Am I on the MATCH List? Mastercard's Terminated File

What the MATCH list is

MATCH stands for Member Alert to Control High-risk Merchants. It is a Mastercard system that acquirers (the banks that sign merchants up to accept cards) use in two ways: they add merchants whose agreements ended under certain conditions, and they search it before approving a new merchant. Mastercard now calls the system MATCH Pro, and many people in the industry still call it the terminated merchant file or TMF. Mastercard's Security Rules and Procedures, Merchant Edition (3 February 2026) require every acquirer with merchant activity to use it, meaning both to add qualifying merchants and to inquire against the database before signing an agreement. Payment facilitators and some registered service providers can also access it on an acquirer's behalf. A listing records the business and up to five principal owners, which is why a listing can follow the people behind a business, not only the business name.

Who puts a merchant on MATCH, and when

The acquirer adds the listing, not Mastercard, in almost all cases. Under section 11.5 of the rules, if either the acquirer or the merchant acts to end the relationship and, at that time, the acquirer has reason to believe one of the listed conditions exists, the acquirer must add the merchant within five calendar days. That applies even when the merchant is the one who gives notice. Closing an account in good standing, with no qualifying condition, is not a reason for a listing. Mastercard itself can also list a merchant in specific situations described elsewhere in the rules, such as its Questionable Merchant Audit Program. The rules also forbid acquirers from using or threatening MATCH as a collection tool for minor issues: one of the defined reason codes must be met or suspected at the decision to terminate.

The official MATCH reason codes

Every listing carries a reason code. The table below lists the codes Mastercard defines for listings added by acquirers and other authorized users in Table 11.4 of the February 2026 rules. The thresholds shown for chargebacks and fraud are Mastercard's own reporting standards. Rules change, so confirm the current version with your acquirer.

How long a MATCH listing lasts

Section 11.10 of the rules says MATCH merchant records remain in the system for five years, after which they are automatically purged. There is no shorter clock for a first listing or a smaller business. Separately, inquiry records (the log of which acquirers searched for a business) are kept for 365 days, and an acquirer that searched and found nothing can still receive a retroactive alert if a matching listing appears within that window. Acquirers must also keep their own MATCH records for at least two years after a merchant agreement ends, which is a record-keeping rule for the bank, not an extension of the listing.

Am I on the MATCH list? How to find out

Mastercard's rules describe MATCH Pro access for acquirers and other authorized users only; the rulebook does not describe any lookup that a merchant can run on itself, and we are not aware of a public search tool. In practice, merchants usually find out in one of two ways: a previous acquirer tells them when the account is terminated, or a new application is declined and the underwriter mentions a MATCH result. The rules help here. Section 11.4 requires an acquirer to give the merchant (or another acquirer) the ICA number of the institution that added the listing and the reason code. The same section requires acquirers to answer questions about a listing within seven calendar days and to respond to a removal request within 30 calendar days. If you think you are listed, ask the acquirer that declined you, and the acquirer that terminated you, in writing. Note that a MATCH match on a search is not always you: the system flags possible matches on names, addresses, and owner details, and the rules make the acquirer responsible for confirming a result actually relates to the business in front of it.

Can a MATCH listing be corrected or removed?

Section 11.13 of the rules gives two situations in which Mastercard may remove a listing. First, the acquirer or authorized user reports to Mastercard that it added the merchant in error. Second, the listing is for reason code 12 (PCI DSS noncompliance) and the merchant has since become compliant; that request must include the acquirer's attestation plus a letter or certificate of validation from a Mastercard certified forensic examiner. If the acquirer is unwilling or unable to submit a reason code 12 request, the merchant may submit it to Mastercard directly using the same process. Outside those situations, the rules describe no general removal process, and the listing ages out after five years. The rules also make acquirers responsible for data accuracy, so wrong details (a misspelled owner name, the wrong address) are something to raise with the listing acquirer. Section 11.5.1 states that a merchant does not need to hire a lawyer to request removal; a removal request must include current or previous business name, business address, principal owner first and last name, and website URL if there is one. Be cautious of anyone who promises guaranteed removal for a fee: under Mastercard's own rules, removal depends on the acquirer's error or PCI compliance, not on who files the paperwork.

What to do if you are on the MATCH list

Start with facts. Ask the acquirer in writing for the reason code, the date of the listing, and the ICA of the institution that added it. Ask what specific transactions, ratios, or events led to the decision. Keep copies of every statement, chargeback report, termination letter, and email. If the listing looks wrong, say exactly what is wrong and include supporting documents. If it was for PCI noncompliance, work toward validated compliance and ask about the reason code 12 removal path. If the listing reflects a real problem, fix the underlying cause before reapplying: reduce disputes, tighten fraud screening, correct refund and billing practices, or complete PCI requirements, and document what changed. Mastercard's rules state plainly that an acquirer may still onboard a merchant listed in MATCH Pro; a listing is a risk signal that triggers more review, not an automatic ban. Some providers do consider listed merchants, often with conditions such as a rolling reserve, higher pricing, volume caps, or more frequent reviews. Approval is never guaranteed, and terms vary widely, so read any reserve and early termination terms closely and be completely honest on the application about the prior termination.

How to avoid a MATCH listing

Most listings trace back to conditions a business can see coming. Watch your chargeback ratio monthly, not quarterly, and investigate spikes quickly; code 04 is based on a three-month look-back. Use clear billing descriptors, easy refunds, and prompt customer service, because many chargebacks are confused customers rather than fraud. Use fraud tools your provider offers, such as address and security code checks and 3-D Secure for online sales. Complete your annual PCI DSS validation and fix any findings. Process only your own sales under your own merchant account, and make sure your business category and descriptor reflect what you actually sell. Tell your acquirer before major changes, such as adding a new product line, a subscription model, or much higher volume. Finally, give accurate information on every application; the rules require the data in a MATCH listing to match what you provided at onboarding, and inaccurate application details can themselves become a problem later.

Visa's counterpart: the Visa Merchant Screening Service

Visa runs a similar database called the Visa Merchant Screening Service (VMSS, sometimes written VMAS). According to Visa's developer documentation, VMSS helps acquirers identify potentially high-risk merchants and their third party agents during due diligence, and Visa Rules mandate acquirer participation unless prohibited by applicable law. Acquirers are to list complete information for terminated merchants, sponsored merchants, and agents by the end of the business day following termination, and the service can alert acquirers to retroactive matches against their inquiries within 180 days. Visa's public pages do not publish a merchant-facing lookup, a list of termination reasons, or a retention period, so ask your acquirer about any Visa listing the same way you would about MATCH.

Canada and other regions

MATCH Pro and VMSS are card network systems, so the same rulebooks apply to acquirers in Canada and elsewhere, with regional variations noted in Mastercard's manual. The steps are the same: ask the acquirer in writing, get the reason code, fix the cause, and keep records. CELER Merchants is an independent merchant services agent, not a bank, processor, or law firm, and this guide is general information rather than legal advice.