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An Introduction to Contactless Cards

What is Contactless?

Contactless is a new feature being introduced on payment cards in the UK to make low value purchases quicker and more convenient for both retailers and consumers. When making low value payments (currently £15 or less) - rather than inserting a card into the chip & PIN machine and typing in a PIN – those with a card featuring Contactless can simply hold it to the reader to pay.

How do I recognise a Contactless card?

Cards featuring Contactless will look much the same as a standard chip and PIN card, but will have been re-issued with a new design incorporating one or more contactless identifiers. The majority of cards issued in the UK will feature the contactless indicator: Contactless identifiers may be found either on the front or the back of the card and will be shown as described below:

Visa - simply look for the Visa logo		and the Contactless Indicator
MasterCard PayPass™ logo		and optionally the Contactless Indicator
Maestro PayPass™ logo		and optionally the Contactless Indicator

When should I process a Contactless transaction?

Where a transaction is for less than the Contactless transaction limit (currently £15), customers can be given the option of paying with a Contactless card. If the transaction amount is above the Contactless transaction limit (currently £15) then all customers should be asked to conduct a standard chip and PIN transaction.