Credit card surcharging: Your merchant obligations

Important rules to follow if you choose to add a surcharge to your transactions

The Commerce Commission enforces surcharging rules under the Retail Payment System Act 2022. Below is a summary of your key obligations. For full details, visit the Commerce Commission website here.

1. Charge a fair surcharge amount

Your surcharge must reflect the actual cost of accepting a card payment—usually your Merchant Service Fee (MSF).

If you use Differential Surcharging, a lower rate will apply for lower-cost transactions like contactless debit, while higher-cost transactions like MOTO, credit, and international cards may incur a higher surcharge. This ensures you’re passing on processing costs fairly.

You must not include general business costs (e.g. wages, rent, electricity) in your surcharge calculation.

How we can help:
Our surcharging solution supports differential surcharging to better match your true cost of acceptance. You can also set optional minimum and maximum surcharge amounts and define the purchase values that trigger a surcharge.

2. Display surcharge information before purchase

You must clearly inform customers of your surcharge before completing a transaction. This includes:

• In-store signage near your EFTPOS terminal

• Signage that is easy to see and read

• Disclosing the rate, amount, or calculation method of the surcharge

• Providing at least one surcharge-free payment option

How we can help:
Your terminal will display “Surcharge may apply” on the present card screen. We also offer signage templates and stickers. Learn more about signage here.

3. Collect the surcharge with the transaction

The surcharge must be processed as part of the total purchase amount—it cannot be charged separately. It must also appear clearly on the customer’s receipt.

How we can help:
Our solution automatically displays the surcharge on the receipt, with the transaction amount and surcharge listed separately.