To provide electronic equipment that allows properly setting its service period for a user when a noncontact IC card is used.

The electronic equipment authenticates a user by means of a noncontact IC card and permits the user to use the device according to the result of this user authentication. The period during which its use is permitted is set according to the way in which a signal of the noncontact IC card is detected during the user authentication. If the period during which the signal of the noncontact IC card is detected at the time of the user authentication is shorter than a first set period of time, the period during which its use is permitted is determined as a second set period of time; if the period during which the signal is detected is longer than the first set period of time, the period during which its use is permitted is started at that point. When detection of the signal of the noncontact IC card is over, the period during which the use is permitted is terminated.