From 1 October 2026, major card networks are introducing no-surcharge rules. Freelance hairdressers should review pricing, payment settings, invoices and client-facing material now.
Abby's take
What this means for the industry — and for independents
Industry impact. The Reserve Bank of Australia concluded its 2024–26 card-payments review by removing the regulatory barrier to no-surcharge rules from 1 October 2026. Visa, Mastercard and eftpos have decided to introduce those rules, and American Express has also announced removal of surcharging from that date.
For freelancers. Freelance hairdressers commonly use card-based booking and payment systems, so a surcharge setting can sit inside a terminal, invoice, booking platform or checkout flow without much daily attention. If it remains active after the change, the business may create a client-facing payment problem even though the underlying processing cost still exists.
My take. This is exactly the kind of small business change I would want a freelancer to deal with before it becomes a client conversation at the chair. Do the boring part now: know what your provider charges, know where the surcharge is switched on, and make sure the price the client sees still works for the business after 1 October.
What I'd do next
- Contact or check your payment service provider now and confirm exactly how it will handle card surcharging from 1 October 2026 across terminals, invoices and online checkout.
- Audit every place a card surcharge appears, including booking confirmations, service menus, invoices, payment links, website copy and any automatic terminal setting.
- Recalculate service pricing using the payment costs you will still incur after surcharging is removed, rather than assuming the processing cost disappears with the surcharge line.
- Check any invoice or deposit that may be paid on or after 1 October, because providers may disable surcharge functionality based on the payment date rather than the invoice date.
Watch-out. This article reflects RBA, ACCC and business.gov.au guidance available on 14 September 2026. Card-network rules, provider implementation and any exceptions can vary, so confirm the final setup with your payment service provider and obtain professional advice if needed.
What changes on 1 October 2026
The Reserve Bank of Australia has removed the rule that prevented designated card networks from imposing no-surcharge rules. Visa, Mastercard and eftpos have decided to introduce no-surcharge rules from 1 October 2026, and American Express has also announced that surcharging will be removed from that date.
For businesses accepting those covered prepaid, debit and credit card payments, the practical result is that the familiar card surcharge line at checkout is going away. Until 30 September 2026, businesses still need to follow the existing surcharge rules.
Your processing costs do not disappear
The rule change removes the customer card surcharge; it does not make card acceptance free. Businesses will still pay their payment provider for processing, terminals and related services. The RBA is also reducing interchange caps, which is intended to lower costs, particularly for smaller businesses, but your actual provider pricing still needs to be checked.
That means the useful question for a freelancer is not 'How do I replace a 1.5 per cent line item?' It is 'What does accepting payment actually cost me after 1 October, and does my advertised service price still make sense?'
Check every place the surcharge can hide
Do not only look at the physical terminal. Card surcharges can be configured in payment links, online invoices, booking software, deposits, mobile terminals and provider dashboards. A setting you switched on months ago may still be applied automatically.
Create one checklist for the full client journey: online booking, deposit, confirmation, service menu, final payment and invoice. If the price shown to the client changes depending on a card surcharge, that pathway needs attention before the new rules start.
Update prices deliberately instead of quietly absorbing everything
Some businesses will decide to absorb the remaining payment cost. Others may review their overall service pricing so the advertised price covers normal operating costs more cleanly. The RBA itself notes that businesses may choose to include payment costs in advertised prices when surcharging is no longer available.
For a freelance hairdresser, payment processing is only one operating cost among product, workspace, insurance, software and admin. Review the whole menu rather than adding a random amount to every service because one checkout fee changed.
Review your freelance pricing framework · Pressure-test the numbers after payment costs
Invoices and deposits need a date check
The RBA says a payment made on or after 1 October may no longer be able to carry a card surcharge even when the invoice was issued earlier. Some providers have indicated that surcharge functionality may be disabled from the effective date.
If you take deposits or issue invoices ahead of appointments, check the payment date and provider behaviour now. A client should not be the person who discovers your system is out of date at checkout.
The freelancer checklist before 1 October
Confirm provider rules, test the terminal, test an online payment link, review invoices and booking pages, update any surcharge wording, then check your service prices against the payment costs that remain. Keep a dated note of what you changed so you can re-check it after the provider update goes live.
This is a small operational job, but it touches money and client trust at the same time. Fixing it before 1 October is much easier than explaining a surprise payment issue while a client is standing at the desk.
Do your prices still work after the surcharge disappears?
Run your real service and operating-cost numbers instead of waiting until the first October checkout to find out.
Use the income calculatorDisclaimer: General business information only, not legal, accounting or financial advice. Guidance is current to 14 September 2026. Confirm implementation, exceptions and payment settings with your payment service provider.
Common questions
When do card surcharge rules change in Australia?
From 1 October 2026, Visa, Mastercard and eftpos are introducing no-surcharge rules for covered prepaid, debit and credit card payments. American Express has also announced removal of surcharging from that date.
Can a hairdresser still charge a card surcharge after 1 October 2026?
For covered Visa, Mastercard, eftpos and American Express card payments, the announced no-surcharge rules mean businesses cannot continue adding a card surcharge in the usual way. Check your provider and card-network terms for how the rules apply to your setup.
Do card processing fees disappear on 1 October?
No. Businesses still incur costs for accepting card payments. Interchange caps are also changing, but your actual merchant or payment-provider fees should be checked directly with the provider.
What should I update before the change?
Check payment-provider settings, terminals, invoices, payment links, deposits, booking software, website wording and displayed service prices. Test the full payment journey before 1 October rather than assuming the provider will handle every detail automatically.
Next step at The Beauty Basement
Fix the payment setup before it becomes a client problem
Independent business gets easier when the boring systems are handled early. Review the payment flow now, then make sure the service price still supports the business you are building.
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