Credit Cards-Need Pin?

[teacherplus]

Do credit cards need a pin to be used in Canada? I know that is a problem in some countries in Europe.

 

Thanks for the info.

[Appygirl]

It depends on the store/restaurant. Not a really helpful answer but its not streamlined by any means in Canada. I was in Walmart the other day with a friend who used her credit card and they did not require a pin. Then we went to the liquor store and they needed her pin.

 

I can't remember my credit card pin but I rarely use my card. If it was me I would take enough cash on hand to cover the bill and try with the credit card first and if it requires a pin, I'd use either my debit card or cash.

[maryann ns]

So far, if you do not have a chip in your credit card it is not a problem. You will just be asked to sign.

[Langley Cruisers]

Do credit cards need a pin to be used in Canada?

 

No.

 

So far, if you do not have a chip in your credit card it is not a problem. You will just be asked to sign.

 

That's pretty much it. Chip in credit card + chip machine at merchant = PIN. If the merchant has a chip machine you will use it for your debit and credit purchases. Seems more and more merchants are getting the chip machine, just lately (out west, anyway).

[MonaCD]

As others have stated, a pin is only required for those cards that have the chip and then only if the merchant is set up with a machine that uses chip technology. More and more businesses are updating to the chip technology. There are ways of getting around requiring the PIN but then that defeats the whole purpose of the technology.

[Ephraim]

Do credit cards need a pin to be used in Canada? I know that is a problem in some countries in Europe.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

If your card has a chip, then you will need your PIN. (Sample photo, below.) These cards are issued in Europe, Canada, Asia and South America.

 

 

If your card is an American issued card with a Visa/MC logo, then you will not need your PIN and in fact, you can't use you PIN in any case, since any card with a Visa/MC logo in Canada is strictly a credit card.

 

(And if you have a new chip and pin card issued, your first transaction will likely still need a signature. Transactions after that will simply use the PIN.)