Credit card surcharge calculator
Estimate a compliant credit-card surcharge from your processing rate, optional state caps, and Visa’s 3% network limit. Default math is conservative (surcharge ≤ fee on the original sale).
Visa U.S. max 3.00% surcharge · Mastercard 4% max (lesser of cap and MDR)
Surcharge rules checked October 7, 2026. Network caps: Visa Core Rules §5.5.1.9 (US 3.00% max), Visa surcharging Q&A, Mastercard surcharge rules (4% max; lesser of cap and MDR). State law pages cite statutes and agencies separately.
State rules: credit card surcharge laws by state.
Credit cards only. Surcharges apply to credit cards—not debit or prepaid (including “run as credit”). Maine and Puerto Rico also ban debit surcharges by statute; Texas restricts debit surcharges; Louisiana bans retail debit surcharges from August 1, 2026.
Surcharges must be refunded on refunds (pro-rated on partial refunds) per Visa Core Rules. Give your acquirer 30 days' written notice before surcharging, and show the surcharge as its own receipt line.
Pending settlement (not in force): Visa/Mastercard proposed changes (signed November 10, 2025; preliminary approval June 9, 2026; final hearing November 16, 2026) would keep a 3% cap—nothing here is effective yet.
Worked examples
Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 on $100 (conservative vs gross-up)
Fee on $100 = $3.20; Visa cap = $3.00. Allowed surcharge = $3.00 → customer pays $103.00; processor fee on total = $3.29; merchant absorbs ≈ $0.29.
Gross-up pass-through before cap would be $3.30; capped result matches at $3.00.
2.6% + $0.10 on $50 (under the 3% cap)
Conservative surcharge $1.40; gross-up $1.44 (modes differ slightly).