What Is A Credit Card CVV Or CVC Number? - Canstar

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What is a credit card CVV or CVC number?

Your credit card’s CVV or CVC number provides an extra layer of security when making a purchase online or over the phone.

Written byAlasdair DuncanDeputy Finance EditorEdited byNina RinellaEditor-in-Chief15 Aug, 2025Fact CheckedShare

Your credit card’s CVV or CVC number provides an extra layer of security when making a purchase online or over the phone.

What is a CVV or CVC?

A CVV or CVC is a series of three or four numbers that are printed on your credit card or debit card. It’s a security feature that is used when you are making a remote transaction, without you or your card being physically present (buying something online or over the phone).

The code is designed to protect you against fraud and shows that you are in possession of the card. It can help against fraud if your credit or debit card number is stolen, but not your physical card.

What does CVV and CVC stand for?

CVV stands for ‘card verification value’, while CVC stands for ‘card verification code’. It is also sometimes referred to as the security number, card security code or personal security code, or other codes like CVV2, CVC2, CSC and CID.

Where do I find my CVV or CVC?

This depends on the type of card you have. For Visa and Mastercard credit cards or debit cards, you can find the CVV or CVC code printed on the back of your credit card, on the right-hand side of the signature strip. For American Express cards, the number is located on the front of the card.

Is my CVV or CVC number three or four digits?

This will depend on who the credit card provider is. Visa and Mastercard cards have three-digit codes, while American Express cards have four-digit codes.

Are CVV or CVC numbers the same as my PIN?

No, a CVV or CVC number is not the same as a PIN number. Your personal identification number (PIN) is a series of numbers that you use to authenticate transactions and can be used instead of a signature. You can choose your own PIN number and can generally change it through your internet banking. It’s generally recommended that you don’t write down your PIN and you definitely wouldn’t write it down on the card itself. In comparison, CVV/CVC numbers are generated by your credit card issuer and printed on the card.

Is it safe to give out your CVV or CVC number?

You will generally be asked to provide your CVV or CVC number when you make a purchase online or over the phone. American Express says this should be safe if you know the merchant and you are not in a public place where you can be overheard for phone orders.

When shopping online, American Express recommends looking to see if the website starts with https://. The ‘s’ indicates that the site is secure and means your information will be encrypted. When shopping online, it also recommends that you don’t save your credit card information on the site and instead enter it again for future purchases.

This article was reviewed by our Editor-in-Chief Nina Rinella before it was published as part of Canstar’s fact-checking process.

Alasdair DuncanDeputy Finance Editor

Alasdair Duncan is Canstar's Deputy Finance Editor, specialising in home loans, property and lifestyle topics. He has written more than 500 articles for Canstar and his work is widely referenced by other publishers and media outlets, including Yahoo Finance, The New Daily, The Motley Fool and Sky News. He has featured as a guest author for property website homely.com.au.

In his more than 15 years working in the media, Alasdair has written for a broad range of publications. Before joining Canstar, he was a News Editor at Pedestrian.TV, part of Australia’s leading youth media group. His work has also appeared on ABC News, Junkee, Rolling Stone, Kotaku, the Sydney Star Observer and The Brag. He has a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Journalism from the University of Queensland.

When he is not writing about finance for Canstar, Alasdair can probably be found at the beach with his two dogs or listening to podcasts about pop music. You can follow Alasdair on LinkedIn.

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In this article

• What is a CVV or CVC?
• What does CVV and CVC stand for?
• Where do I find my CVV or CVC?
• Is my CVV or CVC number three or four digits?
• Are CVV or CVC numbers the same as my PIN?
• Is it safe to give out your CVV or CVC number?

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