Service Code
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A three or four-digit value encoded on the magnetic stripe or chip of a payment card that tells the terminal how the card may be used, such as whether it is valid internationally, whether a PIN is required, and whether the chip must be used in preference to the stripe. The service code is one of the four elements PCI DSS classifies as Cardholder Data, alongside the primary account number, cardholder name and expiration date, so it must be protected wherever it is stored. Storing it as a discrete data element is permitted; retaining the full track data it was read from is not.