Contactless limit increase

The contactless limit is going up.

The contactless limit is now £100

Read our FAQs
Pay up to £100 safely and securely

Customers can now make contactless payments of up to £100, safely and securely

You dont need to do anything

If you have a Barclaycard or one of our card readers, you don’t need to do anything

We'll automatically roll out the update

We have automatically rolled out the update on our card readers

Your questions answered

  • Why was the contactless limit increased?

    The decision to raise the limit on 15 October 2021 was taken following consultation with the retail sector and the Banking and Finance industry. It follows the successful increase from £30 to £45 in April 2020, and is designed to make it even easier for consumers to make payments.

     

  • How will the limit change work in practice?

    If you have a card reader or terminal from Barclaycard

    The software on card payment machines has been updated to accept the £100 limit. The software began rolling out on October 15 2021, but with hundreds of thousands of terminals in the UK, the updating process will happen gradually.

    If a purchase costs more than £45 and your card reader has not yet been updated to accept £100 transactions, then contactless card payments will not be an available option.

    If you have your own equipment or third party device

    You'll need to contact your point of sale provider to make these changes on your behalf.
     

  • Why is the limit £100 now?

    The £100 limit is designed to balance security, convenience and consumer demand.

    It aims to provide consumers with an element of choice, depending on their understanding, circumstances and needs.

    A customer may wish to pay using contactless for amounts exceeding £45, or they can opt to pay using Chip and PIN, or use a mobile wallet such as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay or Google Pay to authenticate the transaction.
     

  • How will this increase benefit me and my business?

    Lifting the contactless limit to £100 could generate the following benefits...

    For the customer:

    • provides more flexibility in payment choice, encompassing low to mid-value payments
    • provides additional convenience by covering important sectors such as clothes shopping, petrol, meals out and transit

    For retailers:

    • potential increases in customer footfall in busy sectors and times
    • clothing – covers average basket size for a larger number of retailers
    • petrol – covers ATV, and helps with hygiene at pump
    • transit – expands base for Contactless Transit Model 2 (pay as you go), including average expected Crossrail fares, and Project Oval (Brighton to north of London)
    • charity – allows for larger donations as events restart
     

  • I have outlets outside of the UK, has the limit increased in these territories?

    This change only applies to the UK, Northern Ireland and Channel Islands.

  • Do I have to adopt the £100 limit?

    The £100 limit should be adopted. The new limit will help you provide an improved and consistent consumer experience regardless of where customers make purchases.

  • Am I liable for fraudulent contactless transactions?

    The fraud liability shift remains in place for the £100 limit, and there's no further risk to you accepting the higher contactless value.

  • Does the cardholder have to use contactless if the purchase value is below £100?

    No, cardholders can still choose to use Chip and PIN.