Updated 2 October 2026.
A payment kiosk lets a customer pay what they owe without queueing for a cashier. The customer finds the account or order, pays by cash, card or wallet, and leaves with a receipt, and the kiosk posts the payment to the business that is owed it. The most common type is the bill pay kiosk.
The cabinet is the easy part. A payment kiosk only works if three systems work together:
- The cabinet: the cash and card devices, the printer and the safe.
- The money path: a PCI-approved card device, a licensed processor, and a cash collection routine.
- The back end: an integration that posts each payment to the biller and reconciles it.
This guide covers all three, explains cash-to-card kiosks (reverse ATMs), and lists the questions to send any supplier, including us.
What counts as a payment kiosk
| Term | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Bill pay kiosk / bill payment kiosk | Takes payments on an existing account: utility, phone, rent, tax or fines. Usually accepts cash. |
| Self-service payment kiosk / self pay kiosk | The general term. Also covers paying for an order, a co-pay or a fee. |
| Pay station / automated pay station | Mostly parking and transit. Charges for time or a ticket, not an account balance. |
| Cash payment kiosk | A payment kiosk built mainly to take cash, often from customers who have no card. |
| Banking kiosk / bank kiosk | Self-service in or near a bank branch. Cash-dispensing ATMs are a separate, specialist product. |
| Cashless payment kiosk | Card, wallet and QR only. Simpler and lower-risk if every user has a card. |
| Cash-to-card kiosk / reverse ATM | Takes cash and issues a prepaid card. Covered below. |
Who uses bill pay kiosks, and why cash still matters
Utilities, telecom providers, property managers and courts use them for bills, top-ups, rent and fines, and councils use them for rates, permits and fees, often after hours (public service kiosks). Hospitals use them for co-pays at check-in (healthcare).
Cash is often why these kiosks exist. The Federal Reserve’s 2026 Diary of Consumer Payment Choice found that cash was 14% of US consumer payments by number in 2025. It was around 17% for consumers in households earning under $100,000 and about 9% for those earning more. The FDIC’s 2023 survey found 4.2% of US households (5.6 million) had no bank account. For billers with many such customers, a cash-accepting kiosk keeps in-person payment open after the counter closes.
How a payment kiosk works
- Identify. The customer scans the bill’s barcode, types an account number, or scans a QR code from an SMS.
- Look up. The kiosk asks the biller’s system for the masked account name and the amount due.
- Tender. The customer pays with notes, coins, a card or a wallet, or a mix. A running total is shown as notes go in.
- Authorise or count. The card device sends the card to the processor for approval, and the note and coin devices validate and count the cash.
- Post. The kiosk sends the payment to the biller, either straight away through an API or in a scheduled batch file.
- Receipt. The kiosk prints a receipt, sends one by SMS or email, or both, with a reference the customer can quote later.
The kiosk’s own log records the account, amount, tender, time and receipt ID. The processor’s portal records authorisations, settlement and fees. A card terminal knows an amount was approved, not which account it was for, so the kiosk must keep its own record (see payments).
Hardware: what goes in the cabinet
| Component | What to specify |
|---|---|
| Touchscreen and controller | Screen size and brightness (sunlight-readable outdoors), remote management |
| Barcode / QR scanner | The barcode types printed on your bills (1D, PDF417, QR) |
| Bill validator (note acceptor) | Currencies, denominations, cassette capacity, how well it accepts worn notes |
| Note recycler or dispenser | Only if the kiosk gives change in notes; adds cost, space and refill work |
| Coin acceptor / hopper | Whether you want coins at all; a hopper is needed for coin change |
| Card device (EMV chip, contactless, PIN) | A PCI PTS-approved device that your processor supports |
| Receipt printer | Paper capacity, a paper-low alert, and an SMS/email fallback |
| Safe / cash vault | Security rating, lock type, and an audit trail of each opening |
| Connectivity | Wired connection with cellular failover, and what happens offline |
| Enclosure | Indoor, through-wall or outdoor, anchoring, and ADA reach ranges |
Cash acceptance and handling
- Change or no change. A kiosk that takes notes but gives no change is simpler. Overpayments are credited to the account, which suits bill payment. Giving change needs a recycler or dispenser and a refill routine.
