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In the USA, many pay-at-the-pump fuel dispensers that accept credit cards require a 5-digit numeric zip code that corresponds to the billing address of the credit card. In Canada, for instance, we have 6-digit alphanumeric postal codes, so it's not obvious what you're supposed to type in since the gas dispensers have only numeric keypads. Entering '00000' or '90210' seems to always result in failed authorization.

Is there a zip code that works for credit cards with foreign billing addresses?

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Would you consider broadening the question to 'foreign credit card'? I think that would make it more useful to others. – Andrew Ferrier Jan 8 at 9:16
@AndrewFerrier: I concur, though the Canadian credit card seems to be an exception, AFAIK. – Jonas Jan 8 at 17:54
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@AndrewFerrier - Edited to 'foreign' rather than 'canadian' credit card. – alx9r Jan 8 at 21:17

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Canadian Credit Cards

Many fuel dispensers in the USA (for sure in Hawaii, apparently elsewhere in the USA as well) accept the numbers-only from the postal code of a Canadian billing address followed by two zeros.

So, if your Canadian billing address is right beside Schwartz's Deli in Montreal where the postal code is H2W 1L2, you would enter '21200'. Where the '212' are the numbers from the postal code, and the '00' is padding to get to 5 digits.

Interestingly, if your billing address is in Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Alberta where the postal code is T0L 0Z0, you actually would enter '00000'.

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Interesting. How did you learn this? – Nate Eldredge Jan 8 at 7:27
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While Head-Smashed-in-Buffalo Jump is one of the more colourful place names in Canada, the 0s are easy to find. Small rural places that all share the same postal code have them to allow expansion later. – Kate Gregory Jan 8 at 14:33
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@NateEldredge: Although I'm American and can't test this, this makes sense. Software implementing AVS (the mechanism of credit card verification that verifies addresses) is expected to send only the numeric parts of the address and/or zip code. (Eg, if your billing address is "42 Anystreet Ln", your address is only verified as "42".) – Edward Thomson Jan 8 at 15:07
I wonder whether this scheme works for other countries as well as Edward Thompson's comment would suggest. – oefe Jan 27 at 12:54
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UK Credit Cards

I have a UK credit card and have had mixed results using my card at the pump. Sometimes no ZIP code is asked for and it works fine. Also, sometimes entering 00000 does work (I'm guessing because it's not subsequently using the ZIP code entered). In about 80% of cases, though (and it does seem to vary as to where in the US you are), I've had to go into the gas station - although they generally seem well equipped to handle the exception process.

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In my experiences with using a UK card in the states, 00000 doesn't work, and the staff in the gas station are able to handle the exception, but I wouldn't say "well equipped to handle"... – Gagravarr Mar 4 at 17:39
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German Credit Cards

I've had mixed results with German credit cards. Since we also have 5 digits ZIP codes, the match should be fairly easy. However, on some occasions it worked perfectly, while on others it didn't and I had to see the cashier. All in all, there doesn't seem to be any kind of rule or system - at least not to me.

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