Not sure if surcharging is right for your business?
Talk to a specialist →Since October 2022, Canadian merchants can legally surcharge credit card transactions up to 2.4%. We break down the rules — by province, by industry, by card brand — so you can save thousands a year without breaking a single regulation.
Federal law allows surcharging, but provincial consumer protection laws shape how — and where — you can apply one. Quebec is the only outright restriction.
Some industries surcharge with ease. Others run into customer pushback or vertical-specific quirks. Read the playbook for yours.
How to surcharge in QSR, full-service, and quick-service without losing tips or annoying regulars.
Read guide → RetailPOS configuration, signage requirements, and the disclosure language that keeps you compliant at checkout.
Read guide → Most popularThe vertical that benefits most from surcharging. Accountants, consultants, financial advisors, and engineering firms. Average savings: $8,000+ per year on a $400K book.
Read guide → TradesBig-ticket invoices mean big processing fees. Here's how to surcharge without losing the close.
Read guide → HealthcareInsurance assignments, predetermination billing, ortho payment plans — and the patient communication that makes the rollout work.
Read guide → HealthcarePhysiotherapy, chiropractic, naturopathy, optometry, mental health — extended health direct billing and the rules that apply.
Read guide → AutomotiveService shops, body shops, and dealerships — where surcharging fits and where dealers should think twice.
Read guide → Personal CareBooking-software disclosure, tipping math that stays clean, and customer reactions you can plan for in advance.
Read guide → LegalTrust account considerations, retainer handling, and the engagement letter language that keeps the rollout clean.
Read guide →Drop in your monthly card volume and see how much you'd save with a compliant 2.4% surcharge program. No email required.
Open the calculator →Industry shifts, operator stories, and the regulatory updates worth knowing about. Updated regularly.
Interchange shifts, regulatory changes, and what they mean for Canadian small business — plus what to do about it.
Read article → Operator PlaybookFrom skipping the 30-day notice to bundling the surcharge into HST, these are the patterns that derail otherwise solid programs.
Read article → Case StudiesPatterns across industries, what the quiet rollouts have in common, and the moves that consistently fail.
Read article →Six guides cover 90% of what merchants ask us. Read in order, or jump to the one that's blocking you.
The 30-day notification process, what forms to file, and what your processor needs to know.
Read → 02 · ComplianceWhat you must show customers, where, and how — including exact language that satisfies network rules.
Read → 03 · StrategyTwo ways to offset processing fees. Which one fits your business — and which provinces force you to pick one over the other.
Read → 04 · QuebecYou can't surcharge in Quebec. Here are the legal alternatives that actually work under Bill 134.
Read → 05 · TechWhich terminals and POS platforms support compliant surcharging out of the box. Comparison table inside.
Read → 06 · OperationsScripts, signage, and three field-tested ways to roll out a surcharge program without losing customers.
Read →Yes. As of October 6, 2022, Canadian merchants outside of Quebec can apply a surcharge to credit card transactions. The cap is 2.4% per transaction, or your effective discount rate for that card brand — whichever is lower. The change came out of a class-action settlement between Canadian merchants and the major card networks.
2.4%, or your average effective merchant discount rate, whichever is lower. You also can't charge more on Visa or Mastercard than you do on Amex or PayPal. If your effective rate is 1.9%, your surcharge cap is 1.9% — not 2.4%.
You have two options: brand-level (same flat surcharge across all cards of a given brand, like all Mastercards) or product-level (different surcharges for different card products, like a higher rate on premium rewards cards). Both are allowed; brand-level is simpler.
No. Surcharges are permitted only on credit card transactions. Interac debit, Visa debit, and prepaid cards cannot be surcharged in Canada.
If a transaction is refunded — fully or partially — the surcharge must also be refunded. For partial refunds, the surcharge is refunded on a pro-rated basis. The same rule applies to chargebacks.
Three steps. (1) Notify Visa and Mastercard at least 30 days in advance through their online registration portals. (2) Notify your acquirer/processor. (3) Configure your POS or terminal to apply the surcharge as a separate line item on receipts. Our registration guide walks through it.
Get straight answers about whether surcharging makes sense for your business — no sales pressure, no obligation.