08/09/2026
Business owners, one for your list before 1 October. 💳
From 1 October 2026, businesses can no longer add a surcharge to eftpos, Visa or Mastercard payments. It's a Reserve Bank reform rolled out through the card networks, so it applies to every Aussie business taking card payments, no matter your bank or provider.
The short version:
✅ You can still accept cards as normal
❌ You can't pass the processing fee on as a separate surcharge
💡 The cost doesn't vanish, so it's worth looking at how you price it in
If you invoice through Xero, surcharging switches off automatically. If you use a POS terminal or another provider, check directly with them that surcharging is turned off. It won't always happen on its own.
If you currently surcharge, that processing fee now comes off your bottom line rather than the customer's. Worth reviewing your pricing before 1 October, though lower interchange caps from the same date should soften the hit for many small businesses.
Questions about what it means for your business? Send us a message.
