N
The Daily Insight Hub

Can I pass credit card fees to customer?

Author

Jackson Reed

Updated on February 17, 2026

Merchants can pass the same fee onto customers that they pay the card network per transaction. Merchants should be aware of their state laws before applying convenience fees or surcharges to transactions.

What is the best way to accept a credit card payment?

How to accept credit card payments

  1. Find a credit card processing provider for your small business. There are many payment processing providers that offer similar services at various rates.
  2. Open a merchant account.
  3. Set up payment terminals.
  4. In-person payments.
  5. Online payments.
  6. Over-the-phone payments.
  7. PayPal.
  8. Shopify.

Can merchant fees be passed on to customer?

Most of what retailers can and cannot do involving credit and debit cards is governed by the merchant contract with the card companies, not by state or federal law. Merchants can pass the same fee onto customers that they pay the card network per transaction.

Is it illegal to charge to use a debit card?

It’s now illegal to charge an additional fee for paying by credit or debit card, but some companies have already found a way to keep charging customers. Prior to being made illegal, the law limited credit and debit card charges to whatever it cost the retailer to process a card payment.

Is it illegal to charge customers for using a debit card?

Legality. Adding surcharges to credit card payments is allowed, as of 2020. Because merchants pay fees every time you pay with plastic, they’re allowed to pass some, or all, of that fee to you.

How to make your customers pay for credit card fees?

Convenience fees can be a fixed dollar amount or a percentage of the transaction amount (usually 2 to 3 percent) and must be disclosed to the customer in advance. Add a line item for credit card surcharge to the invoice and add a standard amount to each invoice.

When to charge a credit card processing fee?

Sometimes businesses will try to mitigate their processing costs by charging a fee whenever a customer uses a credit card. Two kinds of fees are the most common: convenience fees and surcharges. There are specific cases where either fee may be appropriate, but it’s important to know when it’s both appropriate and legal to use each.

Can a merchant charge a convenience fee for using a credit card?

Merchants are allowed to charge customers a convenience fee for using a credit card if the customer is using an alternative payment channel. For example, if a company usually accepts payments in person, a convenience fee might be added if their customer uses a telephone or order online.

Are there fees for accepting credit card payments for small business?

Here are some fees you might face when accepting credit card payments for small business: Some companies charge both a percentage of the sale and a fee per transaction (1.5% + $0.20). Others choose to charge only a flat percentage of the sale (3%).