Australia’s October 1 Card Surcharge Ban Could Lead to Higher Consumer Prices

From 1 October 2026, Australians will no longer face separate card payment surcharges when paying with major card networks including Visa, Mastercard and eftpos. American Express has also announced that it will remove surcharging from the same date.
The change is designed to make card payments simpler and more transparent. However, while consumers may no longer see a separate surcharge at the checkout, businesses will still incur costs when accepting electronic payments. Some businesses may therefore choose to incorporate these costs into their standard prices.
For Australian businesses, the change represents more than simply removing a surcharge from a payment terminal. Businesses may need to review pricing, payment processing costs, profit margins, payment systems and customer communications before the new rules take effect.


