How many numbers are on a credit card

Even though you may have an idea about how credit cards work, you may not know what the numbers on a credit card mean.

A credit card number provides critical information about who has issued the card and which payment network will be used for processing your transactions.

Here’s everything you should know about how many numbers are on a credit card and what they stand for.

What’s a card number? Your credit card number refers to a series of numerical digits printed on your credit card. The number is unique for every card issued and conveys a lot of important information about the card issuer. How many numbers are printed on a credit card varies depending on the card issuer.

How do I find my credit card number? Usually, it is embossed on the front side of the card though some issuers may add it on the reverse side.

Here’s what each number on your credit card means:

First digit

The first digit of your credit card conveys information about the card issuing company. In other words, it identifies the industry in which the card issuer operates and also throws light on the payment network used.

For instance, say the sample credit card number is 441245678814. The digit 4 is the Major Industry Identifier. Any number between 2 and 6 indicates that a banking and financial institution has issued the card. In this case, 4 also refers to Visa, the payment network used by the card issuer. By simply looking at the first digit, one can identify that it is a visa credit card number.

Next five digits

The following five digits on your card act as the issuer identification number. It is also known as the “bank identification number.” The job of these numbers is to tell you who your card issuer is. For instance, 414720 is used for all Chase visa card numbers issued.

Remaining digits

The remaining digits of the credit card number, except the last digit, represent your specific credit card account. The issuer decides the sequence of numbers.

Last digit

The last digit is critical in ensuring that your credit card number is valid. It is known as a check digit. It is determined mathematically through the Luhn algorithm to ensure quality control. Cards on the Visa payment network use the number 13 as the check digit, whereas other networks only use a single digit.

You can read your credit card number by dividing it into parts.

For example, the first digit stands for the industry identifier and the payment network used by the card issuer. You can then look at the next five-digit to work out the issuer and also understand what type of credit card product it is. Lastly, the number on the back of credit card is also a crucial piece of information for understanding your credit card, as it denotes the security code to be used for online transactions.

Keep in mind that the numbers in a credit card also vary depending on the issuer. For example, a Visa credit card has 16 digits which begin with the number 4, whereas an American Express card number has 15 digits which start with the number 3. On the other hand, a Mastercard credit card with 16 digits long begins with 5.

The credit card account linked to your card is part of the number on credit card. It usually begins after the first six digits of the numbers printed on the front of the card. However, these are different since every cardholder's credit card account number is unique.

How many numbers of credit cards issued by different or the same banks are identical? None, as no two issuers will issue a card bearing the same credit card account number. Similarly, two credit cards issued by the same bank to different cardholders will carry a unique credit card account number. Each credit card issuer has a trillion potential card account number combinations they can use while issuing a credit card.

A credit card number is a string of digits assigned by the credit card issuer and identifies the owner of a credit card account. It is usually 12 digits long. The seventh digit and the second to last digit of the string of numbers identify the cardholder's account number. When you lose your credit card, the credit card number changes, but the actual account number remains the same.

The card security code refers to the number on the back of a credit card. This is known as the Card Verification Value or CVV. Unlike a personal identification number or PIN that a cardholder sets for their credit card, CVV is designated by the issuer. CVV is also known as CVV2, CID, CVD, or CSC. Some card issuers also use the term Card Verification Code (CVC) instead of CVV.

Don’t confuse credit card numbers with CVV -- the goal of CVV is to add an extra layer of protection and verify that the card is indeed in possession of the person trying to use it for an online transaction. CVV can be either a three or four-digit number.

Is there a relationship between how many numbers a credit card has and the length of CVV? Yes -- for instance, in the case of Visa or MasterCard that carry a 16-digit long credit card number, the CVV is three digits, and you can locate the numbers on the back of the credit card. The CVV in American Express cards with a 15-digit long card number is four digits, printed on the front side of the card.

In addition to the CVV, the expiry date of each credit card is also printed on the front by the issuing bank. This also acts as an additional verification step when the card number is stolen. If you want to use the details for making an online purchase, you need to enter both CVV and the expiry date of the card. Knowing the credit card number may be useless if you don’t have the expiry details.

You may be wondering -- are all credit card numbers 16 digits? Typically, the number of digits on a credit card can be anywhere between ten to 19 digits.

So how many numbers are there on Mastercard? Mastercard credit cards are usually 16 digits long. And how many digits are there for Amex cards? Cards issued by American Express usually have 15 digits.

While the length of the numbers may not be universal, all numbers must follow the identification card standards provided by the International Organization for Standardization and International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC). The number format is decided through a formula suggested by ISO/IEC, even though different combinations are possible.

Your credit card number is highly confidential and in need of serious protection.

Any lapses on your part can make you fall prey to credit card fraud. When evaluating the pros and cons of a credit card, check what type of protection the issuer offers against fraudulent transactions.

Here’s what you can do to protect your card number:

• You should never write down your credit card number anywhere, as the information can be misused. If you misplace your card or it is stolen, make sure to inform the issuer so it can be blocked.

• Be extra careful when taking photos showing the credit card’s number. Even if the original card is not readily visible in the image, it can be enlarged to find out the number and misused by fraudsters. If you need to include the credit card in the image, ensure that you cover up as many numbers as possible. As the last nine or ten digits of the card credit number are unique, cover them up.

• If you use your credit card while shopping online, ensure that the website is secure and carries an SSL certificate. Don’t part with your credit card number on any website that looks suspicious. Keep checking phishing emails, and do not click on links asking you for credit card information. Always verify such requests with the credit card issuer.

To sum up, how many numbers are in a credit card depends on the card issuer. The numbers should adhere to the standards laid down so that the issuing bank and the payment network can be identified.

When you apply for a credit card, your creditworthiness is an important consideration for lenders. Lenders pull up your credit score to evaluate your eligibility. To stay on top of your credit score, sign up with ClearScore to check credit score for free whenever you want.