In payment-card security, what does CVV stand for?

In payment-card security, CVV stands for Card Verification Value.

A CVV is a short security code used to help verify that a person making a card-not-present payment has access to the physical card. Visa commonly calls its code CVV, while Mastercard uses CVC and American Express uses CID for related codes.

On most Visa, Mastercard, and Discover cards, the code is the three-digit number printed on or near the signature panel on the back. American Express cards generally use a four-digit code printed on the front. These codes are separate from the card number and PIN.

A CVV does not replace other fraud controls. It may be requested during online or telephone purchases, but merchants are generally prohibited from storing it after authorization under payment-card security rules. A transaction can still be declined even when the code is correct.