamepurposeasCSNfieldbutitallowsfora
maximumof1000differentcardsinsteadof10.
IfthisfieldinnotusedaFSwillbeinplace.
INIC:InternationalNetworkIdentificationCode.3
digits:
Codeforidentificationofaninternationalgroupof
issuers,whentheIINcannotbeused.Itis
equivalenttothetermNetworkInternational
IdentifierusedinISO8583.
IfthisfieldinnotusedaFSwillbeinplace.
DD:DiscretionaryData.Restofcharacters:
Optionalfieldreservedforproprietaryuseofcard
issuer.
o ES:EndSentinel.1character:?.
o LRC:LongitudeRedundancyCheck.1character.
Email:padillaatdomain"gaeucmes"(myPGP/GPGpublickey)
Firstversion:21Dec2001,lastupdate:12Dec2002
Thislink:http://www.gae.ucm.es/~padilla/extrawork/tracks.html
Gototheparentpage:Magneticstripereader/writer.