MCC 6513: Real estate agents and managers-rentals

Understand MCC 6513 for real estate, its impact, and how to verify it. Get JIM on iOS/Android to take phone payments in seconds for a single 1.99% fee.

WRITTEN BY

Mar 25, 2026

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2 min read time

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) uses MCC 6513 to classify real estate agents and managers focused on rentals. This code applies to businesses that serve as agents or brokers for renting out residential and commercial properties. It also covers property managers who oversee rental units on behalf of the owners. Transactions with these businesses, such as rent or service fee payments, fall under this specific category.

Which businesses fall under MCC 6513?

MCC 6513 applies to a broad range of real estate rental establishments:

Apartment rental offices: These are the leasing offices for apartment complexes. They handle tenant applications, lease agreements, and rent collection for multi-unit residential buildings like those managed by Equity Residential.
Property management firms: Companies like Greystar manage residential or commercial properties for owners. Their services include marketing vacancies, screening tenants, and overseeing maintenance, with all related payments falling under this code.
Real estate rental agents: These licensed professionals, often part of larger brokerages like Compass, help clients find and secure rental properties. Their commission or service fees are processed using MCC 6513.
Vacation rental agencies: These businesses manage short-term property rentals, distinct from individual peer-to-peer listings. They handle bookings and payments for furnished homes or apartments for travelers, often on a weekly or monthly basis.
Corporate housing providers: Companies such as National Corporate Housing offer furnished, temporary residences for business travelers or relocating employees. They provide an alternative to extended hotel stays, with payments categorized under 6513.
Student housing services: This includes university-managed dormitories and off-campus student apartment complexes. Payments for room and board or rent at establishments like American Campus Communities use this merchant category code.

Business implications of MCC 6513

Payment networks including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover use MCC 6513 to categorize transactions, which affects several aspects of business operations. These networks use the code to assess a business's risk profile. The perceived risk associated with MCC 6513, which often involves large, recurring rental payments, directly influences the interchange rates a business pays.

Beyond risk assessment and transaction fees, this classification also affects other operational functions for businesses that make or receive these payments.

Expense tracking

Companies rely on MCCs for automated expense management. Credit card statements automatically categorize transactions under MCC 6513 as rental or real estate payments. This simplifies separating business-related property expenses, which can be useful for accurate bookkeeping and potential tax deductions.

Financial analysis

This code also supports detailed financial analysis. Businesses analyze spending patterns under this MCC to monitor real estate costs against their budget. The data helps with forecasting future property-related expenditures and identifying opportunities for cost management within their rental portfolios.

Compliance and auditing

Consistent MCC application strengthens internal controls. The code creates a clear audit trail on financial statements, which allows auditors to quickly verify that expenses claimed as rent or property management fees are legitimate.

Rewards and customer behavior

MCCs can influence customer payment choices. Credit card issuers often tie rewards, like bonus points or cash back, to specific MCCs. A card might offer extra rewards for housing payments, encouraging tenants to pay rent with that card over other methods.

How to verify your business's MCC

Real estate rental business owners should confirm their MCC classification to guarantee proper transaction processing and avoid customer confusion regarding rewards eligibility. If you find out that your business is incorrectly classified—for example, a property management firm coded as a general contractor—contact your payment processor immediately to request reclassification.

Here's how to verify your MCC classification is set up correctly:

Contact Your Payment Processor: Your merchant services provider assigned the MCC during account setup. To verify your classification, contact their customer service department or review the details in your original merchant agreement documents. This is the most direct method of confirmation.
Review Processing Statements: Your monthly merchant statements typically display the assigned MCC. Look for a four-digit number listed in the account information or business profile section of the document to find your code and confirm its accuracy.
Check with Your Acquirer: The acquiring bank or financial institution that deposits your funds also maintains your MCC code. Their merchant support team can access your account details and confirm your current classification upon request.
Test Transaction Method: Some merchants run a small test transaction on a personal credit card. They then check the statement to see how the business category appears. This method is less reliable than direct confirmation from your processor.

