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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: 2 July 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.

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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).

Information current as at 2 July 2026.

This page is general information only and is not legal or financial advice. The RBA sets the final rules and timing, so 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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