Add a disclosed fee
to eligible credit cards.
A surcharge adds a disclosed fee when a customer chooses an eligible credit card. Debit and prepaid cards are excluded under Visa and Mastercard surcharge rules.
Caps, notices, disclosures, processor requirements and state restrictions can also apply, so we confirm the setup before it goes live.
Credit only.
That changes the math.
Visa and Mastercard surcharge rules allow surcharging on eligible credit card transactions, not their debit or prepaid cards. That remains true even when a debit card is processed without a PIN.
That means the portion of your volume paid with debit or prepaid cards still carries its normal card acceptance cost. The more of your volume that falls into those categories, the more it matters when comparing surcharge with other pricing models.
Your card mix decides how much this matters
A business with mostly eligible credit card volume may see very different economics from one with heavy debit or prepaid usage. We compare your actual card mix, average ticket and processing cost before recommending surcharge, dual pricing or another pricing model.
The right answer comes from your numbers, not the program name.
Compare the whole bill.
Not just the credit side.
Your credit, debit and prepaid mix changes the economics. Put surcharge beside interchange plus, flat rate, cash discount and dual pricing using the numbers from your actual statement.
See what the business pays, what the customer may pay and which costs remain under each approach.
The fee is simple.
The rules are not optional.
Surcharging has rules around notice, eligible cards, disclosure, receipts and the amount charged. We configure the program around the approved processor and current requirements before it goes live.
Notify before launch
Visa and Mastercard require advance notice before a merchant begins surcharging. The notification process depends on the card network and acquiring relationship, so we handle the required setup before launch.
Eligible credit cards only
Visa and Mastercard surcharge rules do not permit surcharges on their debit or prepaid cards. The payment setup must identify eligible transactions correctly rather than leaving that decision to your staff.
Disclose it before payment
Customers must receive the required surcharge disclosure before completing the transaction. In person and online requirements can differ, so the approved program determines where and how the disclosure appears.
Show it on the receipt
The surcharge must be identified as required on the transaction receipt. We configure the available receipt settings to match the approved program.
The surcharge has a cap
Card network rules limit how much may be surcharged. The applicable limit can depend on the network, merchant cost and current network maximum, with state law potentially imposing additional restrictions.
State and processor rules still matter
Card network rules are only part of the setup. State law, processor requirements, merchant agreements and the way the business accepts payments can create additional requirements or restrictions.
We confirm the approved setup before launch. If the rules or your business make surcharge a poor fit, we will tell you.
Where credit surcharging
needs a closer look.
This is a conservative screening list, not legal advice, and it can change. Reviewed August 29, 2026. If a state, territory or rule needs confirmation, we confirm it before anything goes live. Dual pricing may still be available where credit surcharging is limited or not a fit.
| State | Credit surcharge status | Why it needs a closer look |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | Not available | Connecticut law prohibits adding a surcharge for using a credit card. |
| Massachusetts | Not available | Massachusetts law prohibits imposing a surcharge when a customer pays with a credit card. |
| Maine | Not available | Maine prohibits adding a surcharge to credit card or debit card payments. |
| Puerto Rico | Not available | Puerto Rico prohibits credit card surcharges. A 2025 federal appeals court left that rule in place. |
| California | Confirm first | California's old surcharge ban was litigated, and a later pricing law affects how fees may be shown. We confirm the disclosure setup before launch. |
| Colorado | Confirm first | Colorado allows a credit surcharge but caps it at 2% or the merchant's processing cost, with required disclosures. |
| Florida | Confirm first | Florida still has a surcharge statute on the books. A federal court held the ban unconstitutional, so we confirm the setup before launch. |
| Kansas | Confirm first | Kansas now allows a surcharge if the amount is disclosed clearly before the sale. We confirm the notice setup before launch. |
| New York | Confirm first | New York requires the total credit price to be disclosed as a dollar amount rather than a percentage add-on. |
| Oklahoma | Confirm first | Oklahoma recently changed its surcharge law. We confirm the current requirements before launch. |
| Texas | Confirm first | Texas still has a surcharge statute, and court and attorney general positions have differed. We confirm before launch. |
If credit surcharging is not available or not the best fit
You are not out of options. Dual pricing and cash discounting are often still worth reviewing, depending on the business, the way prices are shown and the state-specific rules. We confirm the right setup before launch. Here is how that works.
Every state not listed here is still confirmed before go-live. State law, litigation, processor requirements and card-network rules can change, and we would rather re-check than assume.
State rules change.
Verify before you launch.
Use the AI assistant you already use. The prompt asks it to check current state law and card-network rules, cite official sources and compare them with the table above.
Research surcharge rules before I launch.
Check state restrictions, network limits, debit and prepaid rules, notice and disclosure requirements. Cite current sources and flag anything on this page that needs another look.
Each button opens the same detailed research prompt in a new tab. Nothing is submitted until you send it.
Research prompt copied
AI is a research tool, not legal advice or a source of truth. Read the citations and compare the answer with current program documents and official rules. Find something inaccurate about Phase 3? Send it to us and we will correct what we control.
Before you add a surcharge,
Get these answers.
Eligible cards, surcharge limits, state requirements and customer disclosure should all be clear before the program goes live.