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Merchant fees
Merchant fees on credit/debit card transactions.
Financial institutions charge merchant fees whenever they provide a payment service.
The NSW Treasury requires all NSW government agencies to recover these additional costs, and this process is known as "merchant fee recovery".
In line with the government's decision to recover merchant service fees, these fees are passed on for account payments made by Visa, Mastercard and Amex.
Please note: Merchant fees do not apply to direct debit payments and eMU Passes accounts.
What are the merchant fee rates for Visa, MasterCard and Amex?
For credit/debit card payments, the merchant fee is a percentage of the total payment amount. The percentage depends on whether the card is a credit or debit card and whether it's Mastercard, Visa or American Express. The merchant fee, including GST, will be added to the total amount you need to pay.
The current merchant fees are as follows:
| Card Issuer | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Visa Credit Card | 0.50% |
| Mastercard Credit Card | 0.59% |
| Visa Debit Card | 0.20% |
| Mastercard Debit Card | 0.45% |
| Amex | 1.54% |
Can I avoid the merchant fee?
Yes. You can avoid merchant fees by switching your account to direct debit, and you can also top up your account by using EFTPOS, cash or cheque at any Service NSW centre.
To switch to direct debit, you can log in to your account and complete the online direct debit form or visit a Service NSW centre and complete a manual direct debit request form.
How will I know if I have been charged a merchant fee?
If your nominated payment method is credit/debit card, a merchant fee will apply when you open or top up your account. When you open an account or top-up online, you will be required to approve the merchant fee charge before proceeding with the transaction. Your E-Toll statement will show the following:
- The cost of your transaction
- The merchant fee amount
- The total amount that will be charged to your credit card
For merchant fees incurred via the automated top-up process for your account, any merchant fees charged will be shown on your E-Toll transaction statement. Any merchant fees charged for transactions conducted at a Service NSW centre may not show up on your transaction statement, but you will be given a receipt over the counter.
