RF and protocol
The 13.56 MHz RF layer. EMVCo Level 1 covers both the analogue side and the digital protocol coding. This is where the signal chain begins.
What this layer verifies
EMVCo Level 1 covers both Analog— the physical, electrical and radio side — and Digital, the protocol coding. Which of the two you need to confirm determines the equipment and fixtures required.
| What you want to confirm | Type of test | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Field strength, modulation index, waveform, load modulation amplitude and timing | Analog | EMVCo L1 conformance suite/ProxiLAB Quest |
| Frames, state transitions, anticollision, RATS and ATS, and FDT | Digital | EMVCo L1 conformance suite |
| NFC Forum conformance in both Poller and Listener modes | Analog/Digital/LLCP/SNEP | NFC Forum suite |
| Tracing live communication and diagnosing causes from the waveform | Analysis, not conformance testing | ProxiSPY Quest/NomadLAB |
The layer structure differs by specification
What “Level 1” covers depends on which body defines it. Until the applicable specification is settled, the suites and fixtures required cannot be determined.
| Standards | What this layer includes |
|---|---|
| EMVCo Contactless | Both analogue and digital. The versions differ: v3.2a on the terminal side and v3.2b on the card side |
| NFC Forum | Analog, Digital Protocol, LLCP and SNEP, in both Poller and Listener modes |
| ISO/IEC 10373-6 (proximity) and -7 (vicinity) | Test methods for ISO/IEC 14443 and 15693. The acceptance criteria are defined in the referenced standards |
Editions are revised. ISO/IEC 10373-6, for example, was published as Edition 5 in 2025, which revised the PICC transmission test methods among other changes (what changed). The applicable edition is fixed at quotation.
A reference environment is needed on the far side of the device under test
Testing at this layer does not work with the device under test alone. When testing a PICC you use the reference environment on the PCD side; when testing a PCD, the reference environment on the PICC side. Reference antennas, assemblies and reference PICCs are not accessories: they are test components that define coupling conditions, physical position, signal quality and reproducibility (Reference antennas and test fixtures).
Position coverage cannot be reproduced by hand
EMVCo requires coverage across the whole operating volume. Moving a card by hand turns variation in position directly into variation in the results. A positioning robot automates the sweep and meets the EMVCo acceleration requirement of more than 8 m/s². Installed without a protective cage, it must be integrated into an environment conforming to Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC.
Conformance testing and obtaining certification are separate steps
What the tools at this layer perform is conformance testing, not certification itself. Formal type approval is carried out by an accredited test laboratory, and the Letter of Approval is issued by EMVCo or the payment system (Accredited test laboratory). The closer the development bench is to the class of platform used in the accredited laboratory, the smaller the difference in test conditions.