Card Acceptor ID (CAID) – What It Is and Why We Ask for It
When you activate Visa Rapid Dispute Resolution (RDR) or other real-time alert services, Visa needs to know exactly where each transaction starts. That “where” is defined by a short code called the CAID.
1. What is a CAID?
- Card Acceptor ID (CAID)
A unique 1- to 15-character code assigned by your acquirer or payment processor.
- It travels with every transaction message—authorisations, settlements, reversals, disputes.
- Think of it as the card-network label for “this specific checkout lane, website, or gateway account.”
2. Why CAIDs matter to you
How CAIDs help | Practical example |
Faster dispute resolution | Visa uses CAID to pull the right order details when an RDR alert fires. |
Cleaner reporting | Multiple stores or websites can be separated by CAID in your ChargeResolve dashboard. |
Fraud filtering | Unusual activity from one CAID (e.g., a kiosk) can be isolated without blocking the entire MID. |
Regulatory audits | PCI and scheme audits often require proof that each terminal or web gateway is registered to a CAID. |
3. Where you’ll see a CAID in ChargeResolve
- RDR enrolment – we submit your BIN(s) and CAID(s) to Visa.
- Alert feed – the alert JSON includes
card_acceptor_idso we tie it to the right merchant profile.
- Dashboard filters – you can slice win-rate by CAID to spot outliers.
4. How to get your CAID
- Check your processor portal
- Some dashboards list “Card Acceptor ID” or “Visa Acceptor ID” under Account, Settlement, or Disputes tabs.
- Look in a recent chargeback letter
- Visa dispute PDFs often show CAID in the header.
- Ask processor support (quickest for most merchants)
Plain-text request you can copy:
Subject: Request for Card Acceptor ID
If the frontline agent is unsure, ask for the Risk / Chargeback team—they always have access.
5. Common questions
Is CAID the same as MID?
No. A MID identifies your overall merchant account. A CAID pinpoints the exact terminal, gateway, or website where the sale occurred.
Do I need a separate CAID for every store or domain?
Your acquirer decides. Brick-and-mortar chains often get one CAID per location; ecommerce merchants may use one CAID per gateway login.
What about Mastercard or Amex?
They use different identifiers (e.g., Mastercard Acquirer BIN + Terminal ID). We’ll request those separately if needed.
6. Next step
Email the CAID(s) to support@chargeresolve.com along with the processor or MID they belong to. We’ll handle submission to Visa and confirm when RDR is live—usually within three business days.
Need help? Chat with us in-app or email the address above and we’ll guide you through the process.