What is changing
The Reserve Bank of Australia concluded that card surcharging should end from 1 October 2026. The ACCC says Visa, Mastercard, American Express and eftpos are introducing no-surcharge rules for prepaid, debit and credit card payments from that date.
The change concerns a fee added because a customer chooses a card. It does not automatically remove unrelated weekend, public-holiday, booking or delivery charges, although normal consumer-law rules continue to apply.
- ✓ Current surcharge rules continue through 30 September 2026
- ✓ No-surcharge rules begin 1 October 2026
- ✓ Check the provider and card-network requirements for your business
The cost does not disappear
Payment providers will continue charging businesses to accept cards. The RBA is also reducing some interchange caps and improving fee transparency, but each merchant still needs to examine the rate and account structure offered by its provider.
For businesses that currently pass the full card cost to customers, the reform changes pricing economics. The cost may need to be incorporated into the overall price of goods or services rather than appearing as a separate card surcharge.
- ✓ Calculate the effective merchant rate
- ✓ Review margins by product or service
- ✓ Ask higher-volume providers for a written quote
A preparation checklist
Contact the payment provider about terminal and online-checkout changes. Review menus, price lists, quotes, invoices, signage and website wording. Remove or revise material that promises or applies a card surcharge once it is no longer permitted under the applicable scheme rules.
Businesses can generally adjust overall prices, but statements about the reason for a price increase must not mislead customers. Obtain professional advice for regulated pricing or unusual arrangements.
- ✓ Merchant statement and provider contract
- ✓ Terminal surcharge setting
- ✓ Invoice and checkout wording
- ✓ Displayed prices and customer notices
- ✓ Staff instructions
Why provider comparison matters more
When a processing cost cannot simply be added at checkout, a few tenths of a percentage point can directly affect margin. Businesses with high card volume should model current providers against alternatives using real domestic, international, in-person and remote-payment data.
Do not switch solely on rate. Settlement, reliability, fraud controls, support, integrations and customer conversion still have commercial value. The objective is the lowest sustainable total cost for a payment experience customers will use.
Provider fees, offers and product terms can change. Confirm the current Australian terms with the provider. This article is general information, not accounting, legal or financial advice.