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Merchant services · Ohio

Merchant Services in Ohio

Ohio's small businesses include Columbus coffee shops, Cleveland bars and auto shops, Cincinnati chili parlors, Amish Country furniture and cheese makers around Holmes County, and Lake Erie bait shops and marinas that do most of their business in summer. Card fees are a steady cost for all of them, and a lot of owners ask whether they can pass some of it on. Ohio has no statute written specifically about card surcharges. The card networks' rules and Ohio's consumer protection law set the guardrails. Here's what we verified, what's still only a bill, and the processing and ATM options we offer Ohio merchants.

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

Ohio's surcharge rules

No surcharge-specific statute

We didn't find an Ohio statute that bans, caps, or sets disclosure rules for credit card surcharges, and the National Conference of State Legislatures' state table lists Ohio as having none.

The Consumer Sales Practices Act

The Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act (Ohio Rev. Code 1345.02) prohibits unfair or deceptive acts in consumer transactions, before, during, or after the sale. Among the practices it specifically calls deceptive is representing "that a specific price advantage exists, if it does not." That's the line to keep in mind with any "cash discount": it needs to be a real discount off a price you actually post. A card fee the customer learns about only at the register raises the general deception question.

What the Attorney General has told consumers

The Ohio Attorney General's consumer newsletter explained in 2013, after the Visa and Mastercard settlement first allowed surcharges, that a business that charges the fee must post a sign at the entrance saying so and disclose the fee percentage before the transaction, and that online sellers must disclose it before the customer enters card information. Those requirements come from the card networks, and they're still a good baseline.

A bill to watch: SB 337

Senate Bill 337 in the 136th General Assembly would add a new section, 1345.29, to the Revised Code to require disclosure of credit card surcharges. As of the Ohio Senate's site on October 31, 2026, it's in the Senate Financial Institutions, Insurance and Technology Committee. It isn't law. We'll update this page if it passes.

Card-network rules

Under Visa's U.S. rules, a surcharge can only apply to credit cards, never debit or prepaid cards, even when a debit card is run as "credit." It's capped at your merchant discount rate for that card or 3%, whichever is lower. You have to notify your processor 30 days before you start and disclose the surcharge at the point of entry, the point of sale, and as a separate line on the receipt. Visa describes a proper cash discount as posting either the card price only, or the card and cash prices side by side. 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 fee at checkout for credit cards only, within the network limits above.
  • Dual pricing (sometimes called cash discounting) posts a cash price and a card price everywhere prices appear, so customers see both before paying.

Both can be set up honestly in Ohio. Problems start when the "discount" isn't real or the fee shows up only on the receipt.

What Ohio businesses ask about

  • Restaurants, chili parlors, and bars want menu wording that shows both prices and tip handling that matches.
  • Seasonal businesses along Lake Erie and in the Hocking Hills see volume swing by season, which affects whether flat-rate or interchange-plus makes more sense.
  • Craft, furniture, and specialty food sellers in Amish Country take large tickets in person and by phone and often want a virtual terminal and invoicing.
  • Auto repair and home-service contractors want card and ACH on the same invoice.
  • Festival and market vendors need mobile or Bluetooth readers.

Your options, side by side

  1. Dual pricing (optional). Post a cash price and a card price, with signs and receipts set up to match.
  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 Ohio

Cash still matters at bars, bowling alleys, county fairs, flea markets, and marinas. 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 Ohio?

We found no Ohio statute that bans or caps them. Card-network rules still apply, and the Consumer Sales Practices Act prohibits deceptive pricing, so disclose any fee before the customer pays.

Is a cash discount allowed in Ohio?

We found no Ohio statute against it. It has to be a real discount off a posted price, because Ohio law treats a false claim of a price advantage as deceptive.

Can I surcharge debit cards?

No. Card-network rules don't allow surcharges on debit or prepaid cards.

Is Ohio passing a surcharge law?

SB 337 would require surcharge disclosures, but as of October 31, 2026 it's still in a Senate committee.

Do you work with Ohio 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 when your busy season is. We'll compare dual pricing, interchange-plus, flat-rate, and your current setup for your Ohio business.