RBA Confirmed: Card surcharges will be banned from 1 October 2026 — check you're on the right rate →

Questions  /  Weekend surcharge?

Can I still charge a weekend or public holiday surcharge?

Short answer

Yes. A weekend or public-holiday surcharge is not a card-related fee — it reflects higher staffing costs, not the cost of accepting a card — so it falls outside the card-surcharge removal. It must still be clearly disclosed to customers, and it must not be used as a cover for a card surcharge.

Last updated: 30 June 2026

It’s a different kind of surcharge

The 2026 change removes surcharges tied to accepting eftpos, Mastercard and Visa cards. A weekend or public-holiday surcharge is not about card acceptance at all — it typically reflects higher penalty-rate staffing costs on those days. Because it is not card-related, it sits outside the card-surcharge removal as general information.

Disclosure still matters

Sitting outside the card rule does not remove your obligation to be upfront. A weekend or holiday surcharge should be clearly disclosed to customers — for example on menus and signage — so the price they will pay is transparent before they order. Hidden add-ons can raise consumer-law concerns regardless of the card change.

Don’t use it to hide a card fee

The caveat is that a day-based surcharge must genuinely be about the day, not a way to slip a card surcharge through. If a fee actually depends on paying by a covered card, it is a card surcharge no matter the label or timing. Keep the holiday surcharge applied to all payment methods equally.

Source: RBA Review of Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging — Conclusions Paper (March 2026).

This page is general information only and is not legal or financial advice. The RBA sets the final rules and timing — confirm current details at rba.gov.au.
Common questions
Related questions
Are weekend surcharges banned in 2026?
No. A weekend surcharge is not card-related, so it sits outside the card-surcharge removal, which covers eftpos, Mastercard and Visa.
Can I add a public holiday surcharge?
Yes, as general information. A public-holiday surcharge reflects higher staffing costs, not card acceptance, so it is outside the card-surcharge rule.
Do I need to disclose a weekend surcharge?
Yes. It should be clearly disclosed before customers order, so the price is transparent. Hidden surcharges can raise consumer-law concerns.
Can a holiday surcharge disguise a card fee?
No. If a fee actually depends on paying by a covered card, it is a card surcharge regardless of label. Apply a day-based surcharge to all payment methods equally.
Does the surcharge apply to cash customers too?
A genuine weekend or holiday surcharge applies regardless of payment method. Tying it only to card payments would make it a card surcharge.
Keep reading
Can I call it an admin fee or service fee instead? →Can I still offer a cash discount after the ban? →Can I set a minimum card payment amount instead of surcharging? →What cards are covered by the surcharge ban? →Merchant fees for restaurants →All questions →
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