Govern & Assure
PCI DSS
QSA-led PCI DSS support from scoping and gap analysis through to formal assessment and ongoing compliance, delivered by assessors doing this since 2009.
- QSA-led throughout
- A defensible scope
- Clear remediation priorities
- The right validation route
- Practical support through remediation
Your route to PCI DSS compliance
Scoping
PCI DSS scoping to establish what is actually in scope, where the cardholder data environment starts and stops, and where legitimate scope reduction may be possible.
Gap Analysis & Readiness
PCI DSS gap analysis and readiness assessment to show where you stand, what is missing, and what needs to happen before formal validation.
Assessments
Formal PCI DSS assessment delivered by experienced QSAs, covering the appropriate validation route for your organisation and the evidence needed to support it.
Ongoing Support
Ongoing PCI DSS support to help you maintain compliance between formal assessments, manage change, and keep evidence, responsibilities, and recurring activities on track.
PCI DSS gets expensive and disruptive when scope is unclear, payment channels have changed, or nobody is quite sure which validation route applies. The wrong starting point can mean wasted effort, unnecessary controls, and avoidable problems later in the assessment.
We start with the payment environment itself: how card payments are accepted, where account data flows, which systems and third parties are involved, and what genuinely sits inside the cardholder data environment. That gives us a defensible scope and a clear view of what actually applies.
From there, we support the full PCI DSS lifecycle: gap and readiness work, remediation advice, formal QSA assessment, and ongoing support between validation cycles. Some organisations need a QSA-validated SAQ, others need a Report on Compliance, and some first need help understanding whether the environment is ready to be assessed at all.
Our job is to keep that route clear, help your team focus on the issues that matter, and get you to the right assessment outcome without turning PCI DSS into a bigger programme than it needs to be.
Get a quote for PCI DSS
Tell us your scope and objectives, and we’ll come back with a clear, fixed proposal, usually the same working day.
Get a Quoteor call +44 (0) 203 393 7795- CREST-accredited
- UK-based specialists
- Crown Commercial Service supplier
PCI DSS support for merchants and service providers
We work with service providers across a wide range of payment and technology models, including data centres, issuers, payment processors, payment device logistics providers, web developers, and other organisations that support payment environments.
Service provider PCI DSS is rarely one-size-fits-all. The scope, applicable requirements, shared responsibilities, and evidence expectations depend heavily on the service being delivered, how customers rely on it, and where responsibility sits across the wider ecosystem.
We help service providers understand those nuances, define a workable compliance approach, and support the full lifecycle from readiness and remediation through to formal assessment and ongoing compliance. Where services span multiple platforms, we also clarify responsibilities and assurance so the resulting compliance position is useful to both the provider and its customers.
What you get
QSA-led throughout
Your engagement is led by experienced QSAs who understand both the standard and how payment environments work in practice.
A defensible scope
We establish what actually applies before assessment work begins, helping avoid unnecessary effort and complexity. Our QSAs work with you to reduce scope, complexity, and risk.
Clear remediation priorities
Where gaps are found, we show you what matters most, what needs to change, and what should happen first.
The right validation route
We support the appropriate PCI DSS route for your organisation, including QSA-validated SAQs and, where required, full ROC assessments.
Practical support through remediation
We stay involved while your team fixes issues, reviews evidence, and prepares for assessment.
Ongoing compliance support
For support beyond the annual assessment, we provide change advice, evidence review, and help with ongoing PCI DSS activities.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to what prospective clients ask us most.
We take card payments, but we are not sure what is in scope. Where do we start?
Start with scoping. We work through your payment channels, card data flows, systems, and third parties, then determine what genuinely falls within the PCI DSS scope and the likely validation route.
Do we need an SAQ or a Report on Compliance?
That depends on your reporting requirements and payment environment. Those requirements are normally driven by the organisation managing your compliance programme, such as your acquirer or payment brand.
We help establish the scope, understand the environment and support the appropriate assessment route once those requirements are clear.
Do you work with service providers as well as merchants?
Yes. Service provider PCI DSS is often more nuanced than a straightforward merchant assessment, particularly where responsibilities are shared across customers, platforms, and supporting suppliers. We support scoping, gap and readiness work, remediation, formal assessment, and ongoing compliance.
Should we have a gap analysis before formal assessment?
If you are unsure about readiness, yes. A gap analysis lets you find and fix issues before they become formal assessment findings. If your environment is already ready, we will not add a stage you do not need.
Can you help us reduce PCI DSS scope?
Yes, where the payment architecture allows it. We look for legitimate ways to reduce the cardholder data environment and unnecessary assessment effort without creating additional risk.
What happens if you find gaps?
We explain what is missing, why it matters, and what needs to change. We can then stay involved while your team remediates and review the evidence before reassessment.
What will you need from us?
Access to the people who understand payments, supporting technology, and third-party integrations, plus the relevant documentation and evidence. We agree the exact requirements up front.
Can you support us after the assessment?
Yes. We provide ongoing QSA support between validation cycles, including change advice, evidence review, and preparation for revalidation. Where stronger year-round tracking is useful, PCI DSS can also be managed through Clarity.
Related services
Ready to talk about pci dss?
Get a fixed-scope quote, usually the same working day.