What is changing for card surcharging and why?

From 1 October 2026, under Visa rules, a business must not add any amount over the advertised or normal price to a transaction, unless applicable law or regulation expressly permits the business to surcharge. If a surcharge is allowed, the surcharge amount must be included in the transaction amount and not collected separately. The changes to no-surcharge rules follow reforms announced by the RBA as part of its Review of Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging. As part of these reforms, the RBA determined that it is in the public interest to remove surcharging for all designated card networks.

When do these changes take effect?

The changes to the no-surcharge rules in Australia come into effect from 1 October 2026.

Are there exceptions to the no-surcharge rules?

The only exception to Visa’s no-surcharge rule is where an applicable law or regulation expressly permits a merchant to surcharge. For example, the RBA has said that “Surcharging in the taxi industry remains the responsibility of state and territory regulators. To the extent that surcharging continues in respect of payments for taxi fares, these surcharges will remain subject to any applicable relevant state and territory legislation.”

Can businesses surcharge payments made with international cards?

No. The no-surcharge rule applies to all Visa card payments made to businesses in Australia, regardless of whether the card was issued overseas.

What should I do if I believe I’ve been charged a card payment surcharge?

Businesses may continue to apply a card surcharge until 30 September 2026. If you believe you have been incorrectly surcharged from 1 October 2026, you can contact the business to request the surcharged amount be refunded. Further industry guidance on the changes for consumers, businesses and payment service providers is available at <a data-linktype="external" data-link-external-ref="https://www.cardsurcharge.com.au/" data-is-no-follow="false" data-in-same-tab="false" data-in-new-tab="true" data-is-modal="false" data-conversiontype="Not a Conversion" data-is-anchor-tag="false" data-aria-label="Open in new window, External Link" aria-label="www.cardsurcharge.com.au (Open in new window, External Link)" href="https://www.cardsurcharge.com.au/" class="vs-link-cta reskin vs-link-new-window vs-link-inline" target="_blank">www.cardsurcharge.com.au , a site developed by AusPayNet with input from Visa and other designated card networks.

Card Surcharging Changes to Card Surcharging Rules in Australia

From 1 October 2026, businesses in Australia will no longer be permitted to apply a surcharge to Visa debit, credit, or prepaid card transactions, unless applicable law or regulation expressly permits. This change follows reforms announced by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) as part of its Review of Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging.

Card payments are one of the most secure and convenient ways for businesses to accept payments, and surcharging can create confusion when the final amount differs from the advertised or expected price. Removing surcharging makes the checkout experience more consistent for consumers – the price you see is the price you will pay.

Learn more about Visa’s no-surcharge rules effective 1 October 2026 below.

Further information on the changes for consumers, businesses and payment service providers is also available at www.cardsurcharge.com.au, industry guidance developed by AusPayNet with input from Visa and other designated card networks.

Frequently Asked Questions

: From 1 October 2026, under Visa rules, a business must not add any amount over the advertised or normal price to a transaction, unless applicable law or regulation expressly permits the business to surcharge. If a surcharge is allowed, the surcharge amount must be included in the transaction amount and not collected separately.

The changes to no-surcharge rules follow reforms announced by the RBA as part of its Review of Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging. As part of these reforms, the RBA determined that it is in the public interest to remove surcharging for all designated card networks.
: The changes to the no-surcharge rules in Australia come into effect from 1 October 2026.
: The only exception to Visa’s no-surcharge rule is where an applicable law or regulation expressly permits a merchant to surcharge. For example, the RBA has said that “Surcharging in the taxi industry remains the responsibility of state and territory regulators. To the extent that surcharging continues in respect of payments for taxi fares, these surcharges will remain subject to any applicable relevant state and territory legislation.”
: No. The no-surcharge rule applies to all Visa card payments made to businesses in Australia, regardless of whether the card was issued overseas.
: Businesses may continue to apply a card surcharge until 30 September 2026. If you believe you have been incorrectly surcharged from 1 October 2026, you can contact the business to request the surcharged amount be refunded. Further industry guidance on the changes for consumers, businesses and payment service providers is available at www.cardsurcharge.com.au, a site developed by AusPayNet with input from Visa and other designated card networks.