EMV QR Tags Explained
EMVCo QR payloads are built using Tag-Length-Value (TLV) structures. Each tag inside the QR payload represents a specific payment element such as merchant information, currency, amount, country code, additional data, or CRC validation.
What Are EMV QR Tags?
EMV QR tags are structured identifiers used inside EMVCo QR payloads. Each tag defines a specific payment-related data field such as merchant account information, transaction amount, currency, merchant city, or validation checksum.
EMVCo QR payloads use TLV encoding where:
Identifies the payment field
Defines value size
Contains actual payment data
Complete EMV QR Tag Reference
| Tag | Name | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 00 | Payload Format Indicator | Defines EMVCo QR payload version |
| 01 | Point of Initiation Method | Indicates static or dynamic QR |
| 02-25 | Reserved | Reserved for future EMVCo use |
| 26-51 | Merchant Account Information | Contains payment network and merchant account details |
| 52 | Merchant Category Code | Defines merchant business category |
| 53 | Transaction Currency | Defines ISO currency code |
| 54 | Transaction Amount | Represents payment amount |
| 55 | Tip or Convenience Indicator | Defines tip handling logic |
| 56 | Value of Convenience Fee Fixed | Fixed convenience fee amount |
| 57 | Value of Convenience Fee Percentage | Percentage convenience fee |
| 58 | Country Code | Merchant country information |
| 59 | Merchant Name | Merchant display name |
| 60 | Merchant City | Merchant city information |
| 61 | Postal Code | Merchant postal code |
| 62 | Additional Data Field Template | Contains transaction references and additional data |
| 63 | CRC Validation | Payload checksum validation |
| 64-79 | Reserved for EMVCo | Future EMVCo extensions |
| 80-99 | Unreserved Templates | Network-specific or proprietary extensions |
Merchant Account Information Tags (26-51)
Tags 26 to 51 are used for Merchant Account Information templates. These tags contain payment network identifiers, acquiring institution details, merchant account references, and routing information.
26360014A0000006770101110113006600000000Different payment ecosystems use these templates differently based on network routing and interoperability requirements.
Tag 62 - Additional Data Field Template
Tag 62 is one of the most important tags in EMVCo QR systems. It allows merchants and payment ecosystems to store additional transaction references and reconciliation information.
| Sub Tag | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 01 | Bill Number |
| 02 | Mobile Number |
| 03 | Store Label |
| 04 | Loyalty Number |
| 05 | Reference Label |
| 06 | Customer Label |
| 07 | Terminal Label |
| 08 | Purpose of Transaction |
Tag 63 - CRC Validation
Tag 63 contains the CRC16 checksum value used for payload integrity validation. Payment applications validate this checksum before processing QR transactions.
CRC Validation Tag
Checksum length
Example CRC value
How QR Parsers Read EMV Tags
Scan
Read QR
Identify
Read tag
Length
Read size
Extract
Get value
Validate
Check CRC
Why Understanding EMV Tags Is Important
QR Parser Development
Parsers rely on correct tag interpretation and TLV decoding.
QR Generator Systems
Generators construct interoperable payloads using standardized tags.
Payment Integration
Fintech systems use tags for routing and transaction processing.
Transaction Validation
Validation engines verify tags, structures, and CRC integrity.