PCI DSS concerns the protection of payment card data. Using a payment provider can reduce the merchant's exposure and assessment scope, but outsourcing processing does not automatically remove all merchant responsibilities.
Understand what your website touches Identify whether card details pass through your server or are collected through provider hosted components. Review scripts and integrations that can affect the payment page. The applicable validation route depends on the actual implementation and current eligibility criteria.
Do not select a self assessment questionnaire simply because another store uses it. Confirm the correct approach with the acquirer or provider and relevant qualified support where needed.
Reduce unnecessary exposure Do not request card numbers through contact forms, ordinary email or WhatsApp. Use approved payment collection flows. Limit administrative access, maintain software and investigate unexpected changes to the checkout.
Keep responsibilities explicit Record which security duties the provider performs and which remain with the merchant. A supplier's compliance statement is not proof that the merchant's own website and operations meet every requirement.
For a hosted checkout, the business still needs to consider its integration and the applicable validation obligations. A custom checkout may create a different scope and should be assessed before launch.
Use the PCI Security Standards Council's current guidance and the provider's implementation documentation. This is a security and compliance process, not a badge that can safely be added to the website without confirming what it represents.
Sources and scope
General information, not advice for your individual legal or tax position. Confirm current requirements with the relevant authority or provider.