TTA Bulletin n° 255: IFM Level 1 Renewal Process

EMV® Terminal Type Approval Bulletin No. 255 Sixth Edition, December 2025 IFM Level 1 Renewal Process This Bulletin updates the IFM Level 1 renewal testing in v1.0a Applicability This Bulletin applies to: • Contact Terminal Level 1 Type Approval Process Related Documents This Bulletin should be read in conjunction with: • “EMV Level 1 Specifications for Payment Systems – EMV Contact Interface Specification”, Version 1.0, October 2022. • “EMV SB No. 284 Contact – Clarification for Procedure Byte Use”, First Edition, March 2023. • “EMV SB No. 298 Contact – Clarification of Terminal Timing for Consecutive Characters”, 1st Edition, September 2023. • “EMV – Terminal Type Approval IFM Level 1 – Administrative Process”, version 1.0a.r, September 2025. • “EMV Contact Terminal Level 1 Type Approval – IFM Mechanical and Electrical Test Cases”, version 1.0a.r, September 2025. • “EMV Contact Terminal Level 1 Type Approval – IFM Protocol Test Cases”, version 1.0a.r, September 2025. • “Level 1 IFM – Implementation Conformance Statement”, version 1.0a, December 2023. • “EMV Contact Terminal Level 1 Type Approval – Loopback Upper Tester Specification”, version 1.0a.r, September 2025 • “EMV Terminal Type Approval Bulletin No.272 – Contact Terminal Level 1 Type Approval v1.0a Release”, First Edition, December 2023 Effective Date • Immediately Description This Bulletin updates the Contact Terminal Type Approval renewal for version 1.0a. The fifth edition of this bulletin provided requirements for renewal testing to v1.0a until January 2026. This edition provides additional information for renewal testing starting January 2026. 1. Introduction With the Terminal Type Approval Bulletin No.272, EMVCo introduced the version 1.0a of IFM Level 1 Type Approval process. The present Bulletin introduces the renewal Process for IFMs that were initially approved in version 4.3d or older, and are submitted for renewal testing. As a reminder and as defined in the IFM Administrative Process, renewal testing shall be performed using the applicable version of the Test Plan at the date of starting the renewal tests. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ © 2022-2025 EMVCo, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction, distribution and other use of this document is permitted only pursuant to the applicable agreement between the user and EMVCo found at www.emvco.com. EMV® is a registered trademark or trademark of EMVCo, LLC in the United States and other countries. Page 1 2. v1.0a renewal Since January 1st 2024, the v1.0a test plan is applicable for renewal. The requirements for renewal testing to v1.0a depend on when renewal testing is performed. 2.1. IFMs submitted for renewal until December 31st, 2025 a. Applicable Test Cases For the renewal of IFMs submitted for renewal until December 31st, 2025: o The mechanical tests are not mandatory; o All the electrical tests are mandatory under all conditions (1); o All the protocol tests are mandatory. Test Cases Mechanical tests 1CA.00x.0y Electrical tests 1CB.0xx.0y and 1CC.00x.0y Protocol tests Required renewal tests Not mandatory All Test Cases At all temperatures (1) Using all parameters All Test Cases b. Electrical Test Cases The Test Case 1CB.013.0x shall be performed with specific conditions during a renewal until December 31st, 2025. As per the Specification Bulletin No. 219, 2nd Edition, October 2022, when the v1.0a acceptance criteria “(4.7MHz – εHz) ≤ CLK average frequency ≤ (5MHz + εHz)” yields a FAIL verdict, the Laboratory shall verify manually the CLK frequency measured by the Test Tool. When the acceptance criteria “(2.8MHz – εHz) ≤ CLK average frequency ≤ (5MHz + εHz)” is met, the Laboratory shall turn the FAIL verdict into a PASS verdict. This final PASS verdict will be accepted as appropriate, whereas a FAIL verdict will lead to the rejection of the renewal, without any possible restricted renewal submission. c. Protocol Test Cases The following Test Cases shall be performed with specific conditions: o Test Cases 1755.01 to .08 and 1727.20: As per SB-216, these Test Cases shall not be performed and the laboratory shall indicate in the test report that they are N/A, including the following comment: “This test case is not applicable for renewal as per TTA Bulletin 255 , 6th Edition”. The reasons for this exception are that IFMs initially approved in v4.3c or older shall accept only an ATR containing TB1 = ’00’, and shall reject an ATR containing TB2. o Test Cases 1767.230, 1767.240, 1800.112, 1800.212, 1800.113 and 1800.213: As per SB-218, these Test Cases shall not be performed and the laboratory shall indicate (1) Please note that, as stated in the Test Cases definition, the Test Cases 1CB.001.0x and 1CB.002.0x shall be performed at normal temperature only. © 2022-2025 EMVCo, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction, distribution and other use of this document is permitted only pursuant to the applicable agreement between the user and EMVCo found at www.emvco.com. EMV® is a registered trademark or trademark of EMVCo, LLC in the United States and other countries. Page 2 in the test report that they are N/A including the following comment: “This test case is not applicable for renewal as per TTA Bulletin 255 , 6th Edition”. The reason for this exception is that IFMs initially approved in v4.3c or older shall reject an ATR with 2^CWI = (N + 1). o Test Cases 1705.DTSxy, 1717.DTSxy and 1727.DTSxy: As per SB-247-2, when the Test Case yields a FAIL verdict that is ONLY due to the intercharacter delay being longer than the maximum inter-character timing, the Laboratory shall change this verdict to PASS. The laboratory shall also add the following comment in the test report: “The verdict has been turned to PASS as per TTA Bulletin 255 , 6th Edition”. The reason for this exception is that IFMs initially approved in v4.3c or older had no maximum inter-character timing. 