Home / Credit card surcharging
Credit card surcharging, done by the rules.
Credit card surcharging lets you pass part of your card cost to customers who pay with credit. It only works if it follows card-brand rules: a capped fee, credit cards only, and clear notice before anyone pays.
A compliant surcharge, at a glance
| Surcharge cap | 3% |
| Credit cards | Eligible |
| Debit cards | Never surcharged |
| Prepaid cards | Never surcharged |
| Debit detection | BIN-based |
| Receipt | Surcharge on its own line |
Some states restrict surcharging. Check current rules for your state.
Where surcharge programs go wrong
A surcharge that skips a rule can lead to customer complaints and trouble with the card brands. These are the gaps we see most, and how we set it up instead.
What you often find
- The same fee charged on credit, debit and prepaid cards
- A surcharge set above what card-brand rules allow
- No sign at the entrance or the register
- A receipt that hides the fee inside the total
- Nobody checked the state rules before turning it on
At PayZoom
- BIN-based detection, so debit and prepaid cards skip the fee
- A surcharge capped at 3%, within card-brand rules
- Disclosure at the point of entry and at checkout
- The surcharge printed as its own line on the receipt
- We help you review current rules before you start
How compliant surcharging works
A compliant surcharge stands on three legs. Miss one and the program is exposed. We build all three into your terminal, POS or gateway setup.
Clear disclosure
Customers see notice of the surcharge where they enter and again at checkout, before they pay.
A capped amount
The fee stays at or under 3% and within your cost of accepting cards, per card-brand rules.
Credit cards only
BIN-based detection reads the card number and leaves debit and prepaid cards untouched.
The PayZoom Statement Review
- Send. Email us one recent processing statement.
- Read. We line-item every fee and separate what the card networks charge from what your processor keeps.
- Recommend. You get a plain-English answer. If you are already paying a fair price, we will tell you.
- Switch. If you move to PayZoom, we set up processing to fit your POS, gateway or cart.
Not only did PayZoom lower our costs, they analyzed our internal processes and made recommendations to improve workflow and provided new equipment so we could capture electronic payments at all points in the hospital and at off-site locations.
Jim Bishop, CPA, Controller, Jennie Stuart Medical Center
Since 2006, a person who knows your account.
| Founded | 2006, Daphne, Alabama |
| Clients in | Nearly every U.S. state |
| Support | Never outsourced |
| Registered partner of | Cygnus Payments and Evolv Payment Solutions |
Questions merchants ask us
Straight answers. If yours is not here, call us and a real person will answer it.
Is credit card surcharging legal?
Card-brand rules allow surcharging on credit cards when it is capped, disclosed and shown on the receipt. Some states restrict it, and those rules change. Before you start, check the current rules where you do business. We help you set the program up correctly, but we don’t give legal advice, so talk to your own advisor if you are unsure.
Can I surcharge debit cards?
No. Card-brand rules don’t allow a surcharge on debit or prepaid cards, even when the customer runs debit as credit. That is why we use BIN-based detection. The system reads the first digits of the card, identifies debit and prepaid cards, and leaves the surcharge off those transactions automatically.
How much can I surcharge?
The cap is 3%. Card-brand rules also say the surcharge can’t be more than what it costs you to accept the card. For many merchants that means the right number is below 3%. We look at your actual statement and help you pick a rate that fits the rules and your real costs.
What do customers need to see?
A notice where they enter your business or website, a notice at checkout before they pay, and the surcharge as its own line on the receipt. Clear signs also cut down on surprised customers. We can point you to the wording and placement card-brand rules expect, so your staff isn’t left to explain it alone.
How is a surcharge different from a convenience fee?
A surcharge is a percentage added to credit card payments. A convenience fee is a flat charge for paying through an alternative channel, such as online or by phone, and it follows its own set of card-brand rules. Some businesses need one, some need the other. Our convenience fee guide covers the differences.
Send us one statement. We’ll tell you exactly what you’re paying.
No cost and no pressure. If your current rate is fair, we’ll say so. We typically reply the same business day.
| Call toll-free | 866.242.4325 |
| Local | 251.626.8100 |
| nate@bizpayzoom.com |