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13 Years on, Surcharging Remains Complex for Acquirers

Thirteen years after merchants gained permission to surcharge credit‑card transactions, the practice remains tangled in divergent rules from card networks and state regulators. Visa limits surcharges to 3% while Mastercard allows up to 4% but typically mirrors Visa’s cap, and several states outright ban or cap surcharging differently. Acquirers serving nationwide merchants must constantly reconcile which jurisdiction’s rules dominate, a challenge highlighted at the Transact 2026 conference. Misunderstandings persist, such as the myth around Colorado’s 2% limit and the distinction between cash‑discount programs and true surcharging.