2.2. IFMs submitted for renewal starting January 1st 2026 a. Applicable Test Cases For the renewal of IFMs submitted to approval starting January 1st, 2026: o The mechanical tests are not mandatory; o IFMs approved or renewed in version 4.3d or 1.0a: Only the electrical Test Case 1CB.013.0x is mandatory, under all conditions; IFMs approved in version 4.3c: all electrical Test Cases are mandatory under all conditions. o All the protocol tests are mandatory. Test Cases Mechanical tests 1CA.00x.0y Electrical tests 1CB.0xx.0y and 1CC.00x.0y Protocol tests Required renewal tests Not mandatory IFMs approved or renewed in v4.3d or v1.0a: 1CB.013.0x only At all temperatures Using all parameters IFMs approved or renewed in v4.3c: all electrical Test Cases are mandatory under all conditions All Test Cases b. Electrical Test Cases Starting from January 1st, 2026, the following specific conditions apply for the Test Case 1CB.013.0x during a renewal. If the v1.0a acceptance criteria “(4.7MHz – εHz) ≤ CLK average frequency ≤ (5MHz + εHz)” yields a FAIL verdict, the Laboratory shall verify manually the CLK frequency measured by the Test Tool and report its value as a comment in the test report. If the CLK frequency is within “(2.8MHz – εHz) ≤ CLK average frequency ≤ (4.7MHz - εHz)”, it is deemed as acceptable for restricted renewal. Otherwise, the FAIL verdict is confirmed. This will lead to the rejection of the renewal, without any possible restricted renewal submission. © 2022-2025 EMVCo, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction, distribution and other use of this document is permitted only pursuant to the applicable agreement between the user and EMVCo found at www.emvco.com. EMV® is a registered trademark or trademark of EMVCo, LLC in the United States and other countries. Page 3 In case the IFM under renewal only fails the Test Case 1CB.013 and fulfills the “(2.8MHz – εHz) ≤ CLK average frequency ≤ (4.7MHz - εHz)” criteria, the fail will be accepted, without requiring to be reviewed by an EMVCo approved reviewer. In case the IFM fails any other Test Case, an external review by an EMVCo approved reviewer is needed in order to assess whether the restricted renewal can be granted or not. c. Protocol Test Cases The following Test Cases shall be performed with specific conditions: o Test Cases 1755.01 to .08 and 1727.20 may have FAIL verdicts. Failure on these tests will be accepted, without requiring to be reviewed by an EMVCo approved reviewer. o Test Cases 1767.230, 1767.240, 1800.112, 1800.212, 1800.113 and 1800.213 may have FAIL verdicts. Failure on these tests will be accepted, without requiring to be reviewed by an EMVCo approved reviewer. o Test Cases 1705.DTSxy, 1717.DTSxy and 1727.DTSxy may have FAIL verdicts. If the FAIL verdict is ONLY due to the inter-character delay being longer than the maximum intercharacter timing, the Laboratory shall report in comment that “The verdict is FAIL only due to the inter-character timing” and report corresponding logs in appendix. Such failures on these tests will be accepted, without requiring to be reviewed by an EMVCo approved reviewer. In case the IFM fails any other Test Case, an external review by an EMVCo approved reviewer is needed in order to assess whether the restricted renewal can be granted or not. 3. General renewal requirements. 3.1. Loopback To start a v1.0a renewal process, an IFM shall include a Loopback Upper Tester application that is compliant to v4.3a, 4.3c, v4.3d or v1.0a. In case an update of the Loopback Upper Tester application is necessary for the renewal testing, no change shall be performed on the Level 1 part of the IFM, neither hardware nor software. 3.2. Renewal Process The administrative process for renewals remains unchanged. Additional details about the renewal process can be found in the Contact Terminal Level 1 Administrative Process document. For additional information, please contact EMVCo CATA Secretariat. terminal_approval@emvco.com © 2022-2025 EMVCo, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction, distribution and other use of this document is permitted only pursuant to the applicable agreement between the user and EMVCo found at www.emvco.com. EMV® is a registered trademark or trademark of EMVCo, LLC in the United States and other countries. Page 4 Legal Notice This document is subject to change by EMVCo at any time. This document does not create any binding obligations upon EMVCo or any third party regarding the subject matter of this document, which obligations will exist, if at all, only to the extent set forth in separate written agreements executed by EMVCo or such third parties. 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