From 1 October 2026: You can't add a surcharge to Eftpos, Mastercard, Visa or American Express payments. Check your pricing and card fees before then.
Surcharges end on 1 October. Your card fees don't.
From 1 October 2026, surcharging is banned on eftpos, Mastercard, Visa and American Express payments. The fees you pay to accepted cards now come straight out of your margin unless they're built into your prices. Find out what that costs you, and where you can cut it.
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1 Oct 2026
The day card surcharging ends on Eftpos, Mastercard, Visa and American Express
$0
The card surcharge you can charge customers from that date, on credit, debit or prepaid
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✔ Based on the RBA's March 2026 reforms
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Three changes that hit your bottom line
In March 2026 the Reserve Bank of Australia finished its review of what businesses pay to accepted cards. Here's what changes for you.
Lower caps on fees
The RBA is lowering the maximum interchange fees on debit and consumer credit cards, and adding a cap on fees for foreign cards. Small businesses usually pay closest to the old caps, so they stand to benefit most. Whether you actually see it depends on your plan and your provider, so it's worth checking your next statements.
Card surcharges end on 1 October 2026
Eftpos, Mastercard and Visa have each introduced rules banning surcharges from 1 October 2026, and American Express is doing the same. That covers credit, debit and prepaid cards. Card payments made on or after that date may not be surchargeable even if the invoice went out earlier, and some providers will switch off surcharging on terminals. Weekend, public holiday, booking and service fees aren't affected, and you can still offer a discount for paying another way.
Clearer, comparable fees
Eftpos, Mastercard, Visa and large payment providers will have to publish the fees they charge, and your merchant statements will show fees in a standard format. That makes it far easier to compare your current deal with other providers.
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Get clarity in a 20-minute conversation
Our payment specialists will review your current setup, confirm your compliance position, and walk you through exactly what — if any — changes you need to make. No sales pitch. Just straight answers.
→ A review of your current merchant fee agreement
→ A plan for moving off surcharging before 1 October: pricing, terminal settings and receipts
→ Assessment of your surcharge compliance under new rules
→ A plain-English action plan you can implement immediately
→ No obligation — completely free for eligible small businesses
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