What is credit card surcharging?
Credit card surcharging allows you to pass your card processing fees on to customers who pay by credit card in-store. When enabled, customers paying with a credit card in-store for orders or business invoices will see a small percentage added to their total at checkout. This fee is shown as a separate line item on their receipt.
Important: Surcharging rules vary by location. Some regions prohibit surcharging entirely, and there are strict requirements around signage, notifications, and which card types can be surcharged. Please read this guide carefully before request to have the feature enabled.
Is surcharging available in my region?
Region | Available? | Notes |
United States | Yes | Not available in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts. New York requires dual pricing instead. |
Canada | Yes | Not available in Quebec. Maximum 2.4% surcharge. |
Australia | Yes | Surcharging banned from 1st October 2026 |
New Zealand | Yes | Surcharge must not exceed your actual processing cost. |
United Kingdom | No | Surcharging banned since January 2018. |
European Union | No | Surcharging banned under PSD2. |
Important: We will not be activating surcharging in Australia or New Zealand with our CleanCloud Pay surcharging integration.
How to enable surcharging
Enabling surcharging requires a 30-day waiting period in the US and Canada due to card network notification requirements. Here's what you need to do:
Step 1: Check your eligibility
Confirm your location is not in a prohibited region (see table above)
Decide on your surcharge percentage (must not exceed applicable caps)
Prepare signage for your store entrance and point of sale
Step 2: Submit notification (US & Canada only)
Card networks require 30 days notice before you begin surcharging. Contact CleanCloud account management to start the 30-day notification process.
Contact CleanCloud Account Management team to start the 30 day notice period.
Step 3: Post required signage
Before your go-live date, you must display clear signage informing customers about the surcharge:
Store entrance: Post a sign at your main entrance stating that a surcharge applies to credit card transactions.
Point of sale: Display the surcharge percentage near the payment terminal.
Contact CleanCloud Account Management team for downloadable signage templates.
Step 4: Sign the CleanCloud Pay Surcharging Addendum
We will send you the CleanCloud Pay Surcharging Addendum to sign and return to us before surcharging will be enabled on your account.
The addendum simply ensures that each surcharging customer agrees to comply with their respective state regulations and legal requirements.
Important: Proof of signage and a signed addendum are required before surcharging can be enabled on your CleanCloud Pay terminal.
Activate surcharging
Once your 30-day waiting period is complete, we will activate surcharging. We will configure your account with your chosen percentage and enable the feature.
Understanding surcharge caps
Region | Maximum Surcharge | Notes |
United States | 3% | Colorado: 2% max |
Canada | 2.4% | Flat cap for all cards |
What if my processing costs exceed the cap?
What if my processing costs exceed the cap?
If your actual processing cost is higher than the maximum allowed surcharge, you must charge the capped amount and absorb the difference. For example, if you pay 3.5% in processing fees in the US, you can only surcharge 3%.
Can I surcharge debit cards?
Can I surcharge debit cards?
United States and Canada: No. Federal regulations prohibit surcharging debit and prepaid cards. CleanCloud Pay automatically detects debit and prepaid cards and exempts them from the surcharge. You do not need to do anything—this is handled automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need to wait 30 days?
Why do I need to wait 30 days?
Visa and Mastercard require merchants to provide 30 days advance notice before implementing surcharges. This allows card networks to update their systems and ensures compliance with their merchant agreements. This requirement applies to the US and Canada only—merchants in Australia and New Zealand can enable surcharging immediately.
What happens when a customer gets a refund?
What happens when a customer gets a refund?
Surcharges are automatically refunded proportionally. If a customer receives a full refund, they get the surcharge back in full. For partial refunds, the surcharge is reduced proportionally. This is handled automatically—you don't need to calculate anything manually.
Will customers see the surcharge before they pay?
Will customers see the surcharge before they pay?
Yes. The surcharge amount is displayed before the customer confirms payment, and they have the opportunity to cancel and pay with a different method. The surcharge also appears as a separate line item on their receipt.
What is dual pricing and do I need it?
What is dual pricing and do I need it?
Dual pricing means showing two prices for every item or service: a cash price and a card price. This is required in New York instead of traditional surcharging. If your store is in New York, contact CleanCloud account management to discuss setting up dual pricing.
Troubleshooting
"My customer says they were surcharged on their debit card"
"My customer says they were surcharged on their debit card"
This should not happen in the US or Canada. If a customer reports this, please contact CleanCloud account management immediately with the transaction details. This may indicate an issue with BIN detection that needs investigation.
"A customer complained they didn't know about the surcharge"
"A customer complained they didn't know about the surcharge"
Check the following:
Is signage clearly posted at the entrance and point of sale?
Is the surcharge being displayed on the payment terminal before confirmation?
Is the surcharge appearing as a separate line item on receipts?
If any of these are not working correctly, contact CleanCloud account management.
"I want to change my surcharge percentage"
"I want to change my surcharge percentage"
Contact CleanCloud account management to request a change. Note that if you increase your surcharge percentage above your current level, you may need to update your signage to reflect the new amount. You cannot exceed the applicable caps for your region.
"I want to disable surcharging"
"I want to disable surcharging"
Contact CleanCloud account management to disable surcharging. This can be done immediately—there is no waiting period to turn it off. Remember to remove your surcharge signage once the feature is disabled.
🛟 Need more help?
Contact CleanCloud Account Management to:
Start the 30-day notification process
Request signage templates
Activate or disable surcharging
Change your surcharge percentage
Report issues or troubleshoot problems
Ask questions about dual pricing (New York)