Reserve bank of australia
Australia's surcharge rules are changing.
Here's what that means for our software platforms partners.
Updated on 27 July 2026
From 1 October 2026, businesses in Australia will no longer be permitted to apply a surcharge to Visa, Mastercard, eftpos or American Express (Amex) card payments.
What this means for software partners
As merchants prepare for these changes, they’re likely to have questions about payment pricing, surcharging and what the reforms mean for their business.
Software partners don’t need to become payment pricing specialists, but they do need enough understanding to guide conversations with confidence and know where to direct merchants for further information.
This Resource Hub brings together the latest approved messaging, FAQs and educational resources to help you support your merchants before and after the reforms take effect.
The two dates partners need to understand
| Date | What changes | Who is affected |
|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2026 | Newly onboarded merchants are no longer supported to apply card surcharging through Worldpay for Platforms. This change is reflected in our systems. | New merchant applications and partner onboarding, sales, marketing and customer communications. |
| 1 October 2026 | Businesses in Australia will no longer be permitted to apply a surcharge to Visa, Mastercard or eftpos card payments. Amex has separately announced the same outcome from this date. | Existing merchants who currently surcharge, software experiences, merchant communications and support processes. |
What should partners tell merchants today?
Focus on these messages:
- Payment fees aren't disappearing. Businesses will continue to incur payment processing costs when customers pay by card.
- From 1 October 2026, card surcharging on Visa, Mastercard, eftpos and Amex payments will no longer be permitted.
- This is an industry-wide transition. Changing payment providers will not alter the requirement.
- Existing merchants do not need to make an immediate change, but should begin reviewing whether they surcharge, how much surcharge revenue they receive and how payment costs are managed.
- Newly onboarded merchants have not been supported to apply card surcharging since 1 July 2026.
What we’ve communicated to merchants
Our latest merchant communications are designed to help businesses understand:
- What is changing and what is not changing.
- That payment processing fees will continue to apply.
- How to identify whether they currently apply a surcharge.
- How to estimate the surcharge revenue their business currently receives.
- What they should be thinking about now.
Partners can share the merchant article and direct customers to the Merchant Resource Centre for further guidance.
Partner Messaging and FAQ Guide
Use the Partner Messaging and FAQ Guide when discussing the reforms with merchants or preparing your sales, onboarding and support teams.
The guide includes:
- The key messages to share with merchants.
- Common merchant questions and suggested responses.
- What changed from 1 July and what changes from 1 October.
- Messaging to avoid.
- Approved resources and escalation guidance.
What partners should review now
- Sales and go-to-market messaging for new merchants
- Onboarding journeys, forms and customer communications
- Customer-facing references to surcharging, payer-pays, fee recovery or card cost pass-through
- Marketing, product and sales collateral used to acquire or onboard merchants
- Support guidance and escalation processes for merchant questions
Partner FAQs
What changed from 1 July 2026?
What changes from 1 October 2026?
Do the reforms mean payment fees disappear?
What should I avoid telling merchants?
What should I do if I do not know the answer?
Will there be product or pricing changes?
Need help?
If you are unsure how the reforms apply to a particular merchant, product or onboarding scenario, contact your Partner Manager or the relevant support team before providing guidance.
Have further questions?
Our team will be available to answer any questions and walk through the implications for your specific business. If you have further questions before then, please contact us.