PCI Compliance Levels: What They Mean for Your Business

PCI (Payment Card Industry) compliance levels categorize businesses based on the volume of card transactions they process annually. You will find four main levels, each having its own pair of requirements and validation procedures. Level 1 comprises businesses that process over six million card transactions per year, including major charge card issuers and global merchants. These entities must undergo an annual onsite assessment conducted by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) and submit an Attestation of Compliance (AOC) to show adherence to PCI DSS (Data Security Standard) requirements.

Level 2 encompasses businesses that process between one and six million card transactions annually. Including smaller merchants and service providers. They are required to complete an annual Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) and may also be at the mercy of quarterly network scans to validate compliance. Additionally, they have to submit an AOC for their acquiring bank.

Level 3 includes businesses processing 20,000 to at least one million e-commerce transactions annually. These entities will also be required to perform an annual SAQ and might need to conduct quarterly network scans. Although Level 3 merchants have lower transaction volumes in comparison to Level 2, they still handle significant cardholder data and must maintain robust security PCI compliance levels .

Each PCI compliance level is associated with specific validation requirements to guarantee the security of cardholder data. These requirements are outlined in the PCI DSS, a set of security standards designed to protect payment card data. The PCI DSS encompasses various security measures, including network security, access control, encryption, and vulnerability management.

Regardless of the PCI compliance level, businesses must prioritize security and adopt a thorough method of protecting payment card data. This includes implementing strong access controls, encrypting sensitive data, regularly updating security measures, and conducting regular security assessments and audits. By prioritizing security and compliance, businesses can mitigate risks, build trust with customers, and safeguard their reputation in the marketplace.