A self-diagnosing validation device, comprising: a near field communication, NFC, reader having a radio frequency, RF, signal range; an active diagnostic chip positioned within the RF signal range of the NFC reader, wherein the active diagnostic chip is configured to be selectively powered during a diagnostic procedure; a memory; and a processing unit configured to: determine that the diagnostic procedure needs to be performed on the NFC reader by receiving a diagnostic request from one or both of an input at a user input interface of the validation device or a service center; and perform the diagnostic procedure based on receiving the diagnostic request, the diagnostic procedure comprising: activating the active diagnostic chip by supplying power to the active diagnostic chip; reading, using the NFC reader, any data being transmitted by the active diagnostic chip; determining whether any data was read by the NFC reader; and determining whether the NFC reader is functioning properly based at least in part of the determination whether any data was read by the NFC reader. a near field communication, NFC, reader having a radio frequency, RF, signal range; an active diagnostic chip positioned within the RF signal range of the NFC reader, wherein the active diagnostic chip is configured to be selectively powered during a diagnostic procedure; a memory; and a processing unit configured to: determine that the diagnostic procedure needs to be performed on the NFC reader by receiving a diagnostic request from one or both of an input at a user input interface of the validation device or a service center; and perform the diagnostic procedure based on receiving the diagnostic request, the diagnostic procedure comprising: activating the active diagnostic chip by supplying power to the active diagnostic chip; reading, using the NFC reader, any data being transmitted by the active diagnostic chip; determining whether any data was read by the NFC reader; and determining whether the NFC reader is functioning properly based at least in part of the determination whether any data was read by the NFC reader. determine that the diagnostic procedure needs to be performed on the NFC reader by receiving a diagnostic request from one or both of an input at a user input interface of the validation device or a service center; and perform the diagnostic procedure based on receiving the diagnostic request, the diagnostic procedure comprising: activating the active diagnostic chip by supplying power to the active diagnostic chip; reading, using the NFC reader, any data being transmitted by the active diagnostic chip; determining whether any data was read by the NFC reader; and determining whether the NFC reader is functioning properly based at least in part of the determination whether any data was read by the NFC reader. activating the active diagnostic chip by supplying power to the active diagnostic chip; reading, using the NFC reader, any data being transmitted by the active diagnostic chip; determining whether any data was read by the NFC reader; and determining whether the NFC reader is functioning properly based at least in part of the determination whether any data was read by the NFC reader.