Frequently asked questions
Every question agencies ask, answered plainly
35 questions across cost, contracts, implementation, security, integrations, adoption and support. If yours isn't here, ask us — and we'll add it.
01 / 07
Cost & fees
The most common first question, and the one that determines whether a project needs a budget cycle.
What does Government Window cost the agency?
Nothing. Government Window does not charge the agency for the platform, implementation, training or support. A nominal service fee is collected from the payer, separate from the payment itself, and covers the cost of the service.
How is the service fee presented to payers?
The fee is disclosed clearly before the payer confirms the transaction, itemized separately from the amount owed to the agency. There are no hidden charges added after confirmation.
Does the agency receive the full payment amount?
Yes. Because the service fee is collected separately from the payment, the agency's deposit reflects the amount owed to the jurisdiction rather than a netted figure.
Can the agency absorb the fee instead of the payer?
Absorbed-fee models can be discussed during implementation. Most agencies use the payer-paid model, which is what makes the platform cost-neutral to the budget.
Are there setup, integration or training fees?
No. Implementation, integration work, staff training and ongoing support are included.
Is eCheck priced differently from cards?
eCheck/ACH is typically offered at a flat service fee rather than a percentage, which makes it practical for large payments such as property tax bills.
02 / 07
Contracts & procurement
How agencies actually get started, and what they commit to.
Is there a long-term contract?
No. Government Window does not lock agencies into long-term contracts. The model is built on the assumption that agencies stay because the service works.
How does procurement typically work?
Because there is no cost to the agency, many jurisdictions can proceed without a competitive procurement. Requirements vary by state and by charter — your procurement office is the authority, and Government Window will support whatever process applies.
Can we pilot with one department first?
Yes, and many agencies do. A single department goes live, finance validates the reconciliation, and additional departments are added on the same platform afterwards.
What happens if we decide to leave?
Agencies retain access to their transaction history and reporting. Transition arrangements are handled cooperatively, without contractual penalties for ending the relationship.
03 / 07
Implementation & timeline
What the first weeks look like, and what your team is responsible for.
How long does implementation take?
Implementations take days or weeks, not months or years. The timeline depends primarily on the back-office system being integrated and the availability of your team for requirements and testing.
What is required from agency staff?
A requirements session to capture your business rules, access or a contact for the back-office system, review of the configured site, and attendance at training. Government Window does the build.
Who does the integration work?
Government Window. With 100+ existing solution integrations and 40+ third-party system connections in production, most integrations are a configuration rather than a project.
What if our back-office system isn't supported?
A standalone option delivers the same portal, payment channels, security and reporting without an integration, and a new integration can be built where it makes sense.
How is staff trained?
Training is delivered as part of implementation and repeated as needed for new staff. It covers taking payments, running reports, processing voids and refunds, and daily reconciliation.
04 / 07
Security & compliance
What IT and audit ask before anything else.
Is the platform PCI compliant?
Yes. Government Window maintains PCI compliance for the handling of cardholder data, with continuous monitoring and improvement of system security and reliability.
Does the agency ever store card data?
No. Card data is captured and handled inside the PCI compliant payment environment. Agency staff and agency systems never see or store full card numbers.
Where is the platform hosted?
The solution is delivered as SaaS hosted on Amazon Web Services, with a unified approach to protecting, managing, recovering and scaling backups on the AWS cloud.
What uptime do you provide?
Government Window operates to 99.9% uptime, with capacity provisioned for seasonal peaks such as tax season and recreation registration openings.
How is staff access controlled?
Role-based privileges determine what each user can see and do — including whether they can process voids and refunds — and actions are recorded for audit.
Is the resident-facing site accessible?
Accessibility is a design requirement. Payment pages are built to be keyboard operable, screen-reader labelled and high contrast, targeting WCAG 2.2 AA.
05 / 07
Integrations & IT
How the platform connects to what you already run.
What systems do you integrate with?
More than 40 third-party systems are integrated in production across case management, utility billing, tax, permitting, licensing and financial platforms, with 100+ total solution integrations delivered.
What integration methods do you support?
Government Window has delivered integrations across web and cloud-based APIs, client-server, hosted, on-premises, SaaS/PaaS/IaaS and mainframe environments.
Does data flow both ways?
Yes. Balances are read from the system of record so payers see current amounts, and completed payments post back so the record is updated.
How much work is this for our IT department?
Typically a point of contact, access coordination and testing participation. Government Window's team performs the integration development and testing.
Can we export to our general ledger?
Yes. Reconciliation files can be exported or delivered on a schedule in formats your financial system accepts, with fund and department detail preserved.
06 / 07
Resident adoption
Whether residents will actually use it — the question that decides ROI.
Will residents pay a service fee?
Agencies consistently report that convenience outweighs the fee. Online payment volume tends to grow year over year once the channel is available and promoted.
How do we tell residents the option exists?
The channels that work are the ones already in the resident's hands: the bill or notice itself, your phone tree message, your website, and automated email and text reminders with a direct pay link.
What about residents who don't use the internet?
The bilingual toll-free IVR line covers phone payers, live operators are available during support hours, and counter POS covers walk-ups. Every channel posts to the same ledger.
Do residents need to create an account?
No. Guest checkout is always available. Accounts exist to make repeat payments faster through stored bills, saved payment methods and autopay.
Is the payment site available in Spanish?
The IVR supports English and Spanish. Language coverage for web channels is confirmed during implementation based on your jurisdiction's needs.
07 / 07
Support
Who answers when something goes wrong.
Who supports our residents?
Government Window's in-house customer support team assists both residents and agency staff with payment-related questions, so payment calls do not route back to your office.
What are support hours?
Phone and chat support runs Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM ET. Email support is available 24/7/365, and online help is available 24/7 through your payment dashboard.
Is support outsourced?
No. Support is delivered by Government Window's in-house team.
How quickly are issues resolved?
Government Window prioritizes fast resolution and keeps agency staff informed throughout. Customers commonly report issues handled within hours.
Ready when you are
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No cost to the agency · No long-term contract · Live in days or weeks