Australia Card Surcharge Changes: What OpenSolar CashFlow Users Need to Know

From 1 October 2026, Australian businesses will no longer be able to add a surcharge when customers pay using Visa, Mastercard, American Express or eftpos cards.

We’re making some changes to CashFlow ahead of 1 October to ensure it remains compliant. If you use OpenSolar’s CashFlow feature to collect customer payments, here’s what’s changing and what it means for you.

At a glance

• Card surcharging will no longer be permitted from 1 October 2026. OpenSolar is updating CashFlow in response to the new rules. 
• Stripe’s standard domestic online card fee will also reduce from 1.70% + $0.30 to 1.65% + $0.30 at the same time.
• The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) confirms that businesses can incorporate card acceptance costs into their overall pricing rather than passing them on as a separate card surcharge.

For full details on the new rules, the ACCC’s guidance on card surcharges should be your source of truth.

Why is Australia making this change?

The changes follow a review of Australia’s card payment system by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).

The RBA found that surcharging was no longer working as originally intended. Card payments are now difficult for many consumers to avoid, while surcharges can make it harder to know the true price of something until it’s time to pay.

Removing surcharges is only part of the change. The RBA is also reducing interchange fee caps and introducing measures designed to make payment costs more transparent and reduce the cost of accepting cards for Australian businesses.

The new no-surcharge rules will take effect from 1 October 2026 for Visa, Mastercard and eftpos. American Express has also committed to removing surcharging from the same date.

A quick example

On a $20,000 domestic card payment through CashFlow, Stripe’s new standard processing fee would be $330.30.

From 1 October 2026, you won’t be able to pass that $330.30 directly to the customer as a card surcharge. However, the ACCC confirms that businesses can incorporate the cost of accepting card payments into their overall product or service pricing.

Stripe’s card processing fees are also changing

There’s some good news alongside the surcharge changes.

From 1 October 2026, Stripe is reducing its standard domestic card processing fees for Australian businesses.

For online payments, including card payments made through CashFlow, the standard rate will reduce from 1.70% + $0.30 to 1.65% + $0.30 per transaction.

If you’re looking at what card payments will cost your business once surcharging ends, make sure you’re using Stripe’s new rate from 1 October, rather than your current processing costs.

Stripe has also announced a reduction to its standard international card processing fees from 1 April 2027, with online international card payments reducing from 3.50% + $0.30 to 2.80% + $0.30.

If your business has custom or negotiated Stripe pricing, your rates may be different.

What happens to my existing CashFlow surcharge settings?

Until 30 September 2026, the existing Australian surcharge rules will continue to apply.

From 1 October 2026, surcharges will no longer be available on card payments received through CashFlow.

OpenSolar is updating CashFlow ahead of the change so that affected card payments comply with the new surcharge rules.

You don’t need to stop accepting card payments through CashFlow. The change only affects your ability to pass the processing cost directly to the customer as a card surcharge.

Common questions

1. Can I increase my prices to account for card processing costs?

Yes. The ACCC confirms that businesses can continue to recover the cost of accepting card payments by incorporating these costs into the overall prices of their products or services.

So while you won’t be able to add a separate card surcharge from 1 October, you can choose to account for payment processing costs when setting your overall prices. 

OpenSolar gives you several ways to account for payment processing costs, including through your cost structure, pricing schemes or adders. The right approach will depend on how your OpenSolar account is set up. If you’d like help finding the best option for your business, contact our support team and we’ll be happy to help.

Any pricing changes should be made in line with the ACCC’s guidance on card surcharges.

2. Can I replace the card surcharge with another fee?

You shouldn’t simply rename a card surcharge to get around the new rules.

Other legitimate fees aren’t automatically prohibited, but the ACCC warns businesses against describing a card surcharge as another type of fee or charge in an attempt to avoid the surcharge rules.

If you’re unsure whether a particular fee complies with the new rules, refer to the ACCC’s guidance or seek independent advice.

3. Can customers still pay by card through CashFlow?

Yes. Card payments aren’t going anywhere.

Customers will still be able to pay by card through CashFlow. The difference is that from 1 October, the processing cost can no longer be passed directly to the customer as a card surcharge.

4. What if I sent the invoice before 1 October?

The date the card payment is made is what matters.

If a card payment is made on or after 1 October 2026, the new rules apply even if the invoice was issued earlier.

This is worth keeping in mind for outstanding invoices and jobs with payments scheduled around the changeover date.

Lower-cost payment options in CashFlow

Cards aren’t the only way to get paid through CashFlow.

* Stripe’s standard domestic online card rate from 1 October 2026. Custom Stripe pricing may differ.

For larger solar and battery payments, the difference can be significant. You can continue to offer card payments for customers who prefer them while also making bank payment options available.

What do I need to do?

For now, you don’t need to make any changes in CashFlow. OpenSolar is preparing for the new rules ahead of 1 October.

If you currently use card surcharging, it’s worth thinking about how you’ll handle card processing costs once the change takes effect. That could mean reviewing your overall pricing, looking at the payment methods you offer, or a combination of both.

If you’d like help working out how to account for processing costs within your existing OpenSolar setup, contact our team and we’ll be happy to help.

For questions about what you can and can’t charge customers under the new rules, refer to the ACCC’s official guidance on card surcharges.

This article provides general information about changes to card surcharging and OpenSolar CashFlow. It isn’t legal or financial advice. Businesses should refer to the ACCC’s guidance or seek independent professional advice where appropriate.