Terminal
A POS terminal is a hardware device that lets merchants accept card payments at the point of sale. It reads payment data through chip, tap, or swipe — and routes it through the card network for real-time authorization and settlement.
PCE Terminal gives you certified hardware and an API-driven integration to process in-person card payments — on the same platform that powers your online payments. One integration, unified reporting, and full control over your payment workflow.
Common use cases include:
- Retail Point of Sale: Process chip, swipe, and contactless payments at the counter with instant authorization feedback.
- Restaurants and Hospitality: Accept card payments tableside or at the counter, with support for tip collection at the point of sale.
- Field Service: Collect card payments on-site during service delivery without a fixed checkout station.
- Healthcare: Process co-payments and service fees at the point of care using a registered terminal device.
- Self-Service Kiosks: Enable customers to complete card-present payments independently at an attended or unattended terminal.
How it Works
Every terminal payment follows the same core flow — from card presentation to authorized payment record.
- Card Presentation — The customer presents their card or mobile wallet at the terminal via chip insert, contactless tap, or magnetic stripe swipe.
- Data Encryption — The terminal encrypts the card data at the point of capture. Raw card data never leaves the device in plain text.
- Authorization Request — PCE routes the encrypted transaction to the card network. The issuing bank evaluates the request and returns an approval or decline in real time.
- Response at Terminal — The terminal displays the outcome to the customer. An approval confirms the payment; a decline prompts a retry or alternative payment method.
- Payment Record Retrieval — Your application retrieves the complete payment record from the PCE Checkout API using the
replayIdsubmitted at transaction creation.
Supported Entry Modes
PCE Terminal supports three card entry modes, each suited to different hardware and customer scenarios.
| Entry Mode | How it Works | Processing Fees | Security Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| EMV (Chip) | The customer inserts their chip card into the terminal. The chip communicates directly with the card network for authentication. | Lowest | Highest |
| NFC (Contactless Tap) | The customer taps their card or mobile wallet — Apple Pay, Google Pay — against the NFC reader. | Lowest | Highest |
| Magnetic Stripe (Swipe) | The customer swipes their card through the terminal reader. Available as a fallback when chip or tap is not supported. | Medium | Medium |
Note — EMV and NFC are the recommended entry modes for all card-present transactions. Magnetic stripe should only be used as a fallback when chip or contactless is unavailable.
Key Capabilities
Card data is transmitted and authorized by the card network in seconds — instant approval or decline at the point of sale.
Card data is encrypted at the point of capture and never stored on the terminal device throughout transmission to the card network.
Semi-integrated terminal architecture reduces your PCI compliance scope without requiring additional certification.
Supports EMV (chip), NFC (contactless tap), and magnetic stripe across consumer and corporate cards.
Register, retrieve, and manage terminal devices programmatically through the PCE Terminal API.
In-person and online transactions managed under a single merchant account — no reconciliation across separate systems.
Integration Paths
PCE Terminal supports two integration paths. Choose the path that matches your hardware and technical requirements before you start building.
| Integration Path | How it Works | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| PCE Terminal API | PCE manages device communication. Your application calls the Terminal API to initiate transactions, poll for status, and retrieve payment records. | Merchants and ISVs using PCE-supported hardware such as Dejavoo. |
| ISV / Direct Integration | Your application integrates directly with the terminal manufacturer's SDK (e.g., PAX). PCE processes the resulting payment through the Checkout API. | ISVs requiring custom terminal UI or advanced device features. |
Not sure which path fits your use case? See Terminal Integration Paths for a full decision guide.
Prerequisites
| Requirement | Details | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Active PCE Merchant Account | Merchant must be fully onboarded, underwritten, and approved on PCE. | PCE Account Management team |
| Registered Terminal Device | A terminal device must be registered and in ENABLED status under the merchant account. | PCE Account Management team |
| Consumer Key and Consumer Secret | Required to obtain a JWT bearer token for Terminal API authentication. | PCE Account Management team |
Note — Contact the PCE Account Management team to initiate terminal device ordering and confirm activation for your account.
Environments
| Environment | Terminal API Base URL | Portal |
|---|---|---|
| Sandbox | ||
| Production |