EMV Level 3 Contactless Certification Recommended Solutions to Reduce Deployment Time
Publication Date: July 2019
Vendors and merchants currently face a variety of testing and certification challenges in connection with the implementation and deployment of Level 3 (L3) certified contactless solutions. Many of these stem from inconsistencies among payment network certification requirements for contactless. A more consistent, more streamlined, and less intrusive contactless certification process would likely help address these challenges and, as a result, help decrease associated burdens on merchants and other payments industry stakeholders.
When the U.S. first began its transition to EMV, stakeholders were on an upward learning curve and eager to address potential liability shifts. Now, clients and vendors have a much better understanding of EMV and EMV certification, and new liability shifts for automated fuel dispensers (AFDs) are scheduled for 2020. These factors, along with Visa’s streamlined contactless Level 3 chip certifications approach, as well as concerns among AFD vendors and merchants regarding the short amount of time remaining to certify before AFD liability shifts, and the anticipated time needed to certify under current requirements, suggest this may be an opportune time to rethink and optimize overall EMV contactless certification.
The U.S. Payments Forum Testing and Certification Working Committee identified possible testing and certification challenges to implementation and deployment of Level 3 (L3) certified contactless implementations for merchants. This white paper describes these challenges and opportunities to address them, and proposes possible solutions.
As suggested in this paper, many aspects of certification can be considered and potentially improved and streamlined: from intake forms for initial payment network certification to acknowledgement of a certified solution and the role of regression testing.
This document is intended to further that process, by providing payment networks, acquirers and vendors with concrete opportunities for streamlining and optimizing contactless certification, in a way that could prove critical for broad contactless acceptance in the U.S., and at the same time, help increase efficiency by saving resources and expense and avoiding overlapping and repeated testing.
It is in this spirit that this white paper is presented.
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