In most cases, credit card processing fees will run between 1.5% to 4% of the total value of a transaction. A $1,000 transaction, therefore, could have fees ranging from $15 up to $40. The overall impact depends on your margins.
The quick answer: the average credit card processing fee cost for card-present transactions ranges from 1.70% – 2.05% for Visa, Mastercard and Discover. Amex fees are slightly higher. The average credit card fee cost for card-not-present transactions ranges from 2.25% – 2.50%.
In most cases, yes—it's legal to surcharge credit cards. According to federal law, there's a 4% maximum allowable surcharge on credit card transactions. Debit card surcharging is illegal in all 50 states.
Convenience fees can be a fixed dollar amount or a percentage of the transaction amount, usually 2% to 3%, and must be disclosed to the consumer in advance. Types of payments where the payee typically charges a convenience fee include mortgage payments, property tax payments, college tuition, and taxes.
Nationwide, the surcharge rate for credit card transactions cannot exceed 4% of the total transaction (3% for Visa cards). Businesses must inform customers about the surcharge both online and in-store before payment. The surcharge must only cover processing costs and cannot be a profit-making tool.
Service fees are paid by the Buyer of a product or service utilized, whereas credit card processing fees are paid by Sellers of that product or service. Credit card processing fees pay for the service of processing (and security) of payments, refunds and / or credits.
There are a few ways of legally passing on credit card fees to customers. Some are direct, and some are indirect. Adding a surcharge to cover the credit card fee is the more direct method while incentivizing cash payments is indirect.
Use a different payment method.
Merchants often charge convenience fees or surcharges when credit cards aren't a standard payment method. If you have a rent, utility or tax bill, consider paying by check or electronic transfer instead.
The fees go toward the cost of securely sending payment information over the card network, authorizing and funding credit card transactions, reducing fraud, and offering reward programs like cash back and points, payment companies said.
There are processing fees, flat fees, and situational fees. Some are negotiable; some aren't. Entering into an agreement with a payment processor is a lot like hiring a contractor to remodel your restaurant: it's important to get a few quotes and negotiate the fine points.
Credit card processing fees typically cost a business 1.5% to 3.5% of each transaction's total. For example, you'd pay $1.50 to $3.50 in credit card fees for a sale of $100.
California Senate Bill 478, part of the Consumer Legal Remedies Act, bans all “junk fees” on purchases across California. This includes credit card surcharges in most situations. It's also worth noting that California's new laws extend beyond credit card surcharges.
A surcharge is not a convenience fee. A convenience fee is levied by a merchant for offering customers the privilege of paying with an alternative non-standard payment method. Merchants can process convenience fees in all 50 states. A surcharge is levied by a merchant for customer purchases made with a credit card.
Credit card organizations generally impose a fee per transaction to merchants, which is made up of an assessment fee to the card network and an interchange fee paid to the bank issuing the credit. This fee would be 1.5% to 3.5% of the transaction value plus a fixed cost of $0.10 to $0.30.
Credit card surcharges can't exceed the cost of accepting the card or 4 percent, whichever is the lower amount, even if it costs the business more than that amount to process your credit card payment.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Releases Final Rule on Credit Card Late Fees, with Overdraft Fees on Deck. On March 5, 2024, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau) announced the final rule governing late fees for consumer credit card payments, likely cutting the average fee from $32 to just $8.
Use cash where you can
The easiest way to avoid card surcharges is to pay by cash. While businesses can charge a surcharge for paying by debit or credit cards, they can't charge a surcharge for paying by cash.
Credit card processing fees are the fees a merchant pays for each credit or debit card sale. This fee is predetermined by your merchant services provider and can include fees such as interchange fees, assessment or service fees, chargeback fees, and more.
If you're wondering if credit card surcharges are legal in your state, the answer is probably yes. The only states that currently prohibit surcharges are Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine and Oklahoma. A recent ruling limits merchants in Colorado to a maximum surcharge of 2%.
Credit card surcharging
This is meant to cover the cost of the processing fees for the business. This practice is legal in all but four states — Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and Oklahoma.