Card Payment Surcharges to End Across Australia from 1 October

Australian consumers will no longer face separate card payment surcharges when using major credit, debit and prepaid cards from 1 October 2026, under new payment rules announced by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).

The change means businesses accepting eftpos, Mastercard and Visa payments will generally no longer be able to add an extra fee simply because a customer chooses to pay by card. American Express and UnionPay have also announced plans to remove card surcharges from the same date.

What is changing?

The RBA decided in March 2026 to remove its prohibition on card networks introducing “no-surcharge” rules. The new rules will take effect from 1 October.

Until 30 September, businesses can continue to charge card surcharges, provided they comply with existing rules limiting the surcharge to the business’s cost of accepting that payment method. From 1 October, eftpos, Mastercard and Visa will introduce no-surcharge rules covering credit, debit and prepaid cards. This means a customer paying for a coffee, meal, groceries or other goods by these cards should not face an additional card payment fee.

Businesses can still recover costs through prices

The end of card surcharges does not mean businesses will no longer have costs associated with accepting card payments. The RBA said businesses may reflect those costs in their overall prices rather than charging customers a separate card surcharge. The Bank is also reducing interchange fee caps and introducing greater transparency around card payment fees.

Not all extra fees are affected

The changes apply specifically to surcharges for paying by card.

They do not automatically remove other charges such as weekend or public-holiday surcharges, booking fees or service fees. The RBA also notes that taxi surcharging remains subject to state and territory regulation. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says businesses should prepare for the changes by reviewing their pricing, customer information and payment systems before 1 October.

Source: Reserve Bank of Australia; Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.