ANS-1044 · WEB SERVICES & INTEGRATIONS
How Do Magnetic Stripe Card Readers Function and What Data Do They Capture?
This article details the data captured by magnetic stripe card readers, focusing on Track 1 content for payment processing.
Short answer
Magnetic stripe card readers, such as USB swipers, typically read data from Track 1 and Track 2 of a credit card. Track 1, Format B, contains critical information including the Primary Account Number (PAN), cardholder name, expiration date, and service code, essential for transaction processing.
Scenario
Organizations utilizing point-of-sale (POS) systems or other applications requiring credit card data input often need to understand the technical specifications of magnetic stripe card readers. This includes knowing which data tracks are read and the specific content encoded within those tracks to ensure proper integration and data handling.
Solution
Magnetic stripe card readers commonly read data from Track 1 and Track 2. The content of Track 1, specifically Format B, is structured as follows:
Start sentinel — one character (generally '%')
Format code"B" — one character (alpha only)
Primary account number (PAN) — up to 19 characters. Usually, but not always, matches the credit card number printed on the front of the card.
Field Separator — one character (generally '^')
Name — two to 26 characters
Expiration date — four characters in the form YYMM.
Service code — three characters
Discretionary data — may include Pin Verification Key Indicator (PVKI, 1 character), PIN Verification Value (PVV, 4 characters), Card Verification Value or Card Verification Code (CVV or CVC, 3 characters)
End sentinel — one character (generally '?')
Longitudinal redundancy check (LRC) — it is one character and a validity character calculated from other data on the track.
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