How does ad hoc payment work?
A tourist without any charging contract taps a bank card on the charger's terminal. The display says: authorised.
The final amount will be charged after the session, not before.
The questionWhat happens between the tap and the amount on the bank statement?
The driver taps a payment card or phone on the terminal of the charger, or of the site.
Select each step to see what happens.
In the charger or for the site
- Integrated terminal: the terminal in the charger provides the authorisation to charge when payment is approved, and passes it internally to the charger's controller.
- Site terminal: one outdoor terminal for the whole site passes the authorisation to the backend, together with the chosen charger, and the backend starts the session remotely.
1.6 and 2.0.1 assume that the backend calculates the cost; in practice, implementers often calculate simple prices on the charger. OCPP 2.1 adds use cases for ad hoc payment with an integrated or a stand-alone payment terminal and by QR code, and lets the charger calculate cost locally from tariff information sent by the backend. With OCPP 1.6 and 2.0.1, ad hoc payment needs customisations.
Which payment instruments
At public charge points deployed since 13 April 2024, operators must accept electronic payments through at least one of: payment card readers, contactless devices that can read payment cards, or, below 50 kW, internet-based secure payment such as a QR code. From 1 January 2027, existing points of 50 kW and more along the road network or in must also offer a card reader or contactless device.
Check your understanding
3 questions. Answer all of them to complete this stop. Each answer explains itself.
When is the final amount of an ad hoc session settled?
The terminal authorises first; the final amount is captured after the session.
How does a site-wide outdoor terminal start the chosen charger?
The authorisation goes to the backend with the charger's ID; the backend sends a remote start.
Which payment option is allowed only below 50 kW under AFIR?
Card readers and contactless devices work at all powers; internet-based payment such as a QR code is listed for points below 50 kW.
- OCPP Open Charge Point Protocol: the open protocol between a charger and its operator's backend. EV charging fundamentals, stop 03 Glossary
- Ad hoc Charging without a contract, paid directly at the charger, for example by card or QR code. EV charging fundamentals, stop 05 Glossary
- TEN-T The trans-European transport network, the EU's main roads and corridors, divided into a core and a comprehensive network; AFIR sets charging targets along it. Truck charging, stop 05 Glossary
- Safe and secure parking area A certified parking area for trucks with security and facilities for drivers; AFIR sets targets for truck charging stations at each one. Truck charging, stop 03 Glossary
- Open Charge Alliance: AFIR and OCPP, white paper v1.0, January 2024: ad hoc payment and pricing. https://openchargealliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ocpp_and_afir-white-paper.pdf. Checked 09 Oct 2026. Licence: CC BY-ND 4.0.
- Open Charge Alliance: AFIR and OCPP, white paper v1.0, January 2024: ad hoc payment and pricing. https://openchargealliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ocpp_and_afir-white-paper.pdf. Checked 09 Oct 2026. Licence: CC BY-ND 4.0.
- Open Charge Alliance: AFIR and OCPP, white paper v1.0, January 2024: ad hoc payment and pricing. https://openchargealliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ocpp_and_afir-white-paper.pdf. Checked 09 Oct 2026. Licence: CC BY-ND 4.0.
- Open Charge Alliance: OCPP 2.1 edition 2 (December 2025), Part 0 Introduction: new functionality, use cases C18 to C25 for ad hoc payment; free download. https://openchargealliance.org/download-ocpp/. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Open Charge Alliance: AFIR and OCPP, white paper v1.0, January 2024: ad hoc payment and pricing. https://openchargealliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ocpp_and_afir-white-paper.pdf. Checked 09 Oct 2026. Licence: CC BY-ND 4.0.
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 (AFIR), Article 5(1) to (5). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1804/oj. Checked 13 Oct 2026. © European Union, reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 (AFIR), Article 5(1) to (5). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1804/oj. Checked 13 Oct 2026. © European Union, reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.