Address Verification Service (AVS) is a handy tool provided by major card networks like Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and Amex. It works by checking if a customer's billing address matches what their bank has on file.
Here's what you need to know:
AVS responses don't directly approve or decline transactions. Instead, they offer valuable insights to help you assess potential risk.
While street address matches can be tricky, postal or zip code matches are typically more reliable.
AVS is widely supported by banks in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. However, most card issuers outside these regions don't participate.
If you've enabled Helcim Fraud Defender, you can configure it to automatically void online transactions based on your preferred AVS codes. Learn how to configure these settings here.
Response Codes
AVS Response Code | Description |
A | Address (Street) matches, Zip does not |
E | AVS error |
N | No Match on Address (Street) or Zip |
R | Retry, System unavailable or Timed out |
S | Service not supported by issuer |
U | Address information is unavailable (domestic issuer) |
W | 9 digit Zip matches, Address (Street) does not |
X | Exact AVS Match |
Y | Address (Street) and 5 digit Zip match |
Z | 5 digit Zip matches, Address (Street) does not |
VISA AVS Response Codes
These response codes are specific for cards processed on the Visa network.
AVS Response Code | Description |
A | AVS Street address only, partial match |
R | AVS Indeterminate outcome, retry |
U | AVS Unable to verify |
Z | AVS Postal/zip code only, partial match |