PCI Compliance SAQ Requirements and Eligibility Explained

PCI compliance SAQ requirements can be a bit overwhelming, but it's essential to understand what's expected of you. There are four types of SAQs, each with its own set of requirements.

The SAQ-D is the most complex and time-consuming, required for merchants who process a high volume of transactions. It involves a detailed review of your business's payment card industry data security standard (PCI-DSS) compliance.

To determine which SAQ is right for you, you'll need to assess your business's payment card processing environment. This includes evaluating the number of payment card transactions you process each year.

A PCI Compliance SAQ is a form used by merchants and service providers to assess and declare their compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). The SAQ is a self-assessment tool that helps organizations identify gaps in security and ensure they meet industry standards to protect cardholder data.

There are different versions of the SAQ, and organizations may be required to complete different versions depending on their card processing methods and the volume of transactions. The SAQ has two parts: a set of self-guided questions and an Attestation of Compliance (AoC).

The self-guided questions are designed to assess an organization's adherence to the PCI DSS requirements, ranging from maintaining secure systems and protecting cardholder data to managing vulnerabilities and implementing strong access control measures. Organizations must answer a series of yes or no questions, describing each PCI requirement and the expected testing.

If an organization answers "not in place" to any of the questions, they'll be required to explain what their plans are for remediating the gap and the expected timeline. Compensating controls are considered when an organization cannot meet a requirement exactly as stated, but has sufficiently gone above and beyond to mitigate the risk.

Here's a quick breakdown of the SAQ process:

The SAQ will describe each PCI requirement and the expected testing, then ask whether the control is:

By completing an SAQ, organizations demonstrate their commitment to maintaining a secure payment environment and protecting cardholder data.

Eligibility Requirements for SAQ A are quite specific. You need to be a merchant, not a service provider, as Service Providers will need to validate with an SAQ D or with a Report on Compliance (ROC). Your Acquiring entity must accept you validating using the SAQ A validation instrument.

To be eligible for SAQ A, your company must only accept card-not-present transactions, such as e-commerce or mail-order/telephone order. Additionally, all of your cardholder data processing must be handled and outsourced to a PCI compliant service provider. You'll need to ask them for a current Attestation of Compliance (AOC) and confirm their compliance on an annual basis.

Here's a summary of the key eligibility requirements for SAQ A:

Understanding your eligibility for a self-assessment questionnaire (SAQ) is crucial to ensure you're meeting the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) requirements.

The PCI DSS has different types of SAQs, including SAQ A, which is designed for merchants who don't store, process, or transmit sensitive authentication data (SAD) electronically.

SAQ A removes the need for certain controls, as you don't interact with electronic cardholder data.

The remaining controls in SAQ A focus on ensuring systems can't be accessed by unauthorized individuals, through authentication controls and patching systems.

For merchants who don't fit into the SAQ A category, there's SAQ D, which is a self-assessment questionnaire for merchants who aren't described in the other types of SAQs.

Service providers who don't fit into the other categories also have their own SAQ, which is similar to SAQ D.

To determine which SAQ you need for compliance, it's essential to understand the eligibility requirements. If you're a merchant, your SAQ type will be based on how your organization handles cardholder data.

To be eligible for SAQ A, you must be a merchant that only accepts card-not-present transactions, such as e-commerce or mail-order/telephone order. This means you don't handle cardholder data electronically.

If you're a service provider, you'll need to complete the SAQ D or Report on Compliance (ROC). SAQ D for Merchants is intended for those who store, process, or transmit cardholder data and don't fit into the categories for the other SAQ types.

To determine which SAQ you need, consider the following factors: defining if you are a service provider or a merchant and how you handle cardholder data. You can also refer to the table below to help you choose the right SAQ:

If you're unsure which SAQ is most appropriate for your compliance needs, you can request more detailed guidance from your acquiring organization, merchant bank, payment brand, or qualified security assessor (QSA).