The purpose of the numbering system is to uniquely identify a card issuing institution in an international interchange or closed environment. There are two types of issuer identifier numbers (IINs):
All interchange IINs are eight digit numbers and each card issuer is entitled to one IIN (outside of its membership of any card schemes, for example an IIN assigned from Visa). Therefore only one IIN will be assigned to each card issuer. This IIN must be used only to identify the card issuer and is used when information is exchanged between the acquirer and the issuer for clearing and settlement. Additional IINs will not be issued to identify products, services or geographical location.
All closed environment IINs are nine digit numbers and can be used for national use ONLY. Closed environment IINs are used when the issuer acquires its own transactions and its network does not accept, allow, or process any card program other than its own.
Copies of ISO/IEC 7812 are available electronically from the ANSI Webstore.
Download the application here.
The applicant must complete the first two pages of the application. Page 3 is to be left blank by the applicant.
Specific sections of the form that may require careful consideration by the applicant are:
On page 1 of the application form, applicants should choose the industry that is closest to the core business of the card issuer. They should not choose a category that matches the intended use of the card. If the business of the card issuer is not listed, then applicants should state clearly what their core business is. The industry chosen by the card issuer will decide the Major Industry Identifier (MII), the first digit of the IIN. The MII does not in any way restrict or limit how the card can be used.
Applicants should state the intended use/service that the card will perform (debit card, credit card, ATM card, etc.).
Please note that the applicant must submit a copy of their government-issued verification to prove that they are a legal entity and approved to conduct business in the US. This document should be submitted alongside the application.
If you are a Telecommunications Company, please contact ITU directly for an application and directions on procedures for obtaining an IIN. Telecommunication companies are not eligible to receive an IIN assigned under ISO/IEC 7812.
International Telecommunication Union
Place des Nations
1211 Geneva 20
Switzerland
e-mail: [email protected]
url: www.itu.int/itu-t/inr
url: www.itu.int/itu-t/bulletin
Tel : +41.22.730.5211
Fax: +41.22.730.585
There is a non-refundable $2,500 application fee associated with processing this application.
The fee should accompany the application. ANSI accepts the following as payment: check, money order, American Express, MasterCard & Visa via ANSI's secure payment portal.
Complete applications can be sent to the sponsoring authority, ANSI, by email or mail:
[email protected]
IIN Registration Coordinator
American National Standards Institute
1180 Avenue of the Americas
10th Floor
New York, NY 10036
Note: Applications cannot be processed without the accompanying fee. If the application is faxed and the organization wishes to pay by check, the Registration Coordinator will hold the application until such fee is received.
Once the completed application and application fee are received by ANSI, the turnaround time is typically within 5 business days.
The U.S. has developed the U.S. National Numbering System and ANSI is the Registration Authority for this numbering system. This numbering system is similar to the numbering system for ISO/IEC 7812 Parts 1 & 2.
The structure of this identification number is as follows:
| Issuer Identification Number | Individual Account Identification | Check Digit |
| NNSI | U.S. Country Code | Issuer Identifier |
| 9 | 840 | (5 digits) |
Therefore organizations requesting a national IIN will receive an IIN in the following format:
9 840 XXXXX with XXXXX being assigned by ANSI.
Organizations requesting a National IIN should check “YES” on the question that asks whether the IIN will only be used in a closed environment.
A Blockholder is defined as an entity that owns 2 or more IINs. If you are located outside the United States, you will need to first obtain approval from your country’s Standards Body to become a Blockholder. If you are located within the United States, you will need to fill out an IIN Blockholder application and submit it to ANSI.
The application fee for U.S. and international entities to apply for an IIN block is $3,000.
Please remember that this is a non-refundable application fee. If your request is approved, you will also be charged a fee from the ISO/IEC 7812 Registration Authority for each number you obtain.
ISO/IEC 7812-1 was recently revised to extend the length of the IIN from a fixed-length numeric of 6- digits to an 8-digit numeric value. This revision to the standard was formally published in January 2017. Any new applications submitted to the Registration Authority (RA) for a single, or blocks of IINs, are now fulfilled as 8 digit IINs. In addition, any new applications submitted to an authorized Administrative block holder are now fulfilled as 8 digit IINs.
Existing issuers and blockholders that opt to shift from a 6-digit to 8-digit numeric value may require systems migrations. All users of ISO/IEC 7812-1 are responsible for modifications to their own systems and processes to be able to adopt the new standard of 8 digit IINs. Impacted parties are also encouraged to reach out to their key stakeholders and/or assigning blockholders, such as card schemes, networks, and processors, to understand their specific migration plans and timelines. No single migration date has been set for existing users of ISO/IEC 7812-1, however, within the payments industry a target of five years from publication of the new standard has been announced by some of the key constituents in the ecosystem.
The ISO/IEC 7812 Registration Authority's service agent, CUSIP Global Services, produces the official record of IIN assignments, the ISO Register of Card Issuer Identification Numbers.
To obtain a copy of this document* please contact ISO 7812 Registration Authority:
*Qualifications must be met before receipt of document.
