From 1 October, you can't surcharge. Know your number before it happens.
The RBA is banning card surcharges on eftpos, Visa and Mastercard from 1 October 2026. Razor Payments runs a free Hospitality Payment Efficiency Review so you know exactly what that costs your venue, and what to do about it, before the deadline lands.
Surcharging is going. The cost isn't.
Figures reference the RBA's Review of Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging (Conclusions Paper, 31 March 2026). Surcharge exposure examples are illustrative; your actual number depends on your card mix, volume and current provider, which is exactly what the review measures.
High card volumes. Thin margins. Not much room to absorb a shock.
Hospitality runs more card transactions and tighter margins than most sectors, so a lost surcharge really rounds to nothing. Most venues build it into daily takings and never model what happens when it's gone.
American Express is also removing surcharging. With Amex cardholders often among hospitality's highest spenders, venues need a plan for managing those payment costs too.
Lower interchange caps help, but rarely fully replace surcharge income. Whether those savings reach your business depends on whether your provider passes them on.
Three paths remain: absorb the cost, rebuild it into pricing, or reduce your payment costs through a more efficient payment setup. Most operators haven't worked out which one fits.
One session. Your real number. No pressure to switch.
A Razor Payments specialist works through your setup end to end and hands you a scorecard you can act on immediately, or simply keep.
Fee structure
Your current provider arrangement and merchant fee structure, laid out plainly.
Least-cost routing
Routing opportunities that may already be available to you and going unused.
Reporting & reconciliation
Review how your payment reporting works and identify opportunities to reduce admin and save time.
Terminal & POS integration
Review how your terminals work with your POS system and identify any opportunities to improve efficiency.
Surcharge reform exposure
Your specific dollar exposure from 1 October, based on your actual card mix and volume.
Migration planning
If a switch makes sense, we'll explain the process, the impact on your team, and how to keep disruption to a minimum.
Mid-September is the practical cut-off for migrating before the reform lands.
Common questions
Know your number before October decides it for you.
Takes less than 30 minutes. Costs nothing. Could protect thousands in margin a year.
- ✓ Free, no-obligation 20–30 minute review
- ✓ Online or in person, where available
- ✓ A personalized action plan with no obligation to switch