Offset credit card processing costs with compliant service fee programs
Professional services firms, municipalities, utilities, and B2B businesses legally pass eligible card costs to customers—fully compliant with card-brand and state regulations.
The cost of accepting credit cards
Card processing costs 2–4% of every transaction. For businesses processing invoices, utility bills, or retainers, those fees add up—often reaching $50k–$400k+ annually.
Service fee and surcharge programs let you recover 60–90% of those costs legally.
Three program types at a glance
Cash discount, service fee, and surcharge programs each work differently. The right one depends on your state, industry, and business model.
| Cash Discount | Service Fee | Surcharge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal in all 50 states | Yes | Yes (eligible MCCs) | No (40 states only) |
| Registration required | No | No (as of Oct 2025) | Yes (30 days) |
| Industry restrictions | No | Yes (specific MCCs) | No |
| Can apply to debit | Yes (discount applies to cash/check vs. any card) | No | No |
| Transaction processing | Single transaction | Single transaction (as of Oct 2025) | Single transaction |
| Typical setup time | 7–10 days | 7–14 days | 30–45 days (registration-driven) |
How each program works
Cash discount programs
Display your card price and offer a discount for customers paying by cash or check.
- All prices shown reflect the card price
- Cash/check payments receive an immediate discount
- Receipt shows the discount as a separate line item
- Legal nationwide when structured as genuine dual pricing
Retail, restaurants, in-person service businesses. No industry restrictions.
Service fee programs
Add a clearly disclosed fee to recover processing costs for eligible business types.
- Base price plus separate service fee line item for card payments
- Fee must not exceed your processing cost
- Processed in single transaction—no second authorization
- No Visa registration required (as of October 2025)
Government entities, utilities, educational institutions, municipalities. Expanded MCC eligibility since Oct 2025.
Surcharge programs
Add a percentage-based fee to credit card transactions only—never to debit.
- Credit cards incur a surcharge (typically 2.5–3%)
- Debit cards are never surcharged (federal law)
- Requires 30-day registration with Visa and Mastercard
- Legal in 40 states. Prohibited in CA, CO, CT, KS, MA, ME, NY, OK, PR, TX
Professional services, B2B companies, ecommerce in permitted states.
Why work with Paytrinsic for service fee programs
Most processors offer service fee programs. We help you implement them correctly—with guidance on compliance, client communication, and ongoing monitoring.
Expert implementation guidance
We've implemented service fee programs for attorneys, utilities, municipalities, and B2B firms. You get strategic recommendations on program structure, MCC qualification, and state-by-state compliance—not generic support.
Complete documentation & training
Ready-to-use signage, receipt templates, and staff training materials. Client communication scripts for professional services. Everything needed to pass card-brand audits.
Ongoing rule monitoring
Card-brand rules evolve. We monitor Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and Amex updates and notify you of any changes that affect your program. If signage, receipts, or technical requirements change, we provide updated materials at no cost.
Technical setup & testing
We configure your processing platform, debit exclusion, correct receipt formatting, and accurate fee calculations. Your team gets routing configuration, testing, and go-live support—typically 7–14 days for hosted solutions.
Results our clients see
Compliant programs reduce processing costs by 60–90% annually.
75-attorney law firm, Southeast U.S.
Previous costs: $96,000/year (3% effective rate)
After service fee program: $11,200/year (0.35%)
Implementation: 10 days
Mid-sized utility billing department
Previous costs: $240,000/year
After service fee program: $28,000/year
Implementation: 12 days (post-October 2025 rule changes)
Note: This municipality was not eligible before MCC 4900 was added.
Industrial equipment supplier
Previous costs: $165,000/year
After surcharge program: $19,250/year
Implementation: 38 days (includes 30-day registration period)
Implementation process
Most programs go live in 7–14 days. We handle setup so you don't have to become a card-brand compliance expert.
Program assessment & design
We review your processing setup, determine which program type fits your industry, MCC, and state, then design the fee structure that maximizes savings while staying compliant. You get: Program eligibility assessment, estimated annual savings based on your volume, and state-specific compliance requirements.
Technical setup & documentation
We configure your processing platform: debit exclusion, correct receipt formatting, accurate fee calculations. You receive ready-to-use signage, receipt templates, and staff training materials—everything needed to pass card-brand audits.
Testing & go-live
We run test transactions to verify debit exclusion, fee calculations, and receipt formatting. Your team gets hands-on training before go-live. Typical timeline: 7–14 days for service fee and cash discount programs, 30–45 days for surcharge programs (registration-driven).
Ongoing monitoring & updates
We monitor card-brand rule changes and notify you of any updates. If signage, receipts, or technical requirements change, we provide updated materials at no additional cost. You stay compliant without tracking rule updates yourself.
Find out how much you can save
Schedule a 30-minute program assessment. We'll review your processing statements, verify your MCC eligibility, and recommend the right program structure. You'll get: Program eligibility assessment, estimated annual savings based on your current volume, state-specific compliance requirements, and implementation timeline.
Questions? See our complete FAQ