In Florida most of the gas stations are self-serve, pay at the pump. However there is a growing trend of requiring the input of a zip code when payng by credit card. This doesn't work if you are a tourist, visiting from another country.
I have no idea if this is the trend thoughout all the states but in Florida... the tourist capital of the world... somebody's not thinking.

Uh .. sorry - but this is standard in NY, too.

Its for security reasons. There is something that you can do if you are not from the US. Google it. It may just be that you need to enter your country code. Not positive. It is spreading across the country so there will have to be something for International Codes to use. Or you just have to go to a cashier.

But what's the point?
Visa/MC will make good on any charges on foreign credit cards.
Neither the customer or the business is responsible for fraudulent use of credit cards...why would the gas companies cut off their noses?
Or is this just a sneaky way of carrying out market research?

We see this request for a zip code when we are traveling but not when we are using the same cards at home ... probably the card company is doing the checking to catch fraud, so what I'd do is call the card company before your trip and tell them you are traveling to Florida on certain dates and they'll OK the transaction without doing the check.

Bill

I live in FL and one of the three stations nearest me, a BP, requires the zip code be entered. The other two, Murphy and Hess, do not... I have also found this policy in other parts of the country.

Bill that seems logical. However it doesn't work.
In fact as we live in Florida for half the year, my Florida address is on record for my card but the machine rejects it as soon as it recognizes the card as a Canadian Visa.
So how do they want me to purchase gas? Line up. Surrender my Visa card to the cashier and leave it there while I pump the gas and then line up again...Not bloody likely.

We have experienced this in Florida and find it most annoying. As robjame says, with all the tourists in Florida you would think the gas pumps would accept foreign postal codes. If the pump will not accept our card, then the attendant inside asks that we leave our credit card with them while we fill our tank. Then they will process the charge manually. This is something that we do not feel comfortable doing unless I stay inside with the card while my husband refuels.

Hess is changing over as we speak. Shell is there already. Race Track and Raceway are changing.
It is interesting as I usually find my American friends and neighbors reluctant to give in quietly to random identification programs.

I'd suggest you write a letter of complaint to your credit card company.

Fra - I spoke to my cc company and they said they are powerless to control what is done by a retailer in another country.
The manager of the Hess station at Wesley Chapel said he has had all kinds of complaints as the zip codes are changing there as the area is so fast growing.
Me I am shopping at Citgo and Wallymart who still both welcome my credit card.

I think it would be much simpler if all Credit Cards transactions required a PIN#. Then there would not be a problem.

Although I live in Florida, I don't think I've ever encountered this buying gas in Florida. I guess they just don't do it at "my" stations. But I have run into it -- I'm thinking it was in California. And just today I charged some Christmas decorations at K-Mart and when I swiped my card I had to enter the zip code. I remarked "that's new" and the clerk said, "yes, it's a way to catch some stolen cards, but you'd be amazed how many people don't know what their zip code is and hold up the line while they search their purses". Too funny.

In my area you have to enter your zip code when buying gasoline with your credit card. I never thought about what visitors from other countries could do. Interesting.

Just like the credit card readers at French gasoline pumps won't take US credit cards (which lacks a smart chip). Same thing with Dutch train ticket machines, you just have to go inside and pay.

And people leave credit cards with the attendants for years before there are card readers at the pump.

rkkwwan Dutch train ticket machines don't accept any CCs not just foreign ones. They do accept ATM/Debit cards though.

Seems to me it would be easier to introduce the use of a PIN on creditcards, with or without a chip. There is no way I would leave my (chipped) credit card with a cashier while I am outside - that is exactly how creditcard fraud occurs - they can skim your card while you are not there and have a fake one on the street before you have finished filling up.

Are you sure they don't accept foreign credit cards?

On the New York subway, you can enter '00000' at the zip code request on the Metrocard machines, to get them to work with non-American cards. Common sense would say that if the NY city government can organise itself round visitors, BP and Shell, both London-headquartered, would at least organise themselves to let their companies' senior management buy petrol at their own stations.

Unfortunately, common sense also says they'd never organise themselves to train their petrol station staff to understand this.

But thanks for bringing this up. I'll remember to contact BP in Cleveland before I next try driving in the US.

This policy is in place in a few gas stations in the DC region. It is supposed to prevent someone with a stolen card from pumping gas.

If the station is attended in any way there is no reason for someone to have to go elsewhere if they have a foreign card.

As to leaving the card with the attendant inside.. people do it all the time or at least show it to the attendant so the pump can be activated.

In my opinion the request for zip code is strictly for marketing purposes. We see it more and more. Walmart, gas stations, etc. The first time I encountered this I was stumped. What to fill in with a European credit card. I punched in my mom's California zip code which has nothing to do with my European credit card and it is accepted every time. So my advice to foreign travellers is to type in 99999 or any easy 5 digits.

I found this article when I Googled. It implies that only certain cards are affected, and that for instance that Mastercard has forbidden this practice. No idea what Visa's policy is.

http://tinyurl.com/2k2qke