What is contactless payment?

Verified 11 May 2020 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Contactless payment is a quick payment method, by credit card or mobile phone. You can use it to make small purchases at a merchant with a special case. For a given period (per day, per week or per month), the cumulative amount of contactless payments is limited.

With credit card

Contactless payment allows you to make a purchase by approaching your credit card within 4 centimeters of a special case (often called terminal).

The payment order is therefore given without a secret code, without a signature and without the presentation of an identity document.

For security reasons, the maximum amount of a contactless payment is limited.

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Card issued after September 2017

The maximum amount of a contactless payment is limited to €50 per operation.

Card issued before October 2017

The maximum amount of a contactless payment is limited to €20 per operation.

Your bank sets a ceiling on the cumulative amount of "contactless" purchases authorized (per day, per week or per month). The maximum number of consecutive transactions allowed is also limited.

When a ceiling is exceeded, the cardholder must use another means of payment.

With a phone

To use a mobile phone as a means of payment, 2 conditions must be met:

  • your phone must be equipped with NFC ("Near Field Communication")
  • your bank must offer a mobile payment service.

Contactless payment allows you to make a purchase by approaching your phone within 4 centimeters of a special case (often called terminal).

The payment order is therefore given without signature and without presentation of ID.

For a purchase of a small amount (€20 or €30 approximately), payment is made without entering the code.

For higher amount, you may be asked to enter:

  • your PIN on the merchant's payment terminal keyboard
  • or a password on your phone (different from the PIN on your card).

Your bank sets a ceiling on the cumulative amount of "contactless" purchases authorized (per day, per week or per month). The maximum number of consecutive transactions allowed is also limited.

When a ceiling is exceeded, you must use another means of payment.