From 1 October 2026, Australian businesses will no longer be able to add a surcharge at the point of card payment. The Reserve Bank of Australia confirmed the change on 31 March, and it applies to every debit, credit, and prepaid card transaction: EFTPOS, Mastercard, and Visa included.
If you use Kitomba Pay, this affects how your clients pay at checkout. You don’t need to do anything right now. But it’s worth understanding what’s changing, what it means for your business, and what Kitomba will do to help you through it.
Here’s what you need to know.
What is the surcharge ban?
Until now, businesses in Australia have been allowed to pass their card processing costs on to clients as a surcharge at the time of payment. From 1 October 2026, that’s no longer permitted.
The RBA’s decision means customers will pay the advertised price: Nothing added at checkout for using a card. The costs of accepting cards will need to be factored into business pricing instead.
The change is expected to save Australian consumers $1.6 billion per year. For businesses, the picture is more nuanced. Card processing costs don’t disappear; they shift from a visible checkout line to something absorbed into your pricing or covered through the reduced interchange fees the RBA is also introducing.
What does this mean for Kitomba Pay customers?
You don’t need to do anything! Kitomba Pay lets you apply a card surcharge to the client at the point of payment. From 1 October, this will need to change..
There’s no action required from you today. Kitomba Pay will continue to work exactly as it does now while we work through what needs to happen ahead of October. We’re working on a clear plan on how your salon can make this change as pain-free as possible.
What you can expect from Kitomba:
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A clear guide to what changes in Kitomba Pay and when
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Hints to help improve your profit margins after the change
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Support from the Kitomba team if you have questions along the way
What do I need to do right now?
You don’t need to do anything. Kitomba Pay is working normally and will continue to do so.
If you’re already thinking ahead about pricing, it’s worth considering how your card processing costs factor into your service prices. Most salons and spas absorb these costs as part of doing business the ban simply formalises that. Your accountant or business advisor can help you think through whether any pricing adjustments make sense for your situation.
What happens next
We’ll be in touch again before October with a full guide to what changes in Kitomba Pay and exactly what you need to do. We’ll give you plenty of time to prepare.