Credit card surcharge laws in Arkansas (2026)
Allowed, card-network rules only
You can surcharge credit cards in Arkansas under card-network rules; no state surcharge statute was found, but the merchant processing contract itself must meet A.C.A. 4-115-101 (disclosures in 8-point type, early-termination fee capped at $50).
The details
| Disclosure | No state surcharge-disclosure statute found; AG guidance says convenience fees 'must be posted publicly'; Deceptive Trade Practices Act (4-88-107) deception standard applies. |
|---|---|
| Debit and prepaid | Not addressed in state law; AG page restates that surcharges are credit-only. |
| Statute | No state statute on credit card surcharges found |
| Source check | Secondary (official code not searchable online; confirmed on a code mirror and in bill records) |
| Checked | Oct 7, 2026 |
How this entry was checked
The Arkansas Code was searched on a code mirror current to 2024-03-28 (the official LexisNexis site is not searchable online): only government-payee fee sections (14-59-119, 16-13-706, 26-35-506, 27-14-608), gift cards (4-88-703) and the processing-contract statute 4-115-101 (required disclosures; termination fee not over $50; no monthly minimum beyond one month after termination; equipment rental/lease payments are not 'fees'). VERIFIED on arkleg.state.ar.us: 2013 SB 291 'AN ACT TO PROHIBIT THE COLLECTION OF CREDIT CARD SURCHARGES' was withdrawn by its author 2013-04-03; exact-phrase searches 'credit card surcharge' (2025 session) and 'surcharge' (2026 fiscal session) return nothing relevant. VERIFIED on arkansasag.gov: AG describes surcharges as a merchant practice subject to the Visa 3% cap and cites no Arkansas prohibition.
What this means for each program in Arkansas
| Surcharging | Allowed under the card-network rules below. No state cap or disclosure rule beyond those was found. |
|---|---|
| Cash discounting | Permitted under the card-network rules. The posted price is the card price and cash pays less; every card, debit included, pays the posted price. |
| Dual pricing | Treated like a cash discount in practice (our reading; no Arkansas statute addresses dual pricing): the card price shown first with the cash price beside it, every card pays the card price, cash pays the cash price. |
Card-network rules apply everywhere a surcharge is allowed
- Credit cards only. Never debit or prepaid, even when the customer presses "credit."
- Capped at 3% and never more than your own cost of accepting credit cards.
- Disclosed at the entrance and at the register, and printed as its own line on the receipt.
- Your processor (acquirer) gets written notice at least 30 days before you start.
Source: Visa Core Rules and Visa Product and Service Rules, April 2026 edition, sections 5.5.1.5 to 5.5.1.9. Mastercard's rules are comparable; its current rulebook text was not verified for this guide.
Sources
- No state statute on credit card surcharges found Searched: the Arkansas Code on a code mirror current to 2024-03-28; the official LexisNexis site is not searchable online.
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Get my fit checkThis guide is general information, not legal advice. Each entry was checked against the official statute, regulation, or court decision linked on the page, as of the date shown, by Cardeva, LLC. Laws change, legislatures are in session, and court rulings can alter the practical status of a statute that remains on the books. Before starting any surcharge, cash-discount, or dual-pricing program, confirm the rules for your state and your payment types with your processor and your own attorney. Any program Cardeva sets up starts only after your processor approves it in writing; rely on that approval and your own attorney, not this page. Nothing here is a guarantee of any outcome. See our Terms of Use. Think something has changed? Use the contact form or call (612) 250-6132.