Coming from the U.S., I only have chip and signature on my Visa and Mastercard credit cards. Will I be running into issues in the UK in some instances? Or is it a non issue.
Posted by
Portland, Oregon
5687 posts
I doubt you'll have a problem. I haven't been to the UK in years, but I was recently back in Europe and found my chip-and-signature card worked everywhere. With small enough amounts, a signature is not even needed. I'm not sure I even signed a slip on this trip - I used the "tap" everywhere possible. I have a chip-and-PIN card too that I used on past trips, but I did not even need it this trip. On past trips, I often needed to sign slips. Not this time.
Posted by
Land of La
9102 posts
When are you traveling?
Its not a big deal having the signature card but so so much easier to have a tap debit or CC. I changed my chip and signature to a tap CC. Got it within a week after calling.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8809 posts
Non issue. If you have a contactless card, it is best, but all work. Most banks will “upgrade” you to contactless card upon request if you currently don’t have this feature.
Posted by
San Francisco area
1880 posts
Regarding tap and pay. If you have a smartphone you can load your cards onto your phone and use your phone to pay. Pay by phone seems to be ubiquitous in London.
Posted by
Freedonia
16069 posts
Don't worry about chip and signature. More important is either the cards be contactless or you set up Apple Pay or Google Pay on your phone.
You can use contactless payments (tap and go) for any amount in the UK up to 100 GBP.
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
7915 posts
As others said. In the UK especially, since they raised the tap to pay amount to 100 GBP, you can tap for most everything and not have to sign. If over, then a slip may be printed out for you to sign.
Back before tap was common, my wife would run into the occasional young clerk that did not understand the "no PIN" and a slip printing out to sign, but again, should be less of a problem.
One other tip, in the US, people have the habit of not actually signing the back of the CC, and nobody here ever really checks...but in the UK, if you have to sign, they will verify the signature on the card to your signature on the slip.
Posted by
Chicago
1332 posts
American and I did not once have to sign, although my purchases were under £100 or so. This was in May of 2022.
I think I did have to sign at hotels, but that was more for the usually agreeing to hotel rules signature.