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 is changing?

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 currently applies card surcharges, you may need to update your payment systems, pricing and customer information before the change begins.

Taking the time to review your current processes can help your business remain compliant and continue providing clear, transparent pricing for customers.

Preparing your business for the change

To prepare your small business for the change, now is the time to:

  • check where you apply 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 ask what changes you need to make and when you need to make them, while also considering 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
  • update and test your systems by making the required changes and testing them on 1 October 2026
  • prepare your staff by making sure they understand the changes and can explain them clearly to customers.

Communicating clearly with customers

Before 1 October 2026:

  • Remove card surcharge information from menus, websites, booking systems, invoices and other customer-facing materials.
  • Update displayed prices where necessary.
  • Train staff so they 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.