How To Get Off the MATCH List

You’ve realized that you’re on the MATCH list, and you’re concerned about the impacts on your business. Now, you’re wondering how to get off the MATCH list.

Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

Most MATCH-listed merchants want to get off the list as quickly as possible, and learning how to do this is their top priority. 

In this blog, we’ll discuss how to get off the MATCH list, and what you can do to access a merchant account in the meantime. 

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Can You Get Off the MATCH List?

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Yes - you can get off the MATCH list and no merchant stays listed forever. 

To have your name removed from the MATCH list, you must meet at least one of the following criteria:

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1. You were added to the MATCH list more than five years ago. Each month, the MATCH list automatically purges unneeded information from its system, including the names and merchant IDs of accounts that have been in the system for five years. While this may not be a consolidation for merchants who were just added to the list, it does mean that you will drop off of the MATCH list eventually. 
2. You were added to the list by mistake. If you believe you were added to the match list by mistake, contact the acquiring bank or your payment processor. Keep in mind that you’ll need solid evidence to prove your claim that you were listed by mistake, and that you may need to secure legal assistance to help prove your case. If you were listed for actual violations of items on the MATCH list, you will not be able to have your merchant ID removed from the list until five years have passed. 
3. You were added to the list due to PCI non-compliance, but you’ve since become compliant. Finally, you can be removed from the MATCH list because you were not PCI-compliant, but you’ve since become compliant. To prove your compliance and petition for MATCH list removal before five years is up, you’ll need to secure a certificate or letter of validation from a forensic examiner who has been certified by Mastercard. You’ll also need to present other information, including your merchant ID number, name, DBA name (if applicable), business address, and business principal owner data. 

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What can you do While you Wait to be Removed From the MATCH List?

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While you’re waiting to be removed from the MATCH list, you can find a merchant account. While the law requires acquiring banks to put you on the MATCH list if they terminate your account for MATCH list-related reasons, they are still permitted to take you on as a merchant.

Contrary to popular belief, being on the MATCH list doesn’t bar merchant services providers from working with you - it only indicates the perceived level of risk acquiring banks and payment processors accept when they do business with you. 

With that in mind, you can still secure a merchant account, but you may see impacts like higher prices and less favorable terms. 

Your best bet is to find a company that specializes in working with high-risk merchants, like Seamless Chex. We understand the unique needs of high-risk merchants and offer merchant accounts that will actually support and help scale your business. 

Ready to learn more? Contact us today to determine if our high-risk merchant accounts are right for you.

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