Statement and service items
Most accounts carry a recurring statement or service item that covers account maintenance, reporting and customer support rather than any individual transaction. It appears whether you process one sale or thousands that month.
The right question: what does this item cover, and does it change if my volume changes? A flat item that never moves is easy to plan around; one tied to activity is not.
PCI validation and non-validation items
PCI DSS compliance is an industry-wide security standard, not something any single processor invented. Providers typically charge a validation item tied to completing an annual self-assessment questionnaire, and a separate, usually larger, non-validation item that applies if the questionnaire is not completed.
The right question: has my questionnaire been completed and filed, and does completing it remove the non-validation charge going forward? For many merchants this is a completely avoidable cost.
Gateway and virtual terminal items
If you take card-not-present payments — online, by invoice, or keyed by phone — a gateway or virtual terminal item usually applies separately from in-person processing. It covers the software that captures, tokenizes and secures those payments.
The right question: is this item flat regardless of how many card-not-present transactions I run, and does it duplicate a similar item already billed by my ecommerce or booking platform?
Batch and authorization items
A batch item is charged when your day's transactions are submitted for settlement, typically once per business day. An authorization item may apply per transaction attempt, whether approved or declined.
The right question: am I batching once per day as intended, or is a configuration issue causing multiple batches — and extra batch charges — on the same day?
Network pass-through categories
Some line items are pass-through categories set by the card networks — assessments, and similar network fees — rather than something your provider chooses. These are identical across providers by design.
The right question is not 'can this be removed,' since it generally cannot, but 'is this being passed through at cost, or is there additional markup layered on top of it.'
Reading your own statement line by line
Going through each recurring item and asking its specific question — rather than reacting to the total — is the fastest way to tell which charges are structural, which are avoidable, and which deserve a closer look in a full statement review.
Frequently asked questions
Are PCI fees mandatory?
PCI DSS compliance itself is an industry requirement, but how a provider bills for it — and whether a non-compliance charge applies — varies. Completing your annual self-assessment questionnaire typically avoids the higher non-validation item.
Why do I have both a statement item and a gateway item?
They cover different services: general account maintenance and reporting versus the software that captures card-not-present payments. They are billed separately because they are separate services.
Can batch fees be reduced?
Often yes, if multiple batches are closing on the same day due to a configuration issue. Batching once per business day is the usual fix.
What is a network pass-through item?
A charge set by the card networks rather than your processor, billed identically across providers. It is a candidate for a markup check, not a removal request.
Should I expect these items to change if I switch providers?
Some are structural and will exist with any provider; others are specific to how a given provider packages its service. A review can separate the two.
How do I get help interpreting my own statement?
A free statement review walks through each recurring item on your actual statement and flags anything that looks avoidable or duplicated.
Want a second opinion on your setup?
Tell us how you take payments today and a BSV Solution specialist will walk through the options with you. Eligibility and processor selection are reviewed individually, subject to underwriting approval.