RBA Card Surcharge Ban: What Your Business Needs to Know

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has confirmed that card surcharges on eftpos, Mastercard, and Visa will be completely banned starting 1 October 2026. Following an extensive retail payments review, major payment networks—including American Express—have agreed to enforce a zero-surcharge rule. This means businesses will no longer be able to pass on card processing fees to customers as an add-on at checkout.

The Key Changes At a Glance

• The Timeline: The ban officially commences on 1 October 2026.
• Affected Networks: You cannot surcharge eftpos, Visa, Mastercard, or American Express transactions (debit, credit, and prepaid).
• What is Still Allowed: You can still apply weekend, public holiday, or general service fees, as long as they do not target a specific card type.
• Back-End Relief: To support businesses, the RBA is slashing wholesale interchange fees. Credit card caps drop to 0.3% and debit card caps fall to 8 cents or 0.16% (whichever is lower)

How This Impacts Your Bottom Line

While the hidden fees charged by banks will drop significantly, your payment terminal provider will not automatically pass these savings on to you. If you absorb the merchant fees without altering your pricing structure, it will directly reduce your profit margins.

Author

Peta Stephen