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Will my business have to absorb the cost of card payment fees?

From October 1, 2026, Australian businesses will not be allowed to add on card fee surcharges when customers pay with credit, debit, or prepaid cards.

If you are currently adding on surcharges, you will no longer be able to pass those card acceptance costs on as a separate surcharge.

Some businesses worry this will eat into margins.

My business relies on card payments. What are my options?

Merchants have three main paths forward:

1. Accept lower margins on card payments.

2. Raise prices store-wide (and risk being undercut).

3. Move away from cards as the default payment option.

Consider options like PayID for lower fees and real-time funds settlement.

What actions can I take today, to get ahead of the surcharge ban?

Now is the time to review and compare your payment costs, especially against a modern,  competitive provider like Hello Clever. 

Ensure your payment gateway can support PayID (many are card-only).

Consider adding an Instant Cashback incentive to drive adoption of PayID. Win-win for you, and your customers!