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Does WooCommerce Need PCI Compliance?

Last updated on October 1, 2022 @ 6:29 pm

WooCommerce is a popular eCommerce platform for small businesses and entrepreneurs. It is free to use and open source, making it a popular choice for those who are looking to start an online store.

However, one question that is often asked is whether or not WooCommerce needs PCI compliance.

The answer to this question is not a simple yes or no. In order to understand whether or not your WooCommerce store needs PCI compliance, it is important to first understand what PCI compliance is and what it entails.

PCI compliance is a set of standards that are designed to ensure that businesses that process, store, or transmit credit card information do so in a secure manner. There are 12 requirements that businesses must meet in order to be compliant. These requirements cover things like building and maintaining a secure network, protecting cardholder data, maintaining vulnerability management programs, and more.

PRO TIP: If you are using WooCommerce to sell products or services online, you need to be aware of PCI compliance. PCI compliance is a set of security standards that all businesses that accept credit card payments must follow. Failure to comply with PCI standards can result in hefty fines and penalties from credit card companies.

So, does your WooCommerce store need to be PCI compliant? If you are processing, storing, or transmitting credit card information, then the answer is yes.

If you are not doing any of these things, then the answer is no. However, even if you are not processing, storing, or transmitting credit card information, you may still need to be PCI compliant if you are using a payment gateway that requires it. For example, PayPal requires all businesses that use its payments platform to be PCI compliant.

Therefore, the best way to determine whether or not your WooCommerce store needs PCI compliance is to contact your payment processor or gateway and ask them what their requirements are. If they require you to be PCI compliant, then you will need to take the necessary steps to ensure that your store meets the 12 PCI compliance requirements.

In conclusion, whether or not WooCommerce needs PCI compliance depends on how the platform is being used. If credit card information is being processed, stored, or transmitted through the platform, then PCI compliance will be required. However, if WooCommerce is only being used for display purposes and no credit card information is being handled, then PCI compliance may not be necessary.

Dale Leydon

Dale Leydon

Sysadmin turned Javascript developer. Owner of 20+ apps graveyard, and a couple of successful ones.