Credit card surcharge laws in Kentucky (2026)
Allowed, card-network rules only
You can surcharge credit cards in Kentucky under card-network rules; the state adds no ban, cap, or disclosure rule of its own.
The details
| Statute | No state statute on credit card surcharges found |
|---|---|
| Source check | Verified on the official site |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 |
How this entry was checked
KRS chapters 365 (Trade Practices) and 367 (Consumer Protection) section lists read on apps.legislature.ky.gov: no surcharge section. 2013 HB 259 (point-of-purchase disclosure; passed House 100-0, died in Senate Rules) and HB 256 (ban) were not enacted. KRS 367.3611-3629 (eff. 1/1/2026) is the consumer data privacy law, not a fee law. The '3% cap' some trackers report is not in KRS.
What this means for each program in Kentucky
| 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 Kentucky 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. Source read: apps.legislature.ky.gov
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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.