Why isn't there a space for CVV on the Authorization Form?

[TacoTrailer]

Hello! I was hoping to save a customer's card information so I can charge it later but I noticed there isn't a space for the CVV code. Why? I need it to run a payment. Thanks for your help! 

[Sean · Accepted solution]

Hi @TacoTrailer and welcome to the Seller Community! I'm happy to tackle this question for you.

To get going, I know that having this field would be super useful, but unfortunately PCI Standards (The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards) don't permit the storage of a customer's CVV (in addition to all of the other details). As a workaround, I'd suggest adding the customer's card on file. Once you have the card on file, you can charge it using a recurring invoice, the Point of Sale app, or Virtual Terminal. Hope this helps and please let me know if you have any other questions! 

[MAXSDELI]

Sean,

We have the same issue and while I accept your answer, it doesn’t seem to make sense. If the CVV is required to make a Card-on-File purchase, does it not make sense to have a line included for said requirement?

We recently made this form available to one of our clients and when we received it back without a CVV code we were forced to contact the client again for the code, that doesn’t make any sense. Perhaps Square should make a complete form available as it doesn’t make sense to collect all the clients data with the exception of the one piece needed to complete their profile and the ability to charge them, wouldn’t you agree?

Max

MAX’S DELI

[Chad]

Hello @MAXSDELI, I'm stepping in for Sean here. 

So the credit card authorization form is actually used as documentation to prove the card holder authorized a payment in the event of a charge back. It was never intended to be used for collecting payment information. I hear you, it would be nice to have all the information on a single form, but it's not worth the possibility of PCI fines. 

The non-compliant fines can range from $5,000 to $500,000 dollars. 

[MAXSDELI]

Chad,

Thank you for the explanation, it was explained to me later that day over on the FB beta chat page. 

While we’ve always followed protocol and taken the information verbally, we have an office of surgeons that had asked for forms so they may provide info for creating Card-on-File profiles and discontinue the practice of leaving all their credit cards out to charge for food delivery. They are all usually  in surgery when we arrive so the form was seen as a way to capture that info and setup their profiles, it appears we’ll have to find another way or forego the idea altogether. 

Thank you you again for the explanation. 

Max

MAX’S DELI

[Chad]

@MAXSDELI that is a tricky situation with the surgeons. 

Luckily once you setup the customer profile and save their card, you won't have to request this information for future payments. If you have any other questions please feel free to reach out to me. I'm always happy to help out. 🙂

[charlestonglow]

We always just add it on the form so we have it to set up their invoices and then scratch it after we get the card in the system. That field does come up when you’re trying to add all the CC info so I don’t understand why it’s there if it’s  illegal to have it stored