What is the Visa EIRF Interchange Rate?
The Electronic Interchange Reimbursement Fee (EIRF) is a Visa interchange category – it’s a downgrade to payments that don’t meet certain criteria for their default category, such as not using an Address Verification System (AVS) or not settling the payment on time. Visa EIRF interchange rates apply to credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid cards.
Note, if you do see EIRF interchange fees on your credit card processing statement, it does not always mean a downgrade was applied.
All businesses have a Merchant Category Code (MCC) that dictate which types of EIRFs are used. For instance, if your business is within the entertainment or travel industry, such as a hotel or tour bus company, a Signature Card Electronic (SIGN) EIRF is used on transactions made with reward credit cards, such as a Chase Sapphire or Alaska Airlines credit card. This SIGN EIRF rate is not considered a downgrade, but a standard interchange rate.
If you see an unusually high amount of EIRF charges on your statement, contact your payment processor to understand what is going on.
For more information on credit card interchange and how it works, read this article.
Credit Card EIRF Rates
These rates are controlled by Visa, and are subject to change at any time (often annually) and are not controlled by merchant service providers. As of August 2023, the current credit card EIRF fees are:
| Rate | Per Transaction | |
| EIRF | 2.30% | $0.10 |
| Signature Card Electronic (SIGN EIRF) | 2.30% | $0.10 |
Debit Card EIRF Rates
The current debit card EIRF fees are:
| Rate | Per Transaction | |
| EIRF Debit | 1.75% | $0.20 |
| EIRF Debit Regulated | 0.05% | $0.22 |
Prepaid Card EIRF Rates
The current prepaid card EIRF fees are:
| Rate | Per Transaction | |
| EIRF Prepaid | 1.80% | $0.20 |
How to Avoid Interchange Downgrades
Here are some tips to avoid transactions downgrading to the EIRF rate:
- Settle transactions on time – aim for same day settlements.
- Use an Address Verification Service (AVS) to detect suspicious transactions.
- Tipping businesses like restaurants and spas/salons, make sure authorized payments are the same amount as settled payments.
- In case of a software issue, hardware issue, or power outage, investigate if everything still works as intended and payments are being settled in a timely manner.
Get Transparent Credit Card Processing Fees with Gravity Payments
At Gravity Payments, we are transparent about our credit card pricing structure, including interchange fees such as the Visa EIRF interchange rate.
Check out our merchant services, or contact us if you have any questions about the different types of fees.