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Merchant services · Indiana

Merchant Services in Indiana

Indiana's businesses run from Indianapolis restaurants and breweries to Fort Wayne and Evansville auto shops, Bloomington coffee houses, Elkhart RV suppliers, Brown County gift shops, and the farm co-ops and implement dealers across the state. Most of them take cards, and owners regularly ask whether they can pass along the processing cost. Indiana doesn't have a general statute about card surcharges. The Deceptive Consumer Sales Act still governs how prices and fees are shown, and as of July 1, 2026 one industry, towing, has its own 3% cap. Here's what we verified and the processing and ATM options we offer Indiana merchants.

General information, not legal advice. Check with an Indiana attorney before you change how you price or add any fee.

Indiana's card fee rules

No general surcharge statute

We didn't find an Indiana statute that bans or caps credit card surcharges for most private businesses, and the National Conference of State Legislatures' state table lists Indiana as having none. Card-network rules set the limits on the surcharge itself.

The Deceptive Consumer Sales Act: IC 24-5-0.5-3

Indiana's main consumer protection law says a supplier may not commit an unfair, abusive, or deceptive act, omission, or practice in connection with a consumer transaction, before, during, or after the sale. It covers both explicit and implicit misrepresentations. Among the listed deceptive acts, subsection (b)(6) covers representing that a specific price advantage exists when the supplier knows or should know it doesn't. For card pricing, that means:

  • disclose any card fee before the customer pays, at the counter and online;
  • don't describe a fee as something it isn't, such as a required "network fee";
  • if you advertise a cash discount, the cash price has to be genuinely lower than a price you actually post.

Towing and storage: a 3% cap from July 1, 2026

House Enrolled Act 1184 (2026), signed by the Governor on March 4, 2026 as Public Law 81, took effect July 1, 2026. It updates the forms of payment towing services and storage yards take when releasing a vehicle, which include credit and debit cards, and says they may not charge a credit card service fee of more than 3%. They also have to give an itemized receipt. If you run a towing or storage business, that cap applies on top of the network rules.

Card-network rules

Under Visa's U.S. rules, a surcharge applies to credit cards only, never debit or prepaid cards, even if a debit card is run as "credit." It's capped at your merchant discount rate for that card or 3%, whichever is lower. You must notify your processor 30 days before you start and disclose the surcharge at the point of entry, the point of sale, and on the receipt. A pending Visa/Mastercard settlement, with a fairness hearing set for November 16, 2026, may change some network rules if it's approved.

Surcharging vs. dual pricing

  • Surcharging adds a percentage at checkout for credit cards only, so the terminal has to recognize debit cards and leave them alone.
  • Dual pricing posts a cash price and a card price on every tag, menu, and quote. Customers see both and choose.

Both can work in Indiana when they're disclosed up front. Problems start when the customer first learns about a fee from the receipt.

What Indiana businesses ask about

  • Restaurants and taverns want menu and table-tent wording that shows both prices, with tips calculated on the right amount.
  • Race-weekend and event businesses around Indianapolis see big swings in volume and card mix, which affects whether flat-rate or interchange-plus fits better.
  • Auto repair, towing, and body shops need card and ACH options on invoices, and towing operators need to keep card fees within the new 3% cap.
  • Farm suppliers and equipment dealers often take large keyed-in or business-card payments, which are priced differently from tapped cards.
  • Main Street retailers in smaller towns often process lower volume, where staying on Square may be the sensible choice.

Your options, side by side

  1. Dual pricing (optional). Two posted prices, with the card and cash totals visible before payment.
  2. Interchange-plus. You pay the network cost plus a disclosed fixed markup.
  3. Flat-rate. One rate per transaction, easy to plan around.
  4. Square, if you prefer it. We'll include it in your comparison.

Through our processing partners we offer countertop terminals, POS systems, mobile and Bluetooth readers, and virtual terminals. Results depend on your volume, card mix, and current contract, so we don't promise savings before reviewing a statement.

ATMs in Indiana

Cash still matters at county fairs, bars, bowling alleys, flea markets, and campgrounds. If you want your own ATM:

  • You buy and own the machine. It's a purchase, not a loan.
  • You load and run it, including how much cash goes in and when.
  • Terms are subject to the partner agreement, and every term is disclosed in writing before you sign.
  • We don't promise monitoring, maintenance, or a revenue share. ATM surcharge income isn't guaranteed.
  • Machines come through our ATM partner, and card processing comes through our processing partners.

FAQ

Are credit card surcharges legal in Indiana?

For most businesses, we didn't find an Indiana statute that bans or caps them, so card-network limits apply. The Deceptive Consumer Sales Act still requires honest, up-front disclosure.

Is there any Indiana cap on card fees?

Yes, for towing services and storage yards: since July 1, 2026, they can't charge a credit card service fee above 3% (HEA 1184, Public Law 81-2026).

Can I surcharge debit cards in Indiana?

No. Card-network rules don't allow surcharges on debit or prepaid cards, even when the customer chooses "credit." Dual pricing is the usual alternative.

Can I offer a cash discount in Indiana?

Yes. Post the real card price and the real cash price so customers can see both before they pay.

Do you work with Indiana businesses?

Yes. We're based in Clifton, Tennessee, and serve merchants nationwide by phone and email.

Who owns an ATM I get through you?

You do. You purchase it outright and run it yourself, and the terms, which are subject to the partner agreement, are disclosed in writing first.

Get a no-obligation comparison

Send a recent statement and tell us how your customers usually pay. We'll compare a cash discount, interchange-plus, flat-rate, and your current setup for your Indiana business.