Card payment surcharge changes
Businesses that accept card payments should be aware of changes to Australia's card payment surcharge rules.
The changes follow a review by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), which concluded that card surcharging is no longer working as intended and has become increasingly complex for businesses and customers.
What has changed?
From 1 October 2026, businesses can no longer charge a surcharge on card payments. This includes eftpos, Mastercard, Visa or American Express transactions. The changes apply across both in-person and online transactions. If your business previously applied card surcharges, you may need to update your payment systems, pricing and customer information to reflect the changes.
You should review your current processes to make sure you remain compliant and continue providing clear, transparent pricing for customers.
Managing the change in your business
To make sure your business is complying with the new requirements:
- check where you previously applied card surcharges by reviewing your eftpos terminals, point-of-sale systems, invoicing software, online payment platforms and other payment systems
- understand your card payment costs by reviewing your transaction volumes, merchant fees and other payment-related costs
- contact your merchant service provider to confirm that your payment systems have been updated, and consider whether to compare services and fees from other providers
- review your pricing to understand the impact of the changes on your pricing and business costs
- check and test your systems to make sure card surcharges are no longer being applied
- make sure your staff understand the changes and can explain them clearly to customers.
Communicating clearly with customers
Now that the changes have taken effect:
- Remove any remaining card surcharge information from menus, websites, booking systems, invoices and other customer-facing materials.
- Update displayed prices where necessary.
- Make sure staff understand the changes and can answer customer questions.
- Check that information is consistent across your physical and online channels.
If you change the price of a product or service, do not mislead customers about the reason for the increase.
What is not changing?
The changes relate only to card payment surcharges.
They do not affect:
- weekend surcharges
- public holiday surcharges
- booking fees
- service fees
- other non-card-related charges.
Some businesses may also choose to offer discounts for certain payment methods, such as cash or PayID. If doing so, the offer and any conditions should be communicated clearly to customers.
Further information
The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) provides practical guidance, frequently asked questions and resources to help businesses understand the card payment surcharge changes and any actions they may need to take.
Businesses can also access information from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) on pricing obligations, payment systems and the surcharge changes.
Free support for Tasmanian businesses
If you're unsure how the card payment surcharge changes may affect your business, support is available.
The Tasmanian Business Advice Service and New Business Support Service provide free and independent assistance to eligible Tasmanian businesses. Advisors can help you:
- understand how the changes apply to your business
- review pricing and business processes
- identify practical actions to support compliance
- strengthen business planning and resilience.
To learn more, check your eligibility and request an appointment with an advisor at www.businessadvice.tas.gov.au or contact Business Tasmania on 1800 440 026.