What changed: Since 1 October 2026, businesses in Australia can no longer add a surcharge when you pay with a debit, credit or prepaid card on the eftpos, Mastercard or Visa networks. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) removed the rules that had allowed surcharging, and cut the interchange fees that sit behind card payments.
Who it affects
Anyone paying by card in Australia, including visitors. Visa and Mastercard are the networks most overseas cards use, so tourists should generally see fewer "card fee" lines on bills in cafes, shops and taxis. The RBA material we read does not spell out how the ban applies to foreign-issued cards, so treat that point as unconfirmed.
What is not covered
- The RBA says mobile wallets, three-party card schemes, buy-now-pay-later services and e-commerce platforms are outside this change, and it is looking at them separately.
- Reports indicate American Express is excluded from the reform. Check the sign at the till.
- Your own bank's charges are unchanged. A foreign transaction fee or a currency conversion margin from your card provider can still apply. See how foreign exchange fees work.
Key dates
- 1 October 2026: surcharge ban and lower domestic interchange caps start.
- 1 April 2027: a separate cap on interchange for foreign card payments, plus new fee transparency rules, is due to begin.
What to do now
- Pay by card when you want a clear price, but still look at the total before you tap.
- If a merchant adds a card surcharge on a Visa, Mastercard or eftpos payment, ask why and report it if it persists.
- When a terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, compare it with paying locally. Our guide on local or home currency explains the trade-off.
- Carry a small amount of cash as a backup.