- Cassette sizing. Size the cassette for your busiest period between collections. Set the kiosk to stop taking cash when the cassette is nearly full, so it does not jam.
- Safe rating. UL 291 rates cash containers as Business Hour Service or 24-Hour Service Level 1 or 2. In Europe the CEN EN 1143-1 grades apply. A kiosk left unattended overnight needs a higher rating than one in view of a teller, and your insurer may set the minimum.
- Cash-in-transit (CIT) and audit. An armoured carrier collects the cassettes. The kiosk should produce a collection report by cassette and denomination, so the deposit can be matched to the kiosk log. Keep the safe codes with different people from the cabinet keys.
Card acceptance and PCI
Three PCI Security Standards Council standards apply, each to a different party:
- PCI PTS POI covers the card device. It covers devices that protect PINs and account data and explicitly includes unattended payment terminals. Specify a PCI-approved device that your processor supports, never a reader built from loose components.
- PCI DSS applies to the merchant that takes the payment and to its service providers.
- PCI P2PE reduces that scope. PCI SSC says P2PE “cryptographically protects account data from the point where a merchant accepts the payment card to the secure point of decryption”. It also says merchants using PCI-listed P2PE solutions have fewer applicable PCI DSS requirements.
The design rule is that the kiosk application never touches card data. It sends an amount to the payment device and gets back approved or declined with a reference. That is how MDB cashless terminals already work in vending machines.
Unattended card devices are also a target for skimming. PCI SSC’s skimming prevention guidance calls self-service terminals prime targets and recommends a terminal inventory and regular inspections. Fix the card device in place behind a locked panel where it can be inspected easily.
The back end: biller integration, settlement and reconciliation
- Biller integration. Connect directly to the biller’s billing system, or through a bill-payment provider that already connects to many billers. Real-time API posting lets a disconnected account be restored straight away. A nightly batch file is simpler, but the receipt must say when the payment will show on the account.
- Settlement. Card money settles through the processor on its schedule. Cash settles when the CIT carrier deposits it, so one day’s takings arrive in the bank in more than one deposit.
- Reconciliation. Match the kiosk log, the processor settlement report and the CIT deposit on receipt ID and time. Before go-live, agree who owns exceptions: a card approved with no posting, a posting with no card approval, or a cash shortage.
- Fees. Card-scheme rules and local law limit card convenience fees, so confirm with your processor and counsel before charging one.
Accessibility (ADA)
In the US, a payment kiosk open to the public is covered by the ADA. Section 220.1 of the 2010 ADA Standards applies section 707 to ATMs and fare machines. Buyers commonly use section 707 as the reference for any payment kiosk. It requires:
- Speech output for all displayed information, delivered through something any user can access, such as a standard headphone jack (707.5).
- At least one tactile control for each function, and a 12-key telephone-style keypad with a tactile mark on the 5 key (707.6).
- A display visible from 40 inches (1015 mm) above the floor space in front of the kiosk (707.7).
- Braille instructions for starting speech mode (707.8), and the same input and output privacy as for other users (707.4).
Section 308 limits the unobstructed forward reach to 48 inches (1220 mm) maximum and 15 inches (380 mm) minimum above the floor. That covers the card slot, the note slot, the keypad and the receipt slot. Set these at the enclosure design stage, because a note acceptor mounted high to make room for a recycler is a common cause of non-compliance.
Banking kiosks
A banking kiosk in a branch lobby or after-hours vestibule handles account lookups, deposits, instant card printing, account opening with ID scanning, or video calls to a banker. It raises the same PCI, cash-security and accessibility questions as a bill pay kiosk. Cash-dispensing ATMs are a specialist product with their own certifications. Buy them from an ATM manufacturer. In India, “kiosk banking” usually means a customer service point run by a business correspondent agent. That is a staffed agent model, not an unattended machine.
