# DPS Card and Account Services

## DPS Card and Account Services Authentication Method

### Security and Authentication Requirements

The _Card Inquiry_ and _Card Services APIs_ use [Mutual (Two-Way) SSL Authentication](https://developer.visa.com/pages/working-with-visa-apis/two-way-ssl) and Channel Encryption (CE), which requires the issuer to obtain a user ID and password and install a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) certificate issued by Visa. Test credentials can be obtained online from the Project Dashboard for sandbox testing. There is a separate application process in order to obtain production credentials. For more information about how to begin the production on-boarding process, contact [developer@visa.com](mailto:developer@visa.com).