From 1 October, Paying by Card in Australia Should Stop Costing Extra

From 1 October 2026, Australian businesses can no longer add surcharges for paying with eftpos, Mastercard or Visa debit, credit or prepaid cards. The Reserve Bank expects consumers to save around $1.6 billion, though card rewards and fees may change.

The Reserve Bank of Australia. Its payments review led to the surcharge ban. Photo: Ché Lydia Xyang, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 4-minute read

"RBA credit card surcharge overhaul" is one of the fastest-rising credit card searches on Google this week, with the deadline now just weeks away.

What Is Changing

Card payment surcharges on eftpos, Mastercard and Visa — including debit, prepaid and credit cards — will be banned from 1 October 2026.

The change comes out of the Reserve Bank of Australia's review of merchant card payment costs and surcharging, and is described as the most significant overhaul of card payment rules in more than 20 years.

How the Ban Works

The RBA does not regulate shops directly. It regulates card networks and banks. It removed a rule that had stopped card networks from banning surcharges themselves. eftpos, Mastercard and Visa have each confirmed they will introduce "no-surcharge" rules from 1 October.

What Is Not Covered

The ban applies only to surcharges added because a customer pays by card. It does not cover:

Weekend surcharges.
Public holiday surcharges.
Booking fees or service fees.

What It Means for Shoppers

Savings. Consumers are expected to save around $1.6 billion in fees because businesses can no longer pass card costs directly to them at checkout.

Clearer prices. The price you see should be the price you pay, however you pay with these cards.

Possible trade-offs. With banks earning less from card transactions, some may adjust rewards points programmes, annual fees or interest-free periods. Check any notices from your card provider.

What It Means for Businesses

Update point-of-sale settings so card surcharges are removed before 1 October.
Review payment costs with your provider — the reforms are also intended to reduce the overall cost of accepting cards.
Price transparently. Some businesses may build card costs into general pricing instead.

A Global Trend

Regulators in several countries are pushing for simpler, cheaper and more transparent payments. For travellers weighing up how to pay abroad, see our guide to travel money cards.

Sources

"Frequently asked questions — removal of payment surcharges from 1 October 2026," Reserve Bank of Australia — rba.gov.au
"Review of merchant card payment costs and surcharging — surcharging," Reserve Bank of Australia — rba.gov.au
"RBA card surcharge reforms," Commonwealth Bank — commbank.com.au
"RBA to end card payment surcharges from 1 October 2026," Moore Australia — moore-australia.com.au

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Australia Bans Card Payment Surcharges From 1 October 2026: What Changes