PCI Compliance

Does PCI Apply To My Business?

Short answer: Yes — absolutely!
If your business accepts credit or debit card payments in any way, PCI compliance is not optional—it’s a legal and contractual requirement.

Whether you’re running a one-person operation or a growing enterprise, if you accept, process, transmit, or store any customer cardholder data, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) applies to you. It doesn’t matter if you process one transaction a year or thousands a day—PCI compliance exists to protect your customers’ sensitive information and safeguard your business from costly breaches and penalties.

Why SMB Owners Often Think PCI Doesn’t Apply — and Why That’s Risky

Many small business owners mistakenly believe PCI compliance is only for “big companies” or high-volume merchants. But the truth is, cybercriminals often target smaller businesses because they tend to have weaker security measures in place. Failing to comply can lead to:

• Hefty fines from credit card companies and banks

• Reputation damage that can permanently erode customer trust

• Legal liability for data breaches

• Loss of ability to process card payments

If Even One Customer Pays by Card, You’re In PCI’s Scope

It doesn’t matter if you swipe physical cards, key in card numbers over the phone, or take online payments—if card data touches your systems at all, you’re responsible for meeting PCI DSS requirements. This includes:

• Retail shops and restaurants

• Healthcare or dental offices

• Professional service firms (accountants, lawyers, consultants)

• eCommerce websites

• Charities and nonprofits accepting online donations

Err on the Side of Compliance—It’s Safer and Smarter

When it comes to protecting customer payment data, “better safe than sorry” is not just good advice—it’s the law in the payment industry. Even minimal exposure to cardholder data puts your business in PCI’s jurisdiction, and ignoring it can be far more costly than becoming compliant.

How We Make PCI Easy for Your Business

We specialize in helping small and midsize businesses navigate PCI requirements without the complexity and confusion. Our PCI compliance service includes:

• Step-by-step gap analysis and remediation

• Assistance completing the correct SAQ (Self-Assessment Questionnaire)

• Ongoing compliance monitoring to keep your business protected year-round

• Education for your team so compliance becomes second nature

Bottom Line: If you accept card payments, PCI compliance applies to you — and we can make it easy, affordable, and effective.

Looking to Become HIPAA Compliant

Rules surrounding the security of protected health information (PHI) are set forth in HIPAA regulations, with the latest changes published in 2025. These regulations have provided general guidelines and mandates for all covered entities. This includes all vendors that might have access to PHI either physically or electronically will need to have a Business Associate agreement with the covered entity.

Looking to Become CMMC Compliant

Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC 2.0) standards around the cybersecurity of Defense Industrial Base contractors have were released at the end of 2024. These standards are based on NIST 800 and will require assessments to become certified.