The global car wash services market was valued at $32.6 billion in 2023 and is expected to exceed $56.0 billion by 2032. You don't need a person to accept car wash payments anymore – just a smart, reliable payment terminal. Installing the right terminal can minimise downtime, increase throughput, improve the customer experience and even enable new revenue models such as memberships.

Below, we'll explain what car wash payment terminals do, how they work and what costs to consider.

What's in this article?

• What are car wash payment terminals and how do they work?
  
• What types of car wash payment terminals are there?
  
• How do you install and maintain a car wash payment terminal?
  
• Car wash payment terminal costs to consider
  

What are car wash payment terminals and how do they work?

Car wash payment terminals are the machines that accept customer payments for a wash. You'll find them at the entrance to a tunnel wash, mounted in self-serve bays or tucked into a wall near a vacuum station. The terminal sends payment data to banks and payment processors to authorise payment, tells the car wash system that payment is confirmed so the wash cycle can start, and often controls extras such as printing a receipt and scanning a loyalty tag.

The payment process is quick for customers. They choose a wash package (e.g. basic rinse, deluxe with wax), pay with a card, digital wallet or cash, and drive in once the car wash system gives the green light. Payment terminals usually include touch screen interfaces with large buttons and clear instructions, as well as tap, chip and swipe card readers. Sometimes, they'll also have note acceptors, receipt printers and bar code or radio frequency identification (RFID) scanners for membership cards.

These terminals are built for harsh environments. They're placed outside, exposed to heat, cold, soap, water and constant use. They need weather-sealed hardware, tamper-resistant enclosures and industrial-grade components.

What types of car wash payment terminals are there?

The right payment terminal depends on how your car wash operates. There is a range of terminal types built around different workflows, customer behaviours and operating needs.

Here are some of the main categories and how they function in practice.

Stand-alone card readers

These are small, weather-sealed card readers that are often wired into existing self-serve bays or vacuum stations (anywhere a customer might previously have used coins). They don't offer full touch screens or a fancy user interface, but they can reliably accept swipe, chip or tap payments, and they're durable and easy to install. Some models also offer an offline mode if the connection drops.

These are ideal for operators that are modernising older equipment one bay at a time without doing a full refurb. These units let you offer a modern payment experience with minimal reconfiguration.

Full-feature pay station terminals

These terminals sit at the entrances of in-bay automatic car washes and tunnel washes, walk the customer through wash selection, take payment and trigger the system to start. Features include:

• High-brightness, weather-rated touch screens

• Payment support for cards, digital wallets and cash

• Receipt printers and bar code scanners

• Upsell flows, multi-language support and loyalty card input

These terminals automate the entire payment and activation process without requiring staff on-site. They're a good fit for high-throughput sites with fully unstaffed operations that want to maximise efficiency and upsell opportunities.

POS-integrated terminals

In setups where a cashier is present (think petrol station car washes or detailing shops), the terminal might be a counter-top device at the till. The employee rings up the sale and hands the customer a code or activates the wash remotely. These terminals might involve a basic card reader or a more complicated point-of-sale (POS) system tied to the wash software, and they typically support card, digital wallet and cash payments.

This type of terminal works well when the wash volume is moderate and the labour is already part of the business. It simplifies reporting and inventory across services but still requires a staffed counter.

Self-serve bay terminals

Self-serve bay terminals are used at self-service washes. There's either one terminal per bay or a centralised terminal that manages multiple bays. These terminals will often display remaining time and enable mid-session top-ups. They typically accept cards, digital wallets and cash payments, and they might support loyalty cards or pre-paid wash codes.

These setups modernise the self-serve experience without fundamentally changing it. They let customers pay the way they want and start their sessions without needing coins or notes.

QR code-based systems

Some car washes are replacing the physical terminal entirely and turning the customer's smartphone into the POS. Customers scan a QR code that directs them to a checkout page on their devices, where they can pay by card, digital wallet, mobile payment app or bank transfer. These setups minimise hardware requirements by shifting the user experience onto the customer's phone.

This model is best suited to operators that invest in mobile loyalty schemes, subscription or remote management, and for customers who prefer touchless access.

How do you install and maintain a car wash payment terminal?

A car wash payment terminal needs to survive the elements, talk to your car wash control system, process payments securely and work without staff on-site. Here's what to expect.

