What No CVM is
No CVM means no Cardholder Verification Method is performed. The customer does not enter a PIN or provide a signature, and the transaction does not use another method to verify who is presenting the card. The term describes the transaction's verification outcome, not a PIN or signature check.
For contactless payments, the card or payment device and the reader determine whether verification is required. A tap below the reader's CVM Required Limit can proceed without verification when the card and device do not require it. The limit is based on business needs, and there is no single U.S. dollar amount in the Visa guidance. This differs from Cardholder Verification Method (CVM), which names the broader category of checks, including PIN and signature.
No CVM skips cardholder verification, but it does not skip authorization.
How No CVM works at checkout
When a contactless transaction is below the reader's CVM limit, the customer can tap without entering a PIN or signing. Above that limit, the transaction requires verification, such as a PIN, signature, or verification on a mobile device. The reader's limit and the card's requirements determine the result, not a universal U.S. threshold.
For a contact transaction, the terminal uses the card's prioritized CVM list and its own capabilities to determine the applicable method. Visa's U.S. implementation guidance says merchants should not request a CVM when the terminal has not prompted for one. Local laws that require verification take precedence over network rules.
What it means for risk and costs
No CVM removes a verification step, so the transaction does not confirm the customer's identity through a PIN or signature. For U.S. Visa contactless transactions, the reader contactless floor limit must be zero, which means transactions go online for authorization. Authorization decides whether the payment is approved; it is separate from verifying the cardholder.
No CVM is not a separate processing-fee category, and the network guidance does not specify a No CVM fee or standard statement line. For contactless payments, the underlying card product determines pricing. Do not treat the absence of a PIN or signature as a reason to expect a lower processing rate.
What you can actually change
You control how your reader is configured, but the card and applicable rules also affect whether a transaction proceeds without verification. Set a limit that fits your checkout needs and follow local requirements.
- Confirm the CVM limit configured on each contactless reader.
- Test that transactions above the limit prompt for an accepted verification method.
- Follow local requirements when they require verification, even if the terminal does not prompt.
- Do not ask customers for a PIN or signature when the terminal has not prompted for a CVM.
- Check reader settings. Record the CVM limit configured on each contactless terminal and confirm it matches your checkout procedures.
- Test both sides. Run test transactions below and above the configured limit to confirm the prompts match your setup.
- Review local rules. Confirm your procedures meet any local verification requirements that apply to your business.
Frequently asked questions
Does No CVM mean a contactless payment is not authorized?
No. Cardholder verification and payment authorization are different steps. For U.S. Visa contactless transactions, the reader contactless floor limit must be zero, so transactions go online for authorization even when no PIN or signature is requested.
What is the No CVM limit in the United States?
There is no single U.S. dollar amount specified in the Visa guidance. The contactless reader's CVM Required Limit is based on business needs, while the card and device also affect whether verification is required.
Does No CVM lower my processing fees?
No CVM is not a separate processing-fee category, and the network guidance does not specify a No CVM fee. Contactless pricing is based on the underlying card product, not simply on whether the customer enters a PIN or signs.