Credit-Card Surcharge Receipt Requirements (2026): The Separate Line Item
Every surcharged transaction must show the fee as its own receipt line. Format, placement, and the pre-tip rule for restaurants.
Last verified: 2026-08 · Educational reference, not legal advice
The receipt must separate the surcharge from the goods/services total. A single merged total with no line item fails the disclosure requirement.
What the receipt must show
Print the surcharge as its own line — for example, "Credit-Card Surcharge (3%): $1.50" — between the subtotal and the total. The customer should be able to identify the fee without doing math. Online, the same separation appears on the order confirmation.
Restaurants and bars: the surcharge line must be calculated on the pre-tip subtotal and must never include the gratuity. A separate tip line follows. Mixing the two is a frequent violation.
Setup checklist
- Configure the POS to print the surcharge as a distinct, labeled line.
- Place it between subtotal and total, not merged into either.
- For restaurants: compute on pre-tip subtotal; keep tip separate.
- Confirm the online confirmation email/PDF also separates the fee.
- Run a test transaction and read the printed receipt before launch.
See the signage rule too.Signage requirements →
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Yes. It must be a separate, labeled line item (e.g., "Credit-Card Surcharge (3%): $1.50"), not merged into the total.
No. It must be distinguishable from the goods/services amount so the customer can see the fee explicitly.
Never. The surcharge is calculated on the pre-tip subtotal and shown separately; the tip is a separate line.
Educational content, not legal advice. Cashbizly is an independent educational resource. Nothing here is personalized legal advice and it does not replace a licensed attorney or your state’s Attorney General.
Our state-by-state status reflects the consensus of published 2025–2026 compliance guides (card-network rules, LawPay, Stax, NCSL) as of the “last verified” date on each page. Surcharge law changes frequently and is actively litigated — always confirm current figures with your state Attorney General or a professional. Read our full disclaimer.