PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a set of security requirements for any business that stores, processes, or transmits credit card data — it applies regardless of business size.
Who it applies to
Any merchant accepting card payments, though the specific compliance level and validation requirements (self-assessment questionnaire vs. formal audit) scale with transaction volume.
Reducing your compliance burden
- Using a hosted payment page or tokenized checkout (rather than handling raw card numbers on your own servers) significantly reduces your PCI scope
- Never store card verification codes (CVV) after authorization, under any circumstances — this is prohibited outright
- Keep the systems that do touch payment data (even indirectly) on the same patch/security cadence as any other critical system
FAQ
Do I need a formal audit if I’m a small merchant?
Most small merchants qualify for a self-assessment questionnaire rather than a full external audit, but this depends on transaction volume and your specific payment processor’s requirements — confirm directly with your processor.