Client Diary

Australia · payments

Australia card surcharge changes — 1 October 2026

What the Reserve Bank reforms mean for Client Diary businesses, and how to prepare.

From 1 October 2026, Australia is changing the rules on card surcharges.

For payments on the standard card networks, businesses will no longer be allowed to add an extra fee, percentage, or surcharge just because the client pays by card. Clients should see the full price of the service. No card-only top-up at checkout.

This page is for Client Diary customers in Australia (and anyone using our payments features under Australian rules). We will keep updating it as final details land.

This is general product guidance, not legal advice. For the official rules, see the RBA FAQs on removal of payment surcharges and ACCC guidance on card surcharges. If you need advice for your specific setup, talk to your accountant or adviser.

What is changing?

Under the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) reforms taking effect on 1 October 2026, card surcharging is banned for the standard card networks.

Network Cards affected Can you add a card surcharge?
eftpos Debit and prepaid No
Mastercard Credit, debit and prepaid No
Visa Credit, debit and prepaid No
American Express Credit No

In practice: do not add any card surcharge on these payments. No extra fee, percentage, or top-up because the client paid by card. You also cannot set different card surcharges for different cards. The “pay by Visa vs Mastercard” fee split goes away for surcharging.

These rules cover fees added because the client chose to pay by card.

What this is not

The reform does not automatically ban every kind of extra charge a salon might use. Things like weekend rates, public holiday rates, genuine booking fees, or service-specific pricing are different from a payment-method surcharge.

If you are unsure whether something in your price list is a card surcharge, check with your adviser. Also check any wording clients see (website, booking terms, signage, SMS).

What Client Diary will do for you

You should not need to dig through payment settings to stay compliant for the built-in pass-on options.

  1. Pass-on settings will be removed
    Settings that let you pass card / Stripe processing fees on to the client will be removed from Client Diary. That stops anyone accidentally adding a banned card surcharge after 1 October.

  2. We update the payment setup
    You do not need to change payment settings yourself for this. Client Diary will handle the platform side.

  3. Processing rates are moving slightly
    From 1 October 2026 (Australian card / terminal style processing as used in Client Diary):

    • Card / EFTPOS-style processing: 1.7% + A$0.30 (was 1.75% + A$0.30)
    • These fees cannot be passed on to clients. The business absorbs them.

    For deposits, booking fees, prepayments and payment links:

    • Stripe: 1.65% + A$0.30 (was 1.7% + A$0.30)
    • Client Diary fee: 1.05%
    • Same rule: cannot be passed on to the client. The business absorbs them.

If anything above changes before launch, we will update this page.

What you should do before 1 October

1. Decide how you will handle the cost

Once you cannot surcharge the card, the processing cost sits with the business. Broadly you can:

  • Absorb it — keep prices as they are; processing stays an operating cost
  • Build it into your prices — raise some or all service prices so the fee is covered in the ticket price
  • Use a mix — absorb some, adjust some prices

There is no single right answer for every salon or service business.

2. If you raise prices, use Bulk Price Update

Client Diary has a Bulk Price Update tool so you do not have to edit every service by hand.

You can:

  • Increase (or decrease) by a percentage or a fixed dollar amount
  • Work category by category
  • Update base prices or a selected tier price
  • Review the calculated list, then fine-tune individual rows
  • Round up to the nearest 10¢, 50¢, or $1 so prices stay clean
  • Apply everything in one save (for the location you are signed into)

Help doc: Bulk Price Update

Path in the app: Services → Advanced Tools → Bulk Price Update.

Prices are updated per location. Switch location in the top-right selector before you run the tool for another site.

3. Update anything clients still see about “card surcharges”

If your website, online booking copy, price list, emails, SMS templates, or in-salon signage mention a card surcharge, update or remove that wording before 1 October.

Also review written policies and terms (cancellation, deposits, booking terms). If they mention a card payment surcharge, update them ready for the change.

4. Do not invent a “card-only” workaround

Marking up only when someone pays by card is what the reform is aimed at. If you need to cover costs, build them into your normal service prices (or absorb them). That keeps pricing honest and simpler for clients.

Deposits, booking fees, prepayments and payment links still work. The processing fees on those payments move as noted above, and cannot be passed on as a card surcharge.

If you previously relied on “pass fees on” for deposits or online payments, plan for those fees to sit with the business from 1 October. Many businesses use a small service-price adjustment (via Bulk Price Update) instead of a checkout surcharge.

Frequently asked questions

How will payment processing and transaction fees work from 1 October?

Card-style processing moves to 1.7% + A$0.30. That cost is absorbed by the business. It cannot be added as a client surcharge on the covered card networks.

Will fees currently passed on to clients need to be removed?

Yes. Client Diary will remove the pass-on settings so those fees cannot be charged to clients through the product after the change.

Do I need to change settings in my account?

No for the built-in payment pass-on options. Client Diary will update the platform side. You still own client-facing wording, policies, and any price-list decisions.

Can different cards still have different surcharges?

No. Under the reforms, you cannot add different surcharges for eftpos, Visa, Mastercard or Amex on the covered card types. Do not charge anything extra because they paid by card.

What about weekend or public holiday rates?

Those are not the same thing as a card surcharge. The reform targets fees tied to the payment method. Keep genuine service pricing rules clear and separate from “pay by card = extra”.

I am outside Australia. Does this affect me?

This page is about the Australian reform. If your business takes Australian card payments under these rules, treat this as relevant. For other countries, keep using your local payment settings and ask us if you are unsure.

Official reading

Need help?

If you want a second pair of eyes on deposits, online booking payments, or whether something in your setup looks like a card surcharge, contact support.

We would rather you ask early than guess on 1 October.