Can Merchants Charge Extra for Card Payments in Austria? (2026)

Is Card Surcharging Legal in Austria?

No. Since September 2018, the Zahlungsdienstegesetz (ZaDiG) prohibits merchants from adding a surcharge when a customer pays with a consumer debit card or credit card that is subject to the EU interchange fee regulation. The ban covers cards issued under the Visa, Mastercard, and Maestro schemes where the card is a regulated consumer instrument. A merchant who adds a fee is acting contrary to Austrian law.

The legal basis is Section 80 ZaDiG 2018, which implements Article 62 of the EU Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2). The rule applies in shops, restaurants, online checkouts, and any other sales context in Austria.

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Can a Shop Add a Fee for Credit Card Payment?

For most consumer card payments, no. A shop cannot add a Bearbeitungsgebuehr (processing fee), a Kartenzuschlag (card surcharge), or any other extra charge solely because you pay by card, as long as your card is a regulated consumer card under EU law. The merchant may pass costs to you only where the card type falls outside the surcharging ban.

What merchants can do is set a minimum purchase value for card payments. Austrian law does not prohibit minimum-spend rules, only surcharges. A sign saying "minimum €10 for card payment" is legal. A sign saying "€0.50 card fee applies" is not, for covered cards.

Merchants may also offer a cash discount. Reducing the price for cash is distinct from surcharging: it is permitted because the card price remains the headline price and the cash price is the discount, not the other way around.

What Counts as a Barumsatz?

A Barumsatz is any transaction where payment is received immediately at the point of sale, including card payments. Under Austrian tax law and the Registrierkassenpflicht (cash-register obligation), merchants whose annual turnover exceeds €15,000 and whose Barumsaetze exceed €7,500 per year must record every Barumsatz in a certified cash register and issue