Stewart SystemsChristian Stewart · Wollongong
Free checklist · What changed

Still adding a card surcharge? That ended on 1 October.

Since 1 October 2026, businesses can't add a surcharge to eftpos, Mastercard or Visa payments. Here are the four places a forgotten surcharge usually hides, and how to check your card fees actually fell.

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Check these four places

1
Your EFTPOS terminal or POSTurn off any automatic card surcharge. Ask your payment provider if you're not sure where it's set.
2
Your invoice and quote templatesRemove surcharge lines and wording in your accounting or job software.
3
Online bookings and payment linksCheck booking pages, payment links and online checkout for added card fees.
4
Signs, menus and website termsRemove card-surcharge wording from menus, counter signs, terms and quote footers.

Still allowed: weekend and public-holiday surcharges, as long as they are clearly disclosed.

Which cards: the Reserve Bank's decision covers eftpos, Mastercard and Visa debit, credit and prepaid cards. American Express also stopped surcharging on 1 October, by its own decision. Other cards: check with your provider.

Then check your fees: the caps on interchange fees were lowered from 1 October too. Compare your September and October merchant statements to see whether your card fees fell.

Sources: Reserve Bank of Australia and the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman. General information only; check with your payment provider for your setup.

When supplier price rises eat your margin →

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A one-page tick-box checklist of the four places, plus a simple fee check for your September and October statements.

We keep these details to see which templates help, and only email you monthly if you ticked the box. We never share them. Privacy.

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The board compares your supplier bills and card fees each week and tells you what moved, so price changes don't quietly eat your margin. The Snapshot is thirty minutes and a one-page map of where your business leaks time and money. Yours to keep.

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