Cash-to-card kiosks and reverse ATMs
A reverse ATM, or cash-to-card kiosk, takes notes and issues a prepaid debit card loaded with the same value. Cashless stadiums, theme parks and restaurants install them so their tills can stay card-only, with all cash handling moved into one secured machine.
The debate. Critics point out that people who pay with cash are often people without a bank card, and that prepaid cards can carry fees, minimum loads or expiry dates. Lawmakers have responded:
- Several states and cities require retailers to accept cash. These include Massachusetts (for decades), New Jersey, Rhode Island, Philadelphia, San Francisco and New York City (Hunton Andrews Kurth summary). Most also stop businesses charging cash customers more.
- New York State’s S4153A, signed in November 2025 and in force from March 2026, allows a cash-to-card device in place of accepting cash only if it charges no fee, needs a deposit of no more than one dollar, issues funds that do not expire, and gives a receipt on request. If the device is out of service, the business must take cash (bill text; Holland & Knight).
- The federal Payment Choice Act of 2023 proposed requiring cash acceptance for in-person sales up to $500, with an exception for no-fee cash-to-prepaid-card devices. It was not enacted.
The rules vary by jurisdiction and change often, so confirm current local law with counsel before relying on a reverse ATM instead of accepting cash.
What a project needs. The machine itself is a cash kiosk with a note validator, a safe and a card dispenser. The prepaid card is a regulated financial product. It needs an issuing bank or programme manager, KYC, fee disclosures, a way to check balances, and a way for customers to get unused funds back. KioskForce does not run a prepaid-card programme. We can build the cabinet, the cash handling and the kiosk software, but the project only works with a card-issuing partner, and that partner usually sets the requirements.
Where a payment kiosk is the wrong answer
- Low walk-in volume. If you take a handful of in-person payments a day, online payment and a retail cash-payment network will cost less.
- No integration budget. A kiosk that cannot post to the biller is a cash box with a screen.
- No cash plan. If you cannot fund CIT collections, a rated safe and someone to own reconciliation, go cashless.
- You need cash dispensing. Buy an ATM from an ATM manufacturer.
- US-made requirements. KioskForce manufactures in China. If your funding requires Buy America compliance, as federally funded transit projects can, buy from a US manufacturer.
Questions to send any payment kiosk supplier
- Which card devices do you integrate? Are they PCI PTS-approved, and which processors support them in our country?
- Does the kiosk application ever see readable card data? Is the payment path a PCI-listed P2PE solution?
- Which note and coin devices do you fit, for which currencies, and what are the cassette capacities?
- Does the kiosk give change? If so, what is the refill procedure?
- What safe rating do you offer, and does the safe keep an audit trail?
- What record does the kiosk keep of each payment, separately from the processor? Can we export it?
- How does the kiosk post to our billing system, and who builds and maintains that integration?
- Show us, on drawings, how the kiosk meets ADA 707 and the 308 reach ranges.
- Who installs and services it in our region, and who handles warranty claims?
- Which certification marks will it carry for our market, and which bodies issued them?
See also vetting a manufacturer.
