PIN PAD Out of Order Error: Causes & Fixes for Ingenico, Verifone & PAX (2026)

Got a "PIN PAD Out of Order" error on your payment terminal?

Here's the good news: in most cases, you can get it back online in under 2 minutes. In this post, I'll walk you through exactly why this happens and what to do — starting with the quickest fixes first.

Quick fix first: Open the terminal back cover, unplug the PIN pad cable, plug it back in firmly, then restart the terminal. This resolves physical connection issues immediately. If that doesn't work, keep reading.

Terminal models covered: Ingenico iCT220, iCT250, iWL250, iPP220, iPP280, iPP310, iPP320, iPP350, Desk 3500, Move 5000; Verifone VX520, VX670, MX925; PAX S300, A920.

What Does "PIN PAD Out of Order" Actually Mean?

The error means the main terminal body and the PIN pad cannot establish a secure communication link between each other.

Think of it this way: the terminal and the PIN pad constantly check each other's security credentials before allowing a transaction. When one side can't verify the other — either because of a loose cable, a hardware fault, or an expired digital certificate — you get "PIN PAD Out of Order."

There are three main causes, in order of likelihood:

1. Loose or faulty PIN pad cable — most common, easiest fix
2. Expired IngeTrust digital certificate — Ingenico-specific, affects older Telium-generation terminals
3. Hardware failure — least common, requires service

Quick Fixes to Try First (All Brands)

Before anything else, try these steps in order. They resolve the majority of PIN PAD Out of Order errors:

1. Reseat the cable: Open the terminal back cover. Locate the PIN pad cable (usually a flat ribbon cable or USB cable). Unplug it completely, wait 5 seconds, push it back in until it clicks. Close the cover.
2. Restart the terminal: Follow the restart guide for your model. A restart forces the terminal and PIN pad to re-establish their connection from scratch.
3. Check for smiley face on PIN pad screen: After restart, does the PIN pad show a "Welcome" message or a smiley? If yes — it's fixed. If it shows an error or stays blank — keep reading.
4. Power cycle completely: Unplug the terminal from power for 30 seconds. This forces a full hardware reset on both terminal and PIN pad.

Ingenico PIN PAD Out of Order — Full Fix Guide

If the quick fixes above didn't work on your Ingenico, you're almost certainly dealing with an expired IngeTrust certificate. This is a known issue affecting thousands of Telium-generation Ingenico terminals.

Affected models

iCT220, iCT250, iWL250, iWL280, iSMP, iCMP, iPP220, iPP280, iPP310, iPP320, iPP350, iHC950, Gamme ISelf — and any Telium 2 generation terminal with a pinpad manufactured before 2015.

Why it happens

PCI security standards require digital certificates on payment terminals to have a limited lifetime. Ingenico uses a public key infrastructure called IngeTrust for their Telium terminals. These certificates were issued with a 10-year lifespan, meaning terminals activated around 2011–2013 hit their expiry in 2021–2023.

When the certificate expires, the secure handshake between the terminal and PIN pad fails — hence "PIN PAD Out of Order."

Temporary workaround (keeps PIN pad working until next restart)

This trick works because the certificate is date-validated — rolling back the date makes the terminal think the certificate is still valid:

1. Enter the TELIUM MANAGER menu (press # then the specific menu key — varies by acquirer software)
2. Navigate to Date/Time settings
3. Set the date to 01-01-2018
4. Exit the menu and restart the terminal
5. After reboot: check if the PIN pad shows "Welcome" — it should be working now
6. Enter TELIUM MANAGER again and set the correct date and time
7. Do NOT restart the terminal again — the fix is only valid until next power cycle

Important limitations: Do not power off, restart, or initiate a TMS software download. Any of these will invalidate the workaround and the PIN PAD will go offline again.

Verifone PIN PAD Out of Order

Verifone terminals (VX520, VX670, MX925) can also show PIN PAD errors, though the certificate expiry issue is less common than on Ingenico.

For Verifone VX520 with external PIN pad:

1. Check the cable between the VX520 and the PIN pad — this is the most common cause
2. Restart both devices: power off the VX520 (unplug), disconnect the PIN pad cable, wait 30 seconds, reconnect the PIN pad cable, then power on the VX520
3. If the error persists: contact your acquirer — they can push a configuration update remotely that often resolves the pairing issue

For Verifone MX925 (customer-facing terminal):

1. Check the USB or RS-232 cable from the MX925 to the POS system
2. Restart the MX925 by unplugging its power cable for 30 seconds
3. Verify in the POS software that the correct COM port and baud rate are set for the MX925

PAX Terminal PIN PAD Error

PAX terminals (S300, A920, A35) have an integrated PIN pad architecture — the "PIN PAD Out of Order" error on PAX typically means a communication issue between the payment app and the PIN pad service.

