What is my pin number for my debit card

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As payments by card grow in popularity – due to an increase in online shopping and contactless payments during COVID-19 – there has been less of a need to ‘enter your PIN’ (personal identification number) at either an ATM or at a card terminal. 

And without regularly using your PIN, it can be easy to forget.

Here’s what to do if you forget your PIN – or inadvertently ‘lock’ it by entering the incorrect number too many times.

View your PIN securely online

If you are signed up to online banking, this should be your first port of call as some banks – such as Barclays – allow you to ‘view it securely’ online. Look for a tab such as ‘account services’ or the equivalent.

However, if you are only an additional cardholder to the account (and therefore typically won’t have access to online banking), you will need to ask the primary account holder to log on and retrieve your PIN for you. They will have access to all of PINs associated with the account.

You may also be able to retrieve your PIN from your bank’s personal banking app if you have it downloaded.

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Request a PIN reminder

Some banks, such as NatWest, send a PIN reminder to postal address. You’ll need to make the request either on the bank’s website or via its banking app, and have the long number across your debit card to hand.

If you prefer, you could call your bank’s customer services department for a PIN reminder instead. Typically, you should receive your PIN within 3 – 10 working days, depending on your bank.

Use contactless payments…

Of course, you can still make purchases with your card in the meantime using contactless which doesn’t require a PIN at all (the card reader uses radio waves instead to communicate with your card).

To make a contactless payment, wait for a prompt from the card reader, then tap or hover your card above the card terminal to complete the transaction.

The limit transaction on contactless payments increased from £30 to £45 in April 2o2o to make the ‘hands-off’ method of payment more widely available for consumers during the pandemic.

Bear in mind you cannot make contactless payments using a card that is ‘locked’ – more on this below.

Use your smartphone

If you have downloaded Apple Pay on your iPhone, or Google Pay for android, you can make contactless payments without your PIN or your bank card. Just open the ‘wallet’ app on your phone and hover above the card terminal.

With their own biometric security in place, Apple Pay and Google Pay don’t have official limits on transactions but many retailers limit them at £45 just the same.

Withdraw cash in branch

You can still withdraw cash at the counter at any branch of your bank even if your PIN is locked. But remember to take two forms of ID with you to be on the safe side, such as your passport or photo driving licence.

How to unlock your PIN

Your PIN becomes ‘locked’ if you forget it and enter it incorrectly three times. This means you won’t be able to use your card. 

If you do remember your PIN later on, you can an find an option to ‘unlock’ it at a cash machine owned, or specified, by your bank. You will need to key in your existing PIN, select the tab for PIN-related services, and follow the instructions.

Change your PIN

If you have a habit of forgetting your PIN, or you think someone else could know it, you may want to change it.

Some banks, such as Barclays and Halifax, allow you to set a new PIN at one of their cash machines or other specified ATMs. However, you will need to know your current PIN at the time of changing it.

Just insert your card into the cash machine and enter your current PIN. Select the option PIN-related services, and then ‘change your PIN’. Choose a number that can’t be guessed by someone else, avoiding simple number patterns such as 1,2,3,4. 

Halifax recommends choosing a sequence of numbers that is significant to you so it’s easier to remember, but not too ‘close to home’. For example, 2103 if a friend’s birthday falls on 21 March.

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