EBizCharge

JUNE 18, 2025

If you’re thinking about passing your credit card processing costs onto customers, it’s important to understand how the major card networks—like Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Discover—handle surcharges. While it might sound simple, credit card surcharge rules can vary depending on who issued the card.

Credit Cards

EBizCharge

JUNE 30, 2025

This guide walks you through what’s required to stay on the right side of both the law and card brand rules. A surcharge is a fee that a business adds to a transaction to help cover the cost of credit card processing fees. This is part of what’s often called credit card surcharging.

Credit Cards

EBizCharge

JUNE 17, 2025

As payment processing costs continue to rise, many businesses are looking for ways to offset these fees. Two popular options—credit card surcharges and convenience fees —can help recover some of these costs. What Is a Credit Card Surcharge? Guidelines: Only applies to credit cards , not debit or prepaid cards.

Credit Cards

EBizCharge

JUNE 27, 2025

Surcharging typically refers to adding a fee that is specifically labeled as such, while zero-cost processing is often positioned as a built-in business model where customers cover transaction costs. At checkout, this is usually implemented as a clear, line-item fee—often labeled as a card fee or service charge.

Credit Cards

EBizCharge

JUNE 19, 2025

How It Works Surcharging is a simple way for businesses to recover the cost of accepting credit cards without inflating their prices. The surcharge is a percentage ( up to 4% ) of the transaction total. It’s applied only to credit card transactions, not debit or prepaid cards.

Credit Cards

EBizCharge

JUNE 24, 2025

They’re treated differently under both state laws and card network rules. Simple to set up with the right tools: Most payment processing platforms now have built-in surcharge features. Legal complexity: You have to follow state laws and card network rules to stay compliant.

Credit Cards

EBizCharge

JUNE 23, 2025

One option on the table is adding a credit card surcharge—a small extra fee to help cover your costs. But here’s the catch: surcharge rules are a patchwork of federal guidelines, state laws, and card network rules. And the card networks like Visa and Mastercard have their own rulebooks.

Credit Cards

EBizCharge

JULY 1, 2025

With the steady rise in interchange rates and card fees, more and more merchants are asking the same question: Should I be covering these costs, or is it time to share them with my customers? While they may seem small per transaction, they add up quickly, especially for businesses with high sales volumes or slim margins.

Process

EBizCharge

MAY 5, 2025

These fees are essential for covering the costs of handling, authorizing, and securing card transactions. Assessment fees: Assessment fees are imposed by major credit card networks (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) to cover operating costs and any infrastructure or maintenance needs.

Credit Cards

Stax

JANUARY 15, 2024

Are you struggling with resource constraints caused by soaring credit card processing costs? Credit card surcharging can help offset these expenses, but it can be tricky. TL;DR Credit card surcharging involves adding a fee to transactions with credit card payments, offsetting processing costs.

Credit Cards

Payment Savvy

JULY 12, 2024

For example, you could add a convenience fee if your standard payment method is cash or check, but a customer wants to pay over the phone or online with a credit card. This fee compensates for these alternative methods’ higher processing costs and potential risks.

Card Network Rules

Stax

SEPTEMBER 26, 2024

That said, you can’t just decide and impose credit card surcharges overnight. It requires stringent adherence to regulatory guidelines and card network rules, from surcharge caps to disclosure requirements. Learn how your business can capitalize on these transaction fees while staying on the right side of the law.

Credit Cards

Stax

NOVEMBER 15, 2023

They significantly impact the cost of accepting card payments. Understanding interchange fees enables merchants to effectively manage processing costs, negotiate better rates, make informed decisions about card acceptance, and ensure compliance with payment industry standards. Can you decrease interchange fees?

Credit Cards

Payment Savvy

JULY 3, 2024

What Are Debit Card Processing Fees? Debit card processing fees are charges that businesses must pay every time they accept a debit card payment. These fees cover the costs of processing the transaction , ensuring the payment goes from the customer’s bank to the business’s bank account securely and efficiently.

Debit Card

EBizCharge

JUNE 28, 2024

Card types The type of card used in a transaction can dictate whether a surcharge is permissible. Credit card (CC) surcharges are subject to different rules than those for debit cards. Consequently, merchants cannot profit from these fees; their purpose is solely to cover processing costs.

Credit Cards

Segpay

FEBRUARY 28, 2024

Key Takeaways √ Hidden charges in payment processing can dig into and erode your bottom line. Merchants can implement several best practices to avoid surprise processing costs. 5 minute read Hidden charges in payment processing can seriously impact any merchant’s bottom-line revenues.

IRS