For PAX S300 (customer-facing PIN pad):

1. Check the cable between the S300 and your POS system or host terminal
2. Restart the S300 by unplugging it completely for 30 seconds
3. If using BroadPOS: verify the communication type is set to Ethernet (not COM1) in the app settings
4. Contact your PAX reseller or acquirer for a remote configuration push if the error persists

For PAX A920 (integrated touchscreen terminal):

1. Power cycle: hold the power button → select Power Off → wait 30 seconds → press power button to restart
2. If the payment app throws a PIN pad error after restart: clear the app cache in Android settings → Apps → BroadPOS → Clear Cache, then relaunch
3. Factory reset as last resort: Settings → Backup & Reset → Factory Reset (note: this clears all app data)

The Certificate Problem — Ingenico Telium Generation (Deep Dive)

Why does Ingenico have this issue and other brands don't?

Ingenico's Telium 2 platform used a proprietary PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) called IngeTrust, launched in 2009. Certificates issued under IngeTrust were given a fixed 10-year lifespan — a requirement under PCI PED security standards.

The consequence: every Telium 2 terminal activated between 2011 and 2013 hit its certificate expiry between 2021 and 2023. Ingenico was aware of this, but the renewal process requires the physical terminal to be sent to a certified service centre — there is no remote certificate renewal once the cert has already expired.

This is why thousands of perfectly functional Ingenico terminals worldwide suddenly showed "PIN PAD Out of Order" — not because of hardware failure, but because a digital clock ran out.

Permanent Fix Options

If you're dealing with the certificate expiry issue, here are your real options:

1. Use the date workaround (see above) as a temporary measure — not a permanent solution, and requires you never restart the terminal
2. Send the terminal to Ingenico service — they can perform an IKR certificate refresh. Contact your acquirer or Ingenico directly to arrange collection. Turnaround is typically 5–10 business days.
3. Request a terminal swap from your acquirer — most acquirers will replace expired-certificate terminals as they're a known defect. This is the fastest path to a working terminal.
4. Upgrade to a newer terminal model — Desk 3500, Move 5000, and Lane 3000 (Tetra generation) do not have the IngeTrust certificate issue.

While waiting for a replacement or service: put up a clear card machine out of order sign so customers know in advance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I fix PIN PAD Out of Order myself without calling support?

Sometimes yes — if it's a loose cable or a simple restart fixes it. For the certificate expiry issue on Ingenico, you can apply the date workaround yourself. But a permanent fix requires a service centre or terminal replacement.

How do I reset my Ingenico PIN pad?

The iPP series PIN pads don't have a separate reset procedure — they're reset by restarting the main terminal they're connected to. Hold # + yellow on the main terminal for 3 seconds. The PIN pad will restart as part of the main terminal boot sequence.

PIN PAD Out of Order after software update — why?

A software update can change the app's expected communication parameters for the PIN pad. Contact your acquirer — they need to push a matching PIN pad configuration update alongside the terminal software update.

My PIN pad shows "Welcome" but transactions are still being declined — why?

The PIN pad being online doesn't guarantee transactions will approve — that depends on the card, your network connection, and the acquiring bank. Check your network connection separately if transactions are declining despite the PIN pad showing as ready.

How long does Ingenico take to fix the certificate issue?

Service centre repair: 5–10 business days typically. Terminal swap from acquirer: 1–3 business days in most cases. The swap route is faster — ask your acquirer about it first.

Will Ingenico replace the terminal for free?

This depends entirely on your maintenance contract with your acquirer. If the terminal is under a managed contract, replacement is usually covered. If you own the terminal outright, there may be a service charge. Contact your acquirer's merchant support line to find out.

If you found this guide helpful, please share it — it helps other merchants find accurate troubleshooting information.

Author: Drasko Georgijev

I'm a financial technology professional with 15+ years of experience in payment cards, eCommerce, POS transaction processing and switching.
From time to time, I'm sharing helpful tips, tactics, and news about Digital Commerce, Payments and Fintech.

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