Australia’s 2026 card surcharge changes: small business guide

What is changing?

The Reserve Bank of Australia’s 2026 conclusions paper decided to remove card surcharging by lifting the RBA prohibition on “no-surcharge” rules for all currently designated card networks: eftpos, Mastercard and Visa. The decision covers debit, prepaid and credit cards. In practical terms, the card networks are expected to be able to stop merchants adding a separate surcharge for those card payments from 1 October 2026, subject to the final scheme rules and merchant contract terms.

The ACCC’s consumer guidance explains the transition in plain language: from 1 October 2026, Visa, Mastercard and eftpos may introduce no-surcharge rules for prepaid, debit and credit cards. If those rules apply to a business, the business cannot charge customers a surcharge for those payment types. The ACCC also notes that card networks, not the ACCC, will enforce those network rules.

The change sits inside a wider payments package. The RBA also announced lower interchange fee caps, more transparency about wholesale and merchant service fees, additional merchant statement information, and publication requirements for larger acquirers. Those reforms matter because the policy goal is not simply to remove customer surcharges; it is to lower merchant card payment costs and make those costs easier to compare.

Who should pay attention?

The change is also relevant to businesses that do not surcharge today. If competitors previously displayed lower headline prices and added a surcharge later, removing surcharging may narrow that difference. Businesses that already include payment costs in advertised prices may find their pricing presentation becomes easier to explain to customers.

Timeline for Australian businesses

How the change may affect your business

The impact depends on your sales mix, card share, current surcharge revenue, provider plan, average transaction value and gross margin. A business that rarely surcharges may see little direct revenue change. A business that recovers most card acceptance costs through a visible surcharge may need a more deliberate transition plan.

Start with three numbers: annual card sales, your effective merchant service fee, and annual surcharge revenue. Then estimate the gap if separate card surcharge recovery disappears. For example, a business with $900,000 of annual card sales, an effective payment cost of 1.0%, and surcharge revenue that roughly offsets that cost may need to find or absorb around $9,000 per year before provider savings. If provider fees fall or the business renegotiates, the net gap may be smaller.

Price changes should usually be modelled across all relevant sales, not only the card transactions that used to attract a surcharge. A small headline price adjustment spread across a broad product range may be less disruptive than a last-minute margin hit. FeeReady’s calculator is designed for this scenario: it estimates lost surcharge recovery, provider savings, profit impact and the average price adjustment required to maintain margin.

Preparation checklist

• Download at least three recent merchant statements and calculate your effective card payment rate.
• Separate debit, credit, card-present, online, domestic and foreign-issued card costs where your provider data allows it.
• Estimate annual surcharge revenue that may no longer be recoverable as a separate card fee.
• Ask your current provider how their pricing will change after the RBA reforms and whether interchange savings will be passed through.
• Compare at least two alternative providers using your actual transaction mix, not just headline rates.
• Model whether to absorb costs, adjust general prices, change payment provider, or encourage lower-cost payment methods where allowed.
• Review POS signage, ecommerce checkout wording, invoices, menus, price lists and staff scripts before 1 October 2026.
• Plan customer communication early: “card costs are now included in our displayed prices” is clearer than a rushed explanation at checkout.
• Re-check RBA, ACCC, card network and provider guidance as implementation details are finalised.

What remains uncertain

The headline date is clear, but businesses should avoid assuming every implementation detail is final. Card network scheme rules, provider contract wording, statement formats and merchant communication templates may evolve before October 2026. Some businesses also accept payment types outside the designated Visa, Mastercard and eftpos framework, such as PayPal, American Express, BPAY or cash. Those payment types may have different rules, costs and customer expectations.

There is also commercial uncertainty. Lower interchange caps and greater transparency are intended to reduce merchant costs, but the benefit to any individual business depends on how providers change their plans, whether merchants negotiate, and whether lower wholesale costs are passed through. Treat 2026 as a transition project rather than a single compliance date.

Frequently asked questions

Are card surcharges already banned?

No. Until 1 October 2026, the current excessive surcharge framework still applies. If you surcharge, the amount must not exceed your cost of accepting that payment type and you must be able to verify the calculation.

Which card networks are covered?

The RBA decision applies to the currently designated card networks: eftpos, Mastercard and Visa. The ACCC guidance says the upcoming no-surcharge rules may apply to prepaid, debit and credit cards from those networks.

Will the ACCC enforce the new network no-surcharge rules?

The ACCC says card networks, not the ACCC, will enforce the network no-surcharge rules. The ACCC remains relevant for current excessive surcharge laws and consumer law guidance.

Should I increase prices now?

Not automatically. First calculate your real card cost and surcharge recovery, then model several options. You may find savings through provider negotiation, least-cost routing, plan changes or a targeted price review.