Credit Card Surcharge

A credit card surcharge is an additional fee a business adds to a purchase when the customer pays with a credit card, to offset the cost of card processing.

Surcharges are regulated. Card network rules cap them and require clear disclosure, some states restrict them, and they generally cannot be applied to debit cards. A surcharge is different from a convenience fee, which is charged for using a particular payment channel, such as booking online.

Why it matters for operators

Surcharging can recover processing costs, but it adds friction at checkout and must be set up correctly. Check your card network rules and state law before adding one, and show the fee before the guest pays.

Related terms

• Credit card fees

• Convenience fee

• Interchange-plus pricing