Visa Card Number Format

Visa card numbers follow a specific format defined by the ISO/IEC 7812 standard:

  • First digit: Always 4 (Major Industry Identifier for banking/financial)
  • Digits 2-6: Bank identification number (identifies the issuing institution)
  • Digits 7-15: Individual account identifier (unique to cardholder)
  • Digit 16: Check digit (calculated using the Luhn algorithm)

Note: Visa card numbers are 16 digits long, though some older Visa cards may have 13 digits.

Security Features

Visa cards incorporate multiple security features to prevent fraud:

  • CVV/CVC: 3-digit code on the back (4 digits for American Express)
  • Expiration Date: Month/Year validity period
  • Cardholder Name: Name of the authorized user
  • EMV Chip: Embedded microprocessor for secure transactions

Tip: Never share your full card number, CVV, or expiration date with untrusted sources.

Visa Card Number Example

Below is an example of how a Visa card number is structured. This is NOT a real working card number.

4 123 456 789 012 345 6
JOHN D. EXAMPLE
08/28
123