Who wrote this: Surcharge Sweep is our free checker, and we also sell a paid Price Reset Kit. This guide was written by the team that runs both. You don't need either one to use this checklist.
Disclaimer: General information only, not legal advice. Rules can change, so check the ACCC pages and confirm with your payment provider.
The checklist
These are the places we suggest checking. The list is our own; the rules it refers to come from the ACCC pages linked in each step.
1. Card terminals and point of sale
- Run a test card payment and check the receipt for any surcharge line.
- Check your point-of-sale settings for a surcharge or card-fee add-on.
- If anything is still being added, contact your payment service provider. The ACCC says businesses should check the relevant card network rules or contact their payment service provider for information about the ‘no surcharge’ rules.
2. Invoices and quote templates
- Remove lines like “1.5% surcharge on credit card payments” from your invoice, quote and email templates.
- Check any online payment links on your invoices for surcharge wording too.
3. Menus and signs
- Take down counter signs, door stickers and menu footers that mention a card surcharge.
- Weekend and public holiday surcharges are not covered by the new rules. If your restaurant or cafe charges one, the ACCC says the menu must include the words “A surcharge of [percentage] applies on [day or days]”, at least as prominently as the most prominent price on the menu.
4. Website and booking confirmations
- Search your website, online store and FAQ pages for “surcharge”.
- Check booking and order confirmation emails, terms and conditions, and deposit or cancellation policies.
5. Anywhere else your prices appear
- The ACCC notes that prices are communicated in many ways, including signage, online notifications, ordering apps and verbally. In our view that makes online listings, ordering apps and directory profiles worth a look, including any old answers to customer questions.
6. Staff scripts
- Tell staff what changed, so nobody tells a customer about a card fee out of habit.
- A sample line (our own wording, not an official template): “We no longer add a surcharge for paying by card.”
- If you offer a cash or PayID discount, give staff one consistent way to explain it. Our free cash discount sign helper lays out a sign with the full price first.
7. Price changes and honest customer notices
- The ACCC says businesses can recover the cost of accepting card payments by building it into their overall prices, but must not mislead customers about prices or the reasons for a price increase.
- The ACCC's own example: a salon charging $60 for a haircut with a 1.0% card surcharge could build its card costs in and charge $60.60. If it instead charges $65 because energy and labour costs also went up, it must not tell customers the increase is due to the card surcharge change.
- Sample notice wording (our own suggestions, not official templates): “From 1 October 2026 we no longer charge card surcharges.” If you raised prices for several reasons: “Some prices have changed to reflect our overall running costs.”
- Don't rename a card surcharge as a “service” or “admin” fee. The ACCC says businesses that describe a card payment surcharge as another type of fee or charge may be engaging in misleading conduct.
Checking your own wording
Surcharge Sweep is our free checker. You can paste text from your templates, or add PDF, DOCX or image files. It runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded. It flags leftover card-surcharge wording for you to review; it doesn't replace checking with your payment provider.
If you want help rebuilding prices without a surcharge, we also sell the Price Reset Kit. It's optional, and everything in this checklist works without it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still charge a weekend or public holiday surcharge?
Yes. The ACCC says the new rules only apply to card payment surcharges, not to other fees or surcharges such as weekend and public holiday surcharges. If a restaurant or cafe charges one, the menu must include the words “A surcharge of [percentage] applies on [day or days]”, at least as prominently as the most prominent price on the menu.
Can I offer a discount for cash or PayID instead?
Yes. The ACCC says businesses can offer a discount for paying a particular way, such as cash or PayID. The discount should be clearly disclosed before customers choose to book, order or pay. The displayed price must be the full price a customer pays without the discount, and the discounted price should not be shown on its own or more prominently than the full price.
Source: ACCC: Price displays
To lay out a sign with the full price first, try our free cash discount sign helper.
Can I call it a “service fee” instead of a card surcharge?
Not if it is really a card surcharge. The ACCC says businesses that describe a card payment surcharge as another type of fee or charge may be engaging in misleading conduct. Fees that are unrelated to paying by card can still be charged, but a fee that applies every day of the week is part of the minimum total price, which must be displayed as a single figure.
Do the rules apply to business-to-business invoices?
The ACCC's guidance says businesses can no longer charge a surcharge for payments made using Visa, Mastercard, American Express or eftpos credit, debit or prepaid cards, and it doesn't set out separate rules for payments from other businesses. The ‘no surcharge’ rules are set by each card network's scheme rules and merchant contracts, so check the network rules or ask your payment service provider how they apply to you.
Source: ACCC: Card surcharges
I sent an invoice with a surcharge before 1 October. Can I still charge it?
The ACCC's guidance doesn't cover invoices issued before 1 October 2026. It says businesses can no longer charge a surcharge for these card payments from 1 October 2026, so ask your payment service provider before charging a surcharge on any card payment made from that date.
Source: ACCC: Card surcharges
Which cards does this cover?
The ACCC lists Visa, Mastercard, American Express and eftpos credit, debit and prepaid cards. For any other way of paying, check with your payment service provider.
Source: ACCC: Card surcharges
Can I raise my prices to cover card fees?
Yes. The ACCC says businesses can recover the cost of accepting card payments by building it into their overall prices. They must not mislead customers about prices, including about the reasons for a price increase.
Source: ACCC: Card surcharges
Are not-for-profits or small businesses exempt?
The ACCC's guidance doesn't list any exemptions for not-for-profits or small businesses. The ‘no surcharge’ rules are set by each card network's scheme rules and merchant contracts, so check the relevant network rules or ask your payment service provider.
Sources: ACCC: Card surcharges Card networks: cardsurcharge.com.au
Can I stop accepting cards altogether?
This guide doesn't answer that. The ACCC's card surcharge guidance is about surcharges and prices, not about which ways to pay a business has to accept. If you're considering it, talk to your payment service provider and get advice for your own situation.
Source: ACCC: Card surcharges
Who enforces this, and who do I ask?
The ACCC says the ‘no surcharge’ rules are set by each card network's scheme rules and merchant contracts, and the card networks or payment service providers enforce them, not the ACCC. The ACCC and state and territory consumer protection agencies enforce the Australian Consumer Law, including the rules against misleading claims about prices or the reasons for price changes. For questions about your own setup, check the card network rules or contact your payment service provider.
Sources: ACCC: Card surcharges Card networks: cardsurcharge.com.au
Sources
- ACCC: Card surcharges
- ACCC: Price displays
- Card networks' ‘no surcharge’ information (cardsurcharge.com.au)
Checked against the ACCC pages on 27 October 2026.