What changed on 1 October 2026?
eftpos, Visa and Mastercard introduced no-surcharge rules for credit, debit and prepaid payments after the RBA’s policy change. American Express and UnionPay also removed surcharging; PayPal’s start was 5 October. Check your provider’s rules and exceptions.
Merchant processing costs remain. Renaming a card-dependent surcharge as a service or handling fee does not make it acceptable.
Can we discount cash, bank transfer, PayTo or direct debit?
These are options to discuss with your provider where supported. State the eligible method, discount and conditions before the customer chooses. The ACCC says the full price must be at least as prominent; never display only the discounted price.
- Review terminals, payment links and invoices for old card-fee settings.
- Show the standard total and discount terms before booking or payment.
- Confirm the final amount and milestones before issuing the offer.
Example: a $10,000 solar offer
Illustrative GST-inclusive totals: show the $10,000 standard price alongside a $100 eligible bank-transfer discount. Keep both equally prominent. The card-paying customer pays $10,000 with no extra card surcharge.
| Payment option | Discount | Customer total |
|---|---|---|
| Card at standard price | $0 | $10,000 |
| Eligible bank transfer | $100 | $9,900 |
Set the agreed quote and milestones to the chosen total through the supported process. This example is not a recommended discount rate.
Check older invoices and actual checkout options
The rules can affect payments against older invoices. Check with your provider and avoid false reference prices.
ArcSolar uses the issued schedule and enabled Stripe methods. Automatic method-specific discounts are not established by this example. The organisation’s communications PayTo mandate is separate from customer payments.
Review the quote-to-payment workflow
Bring your payment policy to an ArcSolar demo. Review the issued offer, deposit and balance milestones, and provider-confirmed payment status together.
Sources and review (5)
Published by ArcSolar. Examples are illustrative; product details come from the sources below. Editorial standards.
- RBA: removal of card payment surcharges from 1 October 2026 — Reserve Bank of Australia; checked 6 October 2026.
- ACCC: card surcharges and payment-method discounts — Australian Competition and Consumer Commission; checked 6 October 2026.
- ACCC: displaying payment-method discounts — Australian Competition and Consumer Commission; checked 6 October 2026.
- ArcSolar: Stripe customer payments — ArcSolar Documentation; checked 6 October 2026.
- ArcSolar: quote payment options and schedules — ArcSolar Documentation; checked 6 October 2026.