How to choose a reliable payment service provider

Your MCC 6513 classification affects interchange rates, making your choice of payment processor a major business decision. Providers handle rental transactions with varied pricing, settlement speeds, and support. These differences impact your bottom line, so consider these factors when you select a provider.

Transparent pricing: Choose flat-rate pricing to avoid complex models that obscure the true cost. The JIM tap-to-pay app for iPhone and Android charges 1.99% per transaction with no setup costs, monthly fees, or premium card surcharges.
Payment method support: Your processor must accept major credit cards like Visa, Mastercard, and Discover, plus digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. This meets modern tenant expectations for convenient, one-tap payments.
Fast fund access: Property management requires steady cash flow. A processor with quick fund access helps you cover operational costs without delay, such as paying maintenance vendors, settling utility bills, or managing payroll.
Security: The processor must protect cardholder data with encryption and tokenization. Tokenization replaces the card number with a unique token per transaction, so financial details are never stored on your device, which reduces your liability.
Reporting: Look for advanced analytics. The JIM AI assistant, for instance, provides sales reports and transaction history through a chat interface, which simplifies financial analysis and record-keeping.

Streamline payments with JIM

JIM offers real estate rental owners a straightforward payment processing solution. The JIM tap-to-pay app turns your iPhone or Android phone into a payment terminal through NFC technology, so you need no extra hardware. You pay a flat 1.99% per transaction. There are no setup costs, monthly fees, or variable rates for premium cards.

You can also use payment links to collect funds remotely (for security deposits or application fees) at a rate of 4.99% + $0.30 per sale. Your funds become available instantly on a JIM Visa Prepaid Card. You can add this card to Apple Pay or Google Pay for immediate use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question

What is Merchant Category Code 6513?

Merchant Category Code 6513 is a four-digit classification number assigned to real estate agents and managers for rentals by payment networks and the ISO. This code identifies transactions with businesses that rent or manage residential and commercial properties. Payment processors use this classification to set interchange fees, generate financial reports, and determine rewards eligibility for cardholders.

Is Merchant Category Code 6513 high-risk?

Payment processors classify MCC 6513 as a high-risk category. This classification stems from large average transaction sizes and an elevated likelihood of chargebacks, often related to tenant disputes or broken leases. As a result, businesses with this code usually encounter higher processing fees and more stringent underwriting from payment providers to offset the increased financial risk.

Can a business have multiple MCC codes?

A business typically receives a single MCC for each merchant account, determined by its primary source of revenue. However, if a company operates distinct business lines, it can establish separate merchant accounts, each with its own appropriate MCC. For instance, a large construction company (MCC 1799) that also owns and manages a portfolio of rental properties would have a separate merchant account for its property management division. This second account would be classified under MCC 6513 to process tenant rent payments distinctly from its construction-related income.

What happens if my MCC code is wrong?

An incorrect MCC code creates problems for both you and your tenants. They may not receive the credit card rewards they expect for housing payments, which can lower satisfaction and influence future payment choices. Your business could also face improper interchange rates, resulting in higher fees or even violations of payment network rules if you receive rates you don't qualify for.

Can merchants choose their MCC code?

A business cannot arbitrarily choose its MCC code. Instead, payment processors assign the classification based on the company's primary operations, in line with ISO standards and payment network rules. This process determines the code that best reflects the merchant's main source of income. If a business owner finds their assigned code is inaccurate, they can contact their processor to request a reclassification.

How does MCC 6513 affect my payment processing costs?

Your MCC 6513 classification directly influences the interchange rates you pay on each transaction. Because payment networks consider this category high-risk, it carries higher fees than low-risk sectors like retail or quick-service restaurants. The final impact on your bottom line, however, depends on your payment processor’s pricing structure.

Processors with interchange-plus pricing pass these variable rates directly to you, so your costs fluctuate with every sale. In contrast, flat-rate processors like JIM absorb this variability, charging you a consistent fee no matter the card type used.