Surcharge & Dual Pricing Laws · North Carolina · Last verified 2026-08-27
Yes — credit card surcharging is legal in North Carolina. There is no state-specific cap; card-brand rules apply, which limit surcharges to 3% on credit cards and never allow them on debit or prepaid cards. Dual pricing — posting a card price and a lower cash price — is legal in North Carolina.
| Credit card surcharging | LEGAL under card-brand rules |
|---|---|
| Surcharge cap | No state cap. Card-brand rules govern (lesser of 3% Visa/Discover cap or merchant's cost of acceptance; Mastercard 4% ceiling rarely operative). Debit and prepaid cards can never be surcharged. |
| Dual pricing (cash price / card price) | LEGAL |
| Governing law | No state surcharge statute — card-brand rules govern |
| Enforcement | No state surcharge statute; card-brand rules apply. |
Card-brand disclosure rules only: post notice at store entry and point of sale; surcharge shown as a separate line item on the receipt.
HB13 (2025-26 session, in committee) would cap surcharges at 2%, require disclosure at store entrance and point of sale (homepage and payment page online; verbal by phone), bar surcharging when cards are the only accepted payment, and impose a $500 civil penalty per violation. Not enacted as of the last-verified date.
Dual pricing (posting a card price and a lower cash price) is legal.
North Carolina merchants can run either program. Dual pricing covers both debit and credit and requires no surcharge registration; surcharging (flat 3%, credit only) works well for credit-heavy businesses. The right fit depends on your card mix.
Yes. North Carolina has no state surcharge statute, so card-brand rules govern: up to 3% on credit cards, never on debit or prepaid, with proper disclosure.
Dual pricing (posting a card price and a lower cash price) is legal. Dual pricing applies to both debit and credit cards.
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.
Card-brand disclosure rules only: post notice at store entry and point of sale; surcharge shown as a separate line item on the receipt.
HB13 (2025-26 session, in committee) would cap surcharges at 2%, require disclosure at store entrance and point of sale (homepage and payment page online; verbal by phone), bar surcharging when cards are the only accepted payment, and impose a $500 civil penalty per violation. Not enacted as of the last-verified date.
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.
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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: Industry compilations cross-checked (CardPaymentOptions, Merchant Cost Consulting).