Australian businesses accepting card payments should now check every place a payment fee appears on their website—not just the EFTPOS terminal. From 1 October 2026, Visa, Mastercard, eftpos and American Express introduced rules preventing merchants from adding card-payment surcharges in the usual circumstances. For a Hobart retailer, accommodation provider or service business, that means reviewing online checkouts, payment links, booking engines, invoices and customer-facing price explanations.
The change is real and already in effect. The Reserve Bank of Australia’s updated FAQs, the ACCC’s business guidance and business.gov.au’s 1 October announcement explain the change. This guide focuses on practical website tasks; confirm any edge case with your payment provider and seek professional advice where needed.
What changed on 1 October 2026?
The Reserve Bank removed its prohibition on card networks imposing “no-surcharge” rules. The card networks then introduced rules that generally prevent merchants from adding an extra fee because a customer pays with a covered card. The ACCC identifies Visa, Mastercard, eftpos and American Express as covered networks. The RBA also reports that PayPal introduced a no-surcharge rule effective 5 October 2026; arrangements for other methods should be checked separately.
This is not a blanket ban on every fee a business might charge. A genuinely payment-method-neutral booking or service fee, or a properly disclosed weekend or public holiday surcharge, is a different category. Whether a particular fee is appropriate depends on what it is for, how it is applied and how the price is presented. Do not simply rename a card fee “administration” and assume the problem is solved.
Seven website and checkout checks to complete now
1. Run a real test checkout on mobile and desktop
Put an inexpensive test item or service into your cart and proceed to the last payment step. Record the advertised product price, delivery charge, any booking or service fee, the payment methods offered and the final total. Repeat on a phone. A checkout can look correct on the product page yet add a percentage fee only after the customer chooses a card.
2. Check your payment gateway and plugins
For a WooCommerce or Shopify store, inspect the settings and extensions responsible for payment-method fees. Some businesses have added a surcharge through a separate checkout-fee plugin, custom code or a booking platform rather than through their main payment provider. Review those integrations individually. Keep a copy of the previous configuration and test changes in a safe environment before changing live checkout behaviour.
Choosing between ecommerce platforms is a separate decision; DanSol’s Shopify vs WooCommerce guide for Tasmanian retailers explains the broader trade-offs.
3. Inspect booking engines and deposit payments
A Hobart accommodation operator might collect a deposit through a third-party booking system and the balance at reception. A salon may take online appointment deposits, while a tour company uses a hosted checkout. Test every customer journey. Check whether the website, the booking provider or the card processor controls the fee, and ask the responsible provider to confirm the correct configuration in writing.
4. Audit invoice links, QR codes and recurring payments
Look beyond your main website. Check email invoices with “Pay now” buttons, emailed payment links, QR-code payment pages, subscription renewals and saved-card payments. A fee set up months ago may still be active on a separate payment workflow. The RBA notes that payments made from 1 October may be affected even when the invoice was issued earlier.
5. Update pricing copy and frequently asked questions
Search your website for terms such as “card fee”, “credit-card surcharge”, “processing fee”, “merchant fee” and “1.5%”. Review your footer, booking conditions, checkout notices, FAQs, downloadable menus and confirmation emails. Remove outdated claims after confirming the underlying payment configuration. Clear, consistent pricing matters: the ACCC warns businesses against false or misleading price information or explanations for price increases.
6. Decide how to handle card acceptance costs
Payment processing still costs businesses money. The ACCC says businesses may adjust prices to recover card-acceptance costs, provided they do not mislead customers about prices or the reasons for changes. Rather than applying a card-only fee at the last step, review your full pricing model, margins and provider charges. Avoid presenting a compulsory fee as optional, or advertising a total that customers cannot actually pay.
7. Test the result and keep evidence
After making changes, repeat test transactions across the card types and payment paths you accept. Keep dated screenshots of the checkout, a short log of what changed, and confirmation from your provider where relevant. Test with both mobile and desktop browsers, and verify that order emails, refunds and tax calculations still work. If you are also improving the overall buying journey, see DanSol’s WordPress maintenance checklist for a broader operational review.
A practical Hobart example: a $120 online service booking
Imagine a local business advertising a $120 appointment. Its old checkout added a 1.5% “card processing surcharge” after the customer selected Visa, taking the card total to $121.80. Under the new network rules, that card-only $1.80 surcharge should not remain in the normal covered-card checkout. The business should remove or appropriately reconfigure that fee, review its overall prices if necessary, and make the total clear before payment.
This is an illustrative example, not a statement about a specific Hobart business or an approved pricing formula. If a separate booking fee exists, its purpose, application and disclosure need to be considered on their own merits.
What should a website developer or agency check?
A useful handover should identify every system touching the payment journey: the website CMS, ecommerce or booking plugin, payment gateway, invoice platform, confirmation emails and any custom scripts. Ask for a list of fee-related settings, a test plan and screenshots of the final totals. Avoid editing the theme or replacing working plugins simply to solve one fee configuration issue.
DanSol provides website design and development services for Australian businesses. If your checkout involves several plugins or payment providers, contact DanSol to discuss a focused review rather than assuming a full website rebuild is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still charge a weekend or public holiday surcharge?
Yes, the new card-network rules do not themselves prohibit those separate surcharges. They still need to be correctly disclosed and comply with applicable consumer law. Hospitality businesses should consult the ACCC’s price display guidance.
Does the change apply to online payments as well as terminals?
The card-network rules concern the covered card payments, not merely the physical terminal. Check your online gateway, hosted payment pages, booking platform and payment links with their providers.
Can I offer a discount for another payment method?
The RBA says businesses may continue offering discounts for particular payment methods, subject to relevant pricing and consumer law requirements. A discount is not the same thing as adding a prohibited surcharge to a covered card payment.
Do I need to replace my ecommerce platform?
Usually, no. Start by identifying which component adds the fee. A gateway setting, extension, custom checkout rule or external booking provider may be responsible. Test the fix before considering a platform migration.
Who enforces the no-surcharge rules?
The RBA explains that card networks and payment providers are responsible for their scheme rules. The ACCC deals with misleading pricing under consumer law but does not enforce the networks’ no-surcharge rules themselves. Ask your provider about your merchant agreement and any exceptions.
What to do this week
Set aside 30–60 minutes to make a list of all your payment paths, test the final customer total, remove outdated fee wording and contact your provider about anything unclear. Prioritise the checkout customers use most, then cover less visible routes such as invoices and booking deposits. Accurate, transparent prices help customers make decisions without a last-minute surprise.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026. This article provides general operational information, not legal or financial advice. Payment-network terms and exceptions may change.