If you used to add a little surcharge when customers tapped their card, that’s now off the table.
From 1 October 2026, Australian businesses can no longer surcharge card payments. The cost of taking cards now sits with the business, not the customer.
What’s changed
The Reserve Bank (RBA) has ended surcharging on:
eftpos, Visa and Mastercard, whether debit, credit or prepaid
American Express credit cards, which made the same change
It applies in store and online. It also covers invoices issued before 1 October that are paid by card after that date.
A few things aren’t affected. Weekend and public holiday surcharges, booking fees and service fees are separate and still allowed.
Why the change?
The RBA says surcharging no longer works the way it was meant to. Customers were finding it harder and harder to avoid. So the cost now has to be built into your pricing instead of added at the till.
The good news
The RBA has also lowered the caps on the fees banks charge behind the scenes for card payments. For consumer credit cards, the cap drops from 0.8% to 0.3%.
From 30 October, the big payment providers must publish their average fees, and your statements should be clearer. That makes it easier to see what you’re paying and compare providers.
The catch? You only save if your provider passes those savings on to you.
What to do now do you need to be ready?
Know your real cost. Pull your last three months of merchant statements. Add up the fees and work them out as a percentage of your card sales.
Switch surcharging off everywhere. Check your terminal, online checkout, invoicing software and any recurring billing. Update signs, quotes and your website.
Decide how you’ll cover it. You can absorb the cost, build it into your prices, or offer a discount for other payment methods. Discounts are still allowed.
Ask questions. Call your provider and ask what your new rates are. If the answer isn’t clear, it may be time to shop around.
Before you change your prices
A small price rise can cover card fees. But get it wrong and you could undercharge, or price yourself out of work. It’s worth running the numbers first.
We can look at your margins with you and work out how much you need to cover, without guesswork.
On a related note, the ATO will also stop taking credit card payments after 30 June 2027. If you’ve been paying your BAS or tax bill on the card, your may want to consider your options going forward.
We’re proud to support businesses right across Central Queensland. If you’d like a hand working through these changes, give the GTC team a call on (07) 4972 5177.
Sources checked 8 Oct 2026: RBA Review of Retail Payments Regulation – conclusions paper summary and FAQs; NAB "RBA surcharging changes"; Tyro "RBA surcharge ban confirmed"; ATO media release on credit cards (30 Nov 2026).