The Visa Commercial Enhanced Data Program (CEDP) is a new interchange structure that will replace the current Level 3 program in the U.S. on October 18, 2025. This update has important implications for businesses using the interchange+ (IC+) pricing model, especially those that accept commercial cards like Corporate, Purchasing, and Business Credit.
CEDP introduces Product 3 interchange rates, which offer reduced network costs for merchants that meet specific data submission and verification standards.
Timeline of key changes
- April 2025: Visa introduces a new scheme fee on Level 2, Level 3, and Large Ticket transactions.
- October 2025: CEDP, and Product 3 interchange rates replace the existing Level 3 program.
- April 2026: Visa will discontinue the Level 2 interchange program.
Current interchange savings programs: Level 2 and Level 3
Level 2 data requirements
To qualify for Level 2 interchange savings, businesses must submit limited but specific transaction data depending on the card type:
| Card type | Required data |
|---|---|
| Business and Corporate cards | Sales tax indicator and sales tax amount |
| Purchasing cards (non-fuel MCCs) | Sales tax indicator and sales tax amount |
| Purchasing cards (fuel MCCs) | Customer code |
Level 2 discontinuation
Visa will discontinue the Level 2 interchange program in April 2026.
Level 3 data requirements (required for Product 3 under CEDP)
To qualify for Level 3 interchange savings and Product 3 rates under CEDP, you must submit all the Level 2 requirements, and all the following 12 fields for each transaction:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Discount amount | Total transaction-level discount |
| Freight or shipping amount | Shipping or freight charges |
| Duty amount | Any applicable duty or import charges |
| Item commodity code | Code representing the item category or type |
| Item descriptor | Description of the item being sold |
| Product code | SKU or other product identifier |
| Quantity | Number of units sold |
| Unit of measure | For example, "each", "box", "hour" |
| Unit cost | Cost of each unit of item |
| Discount for each line item | Individual line-item discount |
| Line-item total | Extended total for each line item |
| Line-item detail indicator | Indicates that line-item data is included in the request |
Important reminders
- All commercial card types and applicable MCCs must meet these requirements to qualify for Level 3 or Product 3 rates.
- Sales tax is not mandatory for Level 3 qualification. Merchants in states without sales tax can still qualify by submitting all other required fields.
- “Filler” data is no longer acceptable. Visa now enforces data quality standards. Submitting blank fields, zeros, or placeholder text will disqualify transactions from lower rates.
Visa CEDP: What's changing?
- Product 3 interchange rates offer lower costs than current Level 3 rates.
- Business Credit cards are now eligible for these savings. Previously, they qualified only for Level 2.
- A new scheme fee applies to all transactions that submit Level 3-style data.
Who qualifies for Product 3 interchange rates?
Verification process
To be eligible for Product 3 rates, businesses must:
- Submit accurate and complete Level 3 data (as listed above).
- Undergo a Visa verification process, based on data quality.
Key details
- Verification may take up to three months, provided that submitted data consistently meets Visa’s standards.
- Unverified businesses can still earn Product 3 rates for each transaction, if each submission passes Visa’s data checks.
- Visa may rebalance interchange rates retroactively, which can take up to two months.
Ongoing monitoring
- Visa will continue to monitor data quality.
- If quality drops, Visa will issue a warning before removing verified status.
Data quality best practices
Visa has outlined the following guidelines to help businesses avoid common data quality issues:
| Field | Do | Don't |
|---|---|---|
| line_item[product_name] | Use specific product names, especially for subscriptions. | Use generic names, blanks, repeated business names, single characters. |
| line_item[product_code] | Use actual SKUs or meaningful descriptors. | Submit tax code, card product, or random data. |
| line_item[tax][total_tax_amount] | Provide correct tax or zero where appropriate. | Provide incorrect, uniform tax values that don't match jurisdiction rules. |
Large Ticket transactions
Visa also offers Large Ticket interchange rates for high-value transactions that use:
- Visa Corporate cards
- Visa Purchasing cards
The rates feature:
- A higher flat fee
- A lower percentage-based interchange fee
CEDP benefits for businesses
- Lower processing costs with Product 3 rates.
- Expanded eligibility, including Business Credit cards.
- Granular transaction evaluation, even for unverified merchants.
- Opportunity to opt out of CEDP. Contact your processor or Visa representative.
What should you do now?
- Audit your current data submission process to ensure you comply with Level 3 fields.
- Start sending full line-item data if you don't already.
- Work with your processor to monitor the CEDP verification process.
- Train your teams to avoid filler or generic data. Visa is enforcing stricter standards.