Installation

Physical setup depends on the type of terminal:

• Payment terminals for drive-through tunnels or automatic car washes are typically mounted on a concrete island or pedestal at driver window height.

• Wall-mounted card readers are placed near existing coin boxes, with weatherproofing and splash protection.

• POS terminals for staffed setups are placed indoors and require less environmental hardening.

No matter the setup, you'll need a stable internet or mobile connection (for real-time payment authorisation) and a secure connection to your car wash control system.

Many terminals are installed by a trained technician and are programmed during installation to map each wash package to a specific cycle. The technician will test all signals: payment acceptance, wash activation, gate controls and any accessories such as receipt printers.

Positioning matters, too – especially for features such as RFID scanners, which need proper line of sight to function consistently. If you're in a cold climate, you'll also want built-in insulation or heating elements, or an enclosure that can handle freezing temperatures.

Maintenance

Modern terminals are durable, but they still need regular maintenance to stay functional and secure.

Basic maintenance includes:

• Cleaning the screen or button interface so it stays readable

• Inspecting for physical damage or signs of tampering

• Refilling consumables, such as receipt paper, or restocking notes and emptying cash boxes, if cash payments are supported

• Testing each payment method to ensure it's working

Software maintenance includes:

• Keeping the firmware and operating system up-to-date

• Applying security patches as they're released

• Rebooting periodically to prevent system lag or payment issues

• Monitoring transaction logs for irregularities

You might also need to occasionally recertify hardware components to maintain compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).

Many terminals support remote monitoring, either directly through the vendor or via an operator dashboard. These tools send alerts if a device goes offline, runs out of receipt paper or starts declining transactions so you can fix the issue quickly. Small issues, such as a dim screen and slow reader, can lead to lost revenue, if ignored.

Think about redundancy, too. If your only payment terminal fails and there's no backup – no second terminal or other way to pay – you're stuck. Some operators keep a spare mobile reader or set up Tap to Pay as a secondary option.

Car wash payment terminal: costs to consider

Terminal costs vary depending on what kind of system you're installing, how many features you need and how much infrastructure is already in place. Here are the costs to consider.

Hardware

Buying the hardware for your payment terminal is the biggest expense. Basic card readers for self-serve bays that support tap, chip and swipe cards are more affordable than payment terminals with large touch screens, card and cash handling, receipt printers and scanners. Used or refurbished units are often available at a lower cost, but these might need upgrades or new certifications to stay compliant.

If you're building out multiple lanes or bays, those costs scale fast, especially if you're standardising across locations.

Installation and setup

No matter what type of terminal you choose, it will require some level of installation and setup. Those costs increase with more advanced terminals and can include:

• Pouring concrete pads or mounting poles for terminals

• Running electrical and data lines

• Integrating with your wash control system

• Configuring wash packages, pricing and network settings

If you're retrofitting an existing setup, expect fewer surprises. New builds or major overhauls require more planning and budget.

Software and subscriptions

Many modern systems include software licences or monthly service fees. These might cover:

• Remote monitoring tools

• Cloud access to transaction logs and reporting

• Loyalty or membership scheme integrations

• Vendor support and system updates

These fees will depend on the vendor and feature set, but should be considered in your budget planning.

Payment processing fees

Payment processors usually take a small percentage of each sale (e.g. 2.5%) and often charge a flat per-transaction fee (e.g. £0.20).

Depending on your provider, you might also incur payment gateway fees or monthly minimums. Even small differences in fees can add up for high-volume locations. Payment providers like Stripe offer clear, pay-as-you-go pricing with no monthly or setup fees.

Maintenance and consumables

Payment terminals need to be maintained over time. These costs can include:

• Receipt paper

• Card reader replacements

• Cash vault or note dispenser servicing

• Cleaning, diagnostics and periodic updates

• Spare parts, such as button panels and display covers for replacements

The more complex the hardware is, the more maintenance it requires. Fewer moving parts mean less upkeep.

Downtime costs

If your terminal goes offline and there's no backup, that's lost revenue. Have a contingency plan, whether that's a secondary terminal, a portable card reader or a manual wash activation method for emergencies.

While the up-front investment in a modern terminal can be substantial, the long-term payoff is real: lower labour costs, faster throughput and a better experience for every customer who pulls up to your location.