Surcharge & Dual Pricing Laws · Maine · Last verified 2026-08-27

Is Credit Card Surcharging Legal in Maine? (2026)

No — credit card surcharging is banned in Maine and the ban is actively enforced. Dual pricing — posting a card price and a lower cash price — is legal in Maine.

Maine at a glance

Credit card surchargingBANNED
Surcharge capN/A — surcharging is prohibited (government entities exempt with disclosure).
Dual pricing (cash price / card price)LEGAL
Governing lawMe. Rev. Stat. tit. 9-A, §8-509 (2011)
EnforcementActively enforced by the Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection; repeal attempts (LD660, LD151) have repeatedly failed, most recently in 2025.

What Maine requires merchants to disclose

Display the regular price; a compliant program posts the card price and discounts for cash.

Recent & pending changes

LD151 (2025) repeal attempt failed; the ban remains fully enforceable.

Dual pricing vs. surcharging in Maine

Cash and check discounts are expressly protected by the same statute — dual pricing is the compliant Maine structure.

For Maine merchants, dual pricing is the compliant path: the card price is the posted price, cash customers pay less, and no prohibited surcharge is ever added. That is the structure FeeSlicers sets up.

Maine surcharge law: common questions

Can a business charge a credit card fee in Maine in 2026?

No. Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 9-A, §8-509 (2011) prohibits credit card surcharges in Maine, and the ban is actively enforced.

Is dual pricing (a cash price and a card price) legal in Maine?

Cash and check discounts are expressly protected by the same statute — dual pricing is the compliant Maine structure. Dual pricing applies to both debit and credit cards.

Can a Maine business add a surcharge to debit card payments?

No. Debit and prepaid cards can never be surcharged anywhere in the U.S. — the Durbin Amendment and card-network rules prohibit it regardless of state law. Dual pricing, by contrast, lawfully covers both debit and credit.

What does Maine require a business to disclose?

Display the regular price; a compliant program posts the card price and discounts for cash.

Has Maine surcharge law changed recently, or is a change pending?

LD151 (2025) repeal attempt failed; the ban remains fully enforceable.

Want Maine's rules in writing before you change anything?

FeeSlicers sets up compliant dual pricing programs — your card-price customers cover processing, your cash customers pay less, and you pay one flat $40/month. George, a 20-year payments veteran, confirms your state's rules as part of setup.

Start Slicing →

Two minutes to start. No obligation. George takes it from there.

This page is an educational reference, not legal advice. Surcharge and pricing law changes frequently — this page was last verified on 2026-08-27, and we confirm current rules for your state during setup. Sources: Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 9-A §8-509; Maine BCCP.

← All state surcharge & dual pricing laws