A plain-English guide

Why is there a fee for paying by card?

If a sign, a receipt, or a card at the register pointed you here — here’s the short, honest answer. This store adds a small fee when you pay with a credit card, and you’ve got an easy way to avoid it.

How it works Read the FAQ
Takes about a minute to read
The short version

A small fee is added to credit-card payments to cover what it costs the store to accept cards. Prefer not to pay it? Use cash or a debit card — no fee.

Your receipt
Subtotal $24.00
Card fee (3%) +$0.72
Total (credit) $24.72
Paying with cash or debit? The fee comes off — you’d pay $24.00.
How it works

What a surcharge actually is

01

You pay by credit card

At the register you choose to pay with a credit card — the same as anywhere else.

02

A small fee is added

A small percentage is added to your total to cover the cost the store pays to process credit cards.

03

Or skip it entirely

Paying with cash or a debit card avoids the fee — the choice is always yours.

What it looks like at checkout
How you pay
Fee
You pay
Credit card
+3%
$24.72
Debit card
None
$24.00
Cash
None
$24.00
The fee only applies to credit cards — cash and debit skip it.

Why does the store do this?

Accepting credit cards isn’t free — the store pays a fee on every card sale. Rather than raise prices for everyone, this store passes along just that cost, and only on credit-card payments. Customers who pay with cash or debit aren’t affected.

Is this allowed?

Yes. Surcharging credit-card payments is permitted, and the store has to tell you about it before you pay — on a sign, at the register, or on your receipt. It’s always clearly disclosed.

Questions, answered

How much is the fee?
It’s a small percentage of your purchase — just enough to cover what the store is charged to accept a credit card. The exact amount is shown before you pay.
Does the fee apply to debit cards?
No. A surcharge applies only to credit cards. Debit cards and cash are never charged the fee.
Will the fee show on my receipt?
Yes. The surcharge appears as its own line on your receipt, so you can see exactly what was added and why.
How do I avoid it?
Pay with cash or a debit card. Neither one carries the surcharge.
Will I be told before I pay?
Yes. The store discloses the surcharge up front — on a sign, at the register, and on your receipt — so you can choose how to pay.
Is my card still safe?
Completely. A surcharge changes the price only — not how your payment is handled or protected.
Seeing something different?

Two separate prices — one for cash, one for card?

That’s a different approach called dual pricing, where you choose between two posted prices. We explain it on our sister site.

For business owners

Interested in surcharging for your business?

If you run a store and want to offer a clear, compliant surcharge program, tell us a bit about your business and we’ll be in touch.

Clear signage and receipts your customers actually understand.
Set up to stay within the card networks’ rules.
A real person to help you get started.
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Dual pricing instead? → dualprice.info
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