Overview
The Approval Rate Requirement is an advanced fraud management feature designed for merchants who want tighter control over the quality of transactions they accept. It allows you to set a required minimum approval rate, and if your approval percentage drops below that rate, your account will be automatically restricted from processing new transactions.
This article explains how the feature works, why you might use it, and how to configure it.
What Is the Approval Rate Requirement?
This feature allows you to define a minimum percentage of approved (successful) transactions over a set time period. If your approval rate falls below that threshold, the system automatically restricts your account to prevent further potentially fraudulent or unproductive transactions.
This feature is optional but may be beneficial for merchants in higher-risk environments or with prior fraud history.
Why Use This Feature?
Fraud Prevention, AVS (Address Verification System), and CVV (Card Verification Value) filters already provide strong protection against unwanted or suspicious transactions. However, if your business wants more aggressive controls, the Approval Rate Requirement adds an extra safeguard.
This is especially useful for:
- High-volume e-commerce merchants
- Merchants previously targeted by fraud attacks (e.g., card testing)
- Businesses wanting to stop all processing after a spike in declined or failed transactions
What Happens When Your Account Is Restricted?
If your approval rate falls below the percentage you've set:
- Your account will switch to "Restricted" status.
- You can still log in and view your account.
- No new transactions will be allowed to process until you lift the restriction manually.
- The primary user on your account will receive an email notification when this happens.
To lift the restriction, return to the Approval Rate Requirement settings page in the Merchant Portal and make the necessary adjustments.
How to Set Up the Approval Rate Requirement
- Log in to your Merchant Portal
- Go to Settings → Security Options → Approval Rate Requirement
- Set the following:
- Minimum approval rate percentage (e.g., 80%)
- Time period to evaluate (hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly)
- Minimum number of transactions that must be processed before this rule applies
- Check the acknowledgment box:
- “I understand that if this threshold is reached, my account will no longer be able to process new transactions until I enable it again from this page”
- Click Save
Important Notes
- Recurring transactions are not included in the approval rate calculation.
When AVS or CVV responses return as 'N' (No Match), the system classifies them as errors—not declines—so they will be excluded from approval rate calculations.
- Both you and your Merchant Service Provider will receive an email notification if the account is restricted.
Email Subject Line: {{merchant_company}} Account Restricted: Approval Rate Requirement
Common Questions
Can I change my approval rate threshold later?
Yes. You can return to the Approval Rate Requirement settings page at any time to adjust the percentage, timeframe, or transaction volume.
Will I be notified if my account is restricted?
Yes. The email address tied to your account’s primary user will receive an alert.
How do I re-enable my account if restricted?
Log in, go to the Approval Rate Requirement page, adjust your settings as needed, and re-enable processing.
Need Help?
If you need help setting or adjusting your approval rate requirement, or if your account becomes restricted and you’re not sure why, please contact your Merchant Service Provider for assistance.