At this time we all want to support our friends, families and communities in keeping safe and following the social guidelines where possible.

You may have seen in some shops that our front line retail workers have notices up encouraging you to use Contactless payments where possible. So, to support this we want to help you understand how you can pay with Contactless when you do head to the shops for essentials.

As part of this, to help keep front line staff and customers as safe as possible, we have worked with our card processing partners and retailers to increase the Contactless limit from €30 to €50 per transaction, without having to enter your PIN. While some retailers were not able to update their payment systems, the majority of retailers are on board.

What exactly is Contactless and how does it work?

Contactless is a quick, easy and secure way to pay for goods and essentials up to €50 per transaction using your permanent tsb Visa Debit or Credit Card. To pay, just hold your card against the card reader; it only takes a few seconds to process and there’s no need to enter your PIN. From time to time you may be required to input your PIN as a security measure. For purchases over €50 you will still need to enter your PIN as normal.

Where can I use my Contactless Visa Debit Card?

You can pay by Contactless wherever you see the symbol. At this time you will mainly be visiting essential service providers like grocery stores, the majority of Irish retailers have Contactless terminals and if you are unsure you can ask when paying at the till. Most self-service checkouts also have Contactless, so just look for the symbol.

What are the daily limits on my card?

As a result of COVID-19, we have worked with our card processing partners and retailers to increase the Contactless limit to €50 from €30 per transaction, to help keep front line staff and customers as safe as possible.

While some retailers were not able to update their payment systems, the majority of retailers are on board and allow for payments up to €50 per transaction.

This applies anywhere you see the Contactless symbol, whether it is at the till, the self-service checkout or at transport station terminals. 

What are the benefits of using Contactless?

• Quick and Easy
• Pay for items up to €50 per transaction
• No additional fees to use it
• Available in most Irish retailers
• Follow guidelines and support front line retail workers

Are there additional fees on Contactless Visa Debit and Credit Cards?

Using Contactless to pay for purchases will be treated the same as POS (point of sale); there is no additional fee for paying by Contactless.

Contactless transactions appearing on my bank account

Contactless transactions appear immediately in your pending transactions on Open24 Online and Phone Banking. In your bank statements, you can easily pick out Contactless payments as they have a prefix of CNC so you can recognise them; e.g. CNC Shop Name 05/03 €11.43.

I’m concerned that my card can be used without entering a PIN.

Even though the Contactless Visa Debit and Credit Cards let you pay for things up to €50 per transaction without entering a PIN, you can rest assured that your money is protected.

Contactless Visa Debit and Credit cards are just as secure as traditional Chip and PIN payments. The cards use the same secure technology as any other Visa Chip and PIN card and include the latest security features set by the payment card industry.

Once you reach €150 in Contactless transactions in any period of time, you’ll also be asked to enter your PIN as a security measure and will then be able to use Contactless again.

And, if your card is ever lost or stolen, you’ll still be covered by permanent tsb’s Visa Card terms and conditions of use.

Am I liable for any fraudulent Contactless transactions made if my card is stolen?

Your liability for fraudulent transactions is not affected by using a Contactless Visa Debit or Credit Card. That said, you should always keep your card safe and report any lost or stolen cards to us immediately, contact details can be found here.

Lending criteria, terms and conditions apply. Credit Card fees may apply, for more information please visit Credit Card Section on our website. permanent tsb p.l.c is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

The content of this blog does not constitute advice and is for general information purposes only. Readers should always seek professional advice before relying on anything stated in the blog. Some of the links above bring you to external websites. Your use of an external website is subject to the terms of that site.