How KioskForce answers those questions
| Question | KioskForce answer |
|---|---|
| What we build | Kiosk hardware and software, designed in Nanjing and built at our partner factories in China to your specification. The K180-6C standard kiosk is a common starting point. See kiosks. |
| Cash | Note acceptors, coin acceptors and coin mechanisms over MDB. Note recyclers, coin hoppers and safes are available as options, specified per project and priced on the quotation. |
| Card and wallet | MDB cashless terminals from Nayax, Cantaloupe or another processor you nominate, Vending on Track VendCoin as an option, and on-screen QR for WeChat Pay and Alipay. The terminal and processor handle the card. See payments. |
| Authorise now, settle later | Nayax Marshall multi-session integration certification for the Equipment Rental machine type, valid to 31 March 2028. It suits deposits and hire. See equipment hire. |
| Transaction record | The kiosk keeps its own record of every transaction from machine telemetry, independent of the terminal, and matches it to the processor’s records on receipt ID. |
| Integration | REST API, CSV and ServiceNow. Biller integrations are scoped as a software project. |
| PCI and prepaid | KioskForce is not a payment processor, does not hold PCI certification and does not run a prepaid-card programme. PCI DSS compliance belongs to you and your processor. |
| Certification | Specified for the destination market and confirmed on the quotation. See power and compliance. |
| Sales and support | Sold direct and, in some regions, through local distributors. Installation is optional and done by your contractor or, in some regions, a local distributor. We do not install, commission or train on site. Support is by email, or through the distributor, which also handles warranty where it supplied the kiosk. |
| MOQ, lead time, warranty | MOQ is 1 unit for a modified standard model and typically 10 for a full custom design. Lead time is 4–6 weeks for a modified standard model or 8–12 weeks for a custom enclosure, with software scoped separately. Warranty is 12 months on manufacturing defects. See FAQ. |
| Price | The K180-6C is indicatively USD 1,800 before payment hardware, freight, duties and installation. Recyclers, safes and card terminals add significantly. See kiosk cost. |
Frequently asked questions
What is a payment kiosk?
A payment kiosk is a self-service terminal that lets a customer find an account or order, pay it by cash, card or mobile wallet, and get a receipt without a cashier. The kiosk passes the payment to a processor and posts it to the business that is owed the money, such as a utility, a council, a landlord or a court. Bill pay kiosks are the most common type. Others take payment for parking, hospital co-pays, fees and deposits.
How does a bill pay kiosk work?
The customer scans the barcode on the bill or types an account number. The kiosk looks the account up with the biller and shows the amount due. The customer pays with notes, coins, a card or a wallet. The kiosk then authorises the card or counts the cash, posts the payment to the biller in real time or in a scheduled batch file, and prints or sends a receipt. Card money settles through the processor. Cash stays in the kiosk safe until a cash-in-transit crew collects it and deposits it.
Do payment kiosks need to be PCI compliant?
Yes, if they accept payment cards. The merchant that takes the payment has to meet the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). The card reader or PIN pad should be a device approved under the PCI PIN Transaction Security (PTS) POI standard, which covers unattended payment terminals. Using a PCI-listed point-to-point encryption (P2PE) solution means the kiosk computer never sees readable card data, which reduces the number of PCI DSS requirements that apply. Compliance belongs to the merchant and its processor. A kiosk builder cannot sell it to you.
What is a reverse ATM or cash-to-card kiosk?
A reverse ATM, or cash-to-card kiosk, takes a customer’s notes and loads the same value onto a prepaid card that can be spent at a cashless venue such as a stadium or theme park. The venue stays card-only at its tills while still giving cash customers a way to pay. Cash-acceptance laws in several US states and cities limit how such machines can be used. New York State, for example, permits them only if they charge no fee, take deposits of one dollar or less and issue funds that do not expire. Every reverse ATM needs a card-issuing partner, because the prepaid card is a regulated financial product.
Does KioskForce process payments or hold PCI certification?
No. KioskForce designs and builds the kiosk hardware and software and integrates the payment devices you choose: note acceptors and coin mechanisms, MDB cashless terminals such as Nayax and Cantaloupe, and on-screen QR wallets. The processor behind the card terminal handles authorisation, settlement and card-scheme reporting, and your organisation and your processor are responsible for PCI DSS compliance. KioskForce does not run a prepaid-card programme, so a cash-to-card project needs a card-issuing partner.
Related reading
- Kiosks: the KioskForce kiosk range and the K180-6C.
- Payment methods and compatibility: MDB cash and cashless devices, QR wallets, and the machine’s own sales record.
- Kiosk cost and kiosk software.
- Outdoor kiosks: enclosures for through-wall and outdoor payment points.
- Self-checkout kiosks and ticketing kiosks.
- Public service kiosks: councils, permits and fees.
- Power and compliance: certification by destination market.
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