Postal/ZIP Code Prompts for Booking.com Virtual Credit Cards (VCC)

In case you're asked for a postal code when charging a VCC, you can enter either the guest's or your own, or else use 1017CE, which is Booking.com's headquarters .

For Virtual Cards (VC) from Booking.com, the postal code or zip code required for processing depends on how the card is being handled within ChargeAutomation:

⏪1. Automatic Processing

If ChargeAutomation identifies a booking as a Virtual Card booking (synced from a PMS like Beds24, BookingAutomation, or Hostify), it will automatically schedule the charge for the check-in date or the date specified by the OTA. In these cases, the system typically uses the property's postal code or the billing details provided by the OTA during the sync.

⏪2. Manual Entry

If you are manually entering a Booking.com virtual card into ChargeAutomation:

Use the Property's Zip Code: Most payment gateways (like Stripe) require a zip code for AVS (Address Verification System) checks. For Booking.com virtual cards, using the zip code of the property where the guest is staying is the standard practice.
Generic Zip Codes: If the property zip code fails, some hosts use generic codes like 10001 or 00000, though this is less reliable and depends on your payment gateway's settings.

🚨3. Key Considerations

Mark as VC: When entering a card manually, ensure you mark it as a Virtual Card in the system. This tells ChargeAutomation to bypass standard guest verification steps (like 3D Secure) that a virtual card cannot complete.
Invalid Cards: If a virtual card is declined, ChargeAutomation can automatically hit an endpoint to mark the card as invalid on Booking.com, allowing you to request a new payment method or cancel the booking.