No Surcharge Rule Change Hits Australia's Card Networks

Starting October 1, card surcharges will be a thing of the past for Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and EFTPOS card networks in Australia. Businesses can no longer charge customers an additional fee for using prepaid, debit, or credit cards from these networks.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says businesses should review their pricing and remove card surcharge notices from menus, signs, websites, and apps before the change takes effect.

Although customers will no longer see a separate card surcharge, businesses can still absorb the processing cost by incorporating it into the overall prices of their goods and services. They may also offer discounts for customers using particular payment methods, such as cash or PayID.

Hospitality businesses are exempt from the new rules, allowing them to continue imposing weekend and public holiday surcharges, along with separate booking, delivery, and service fees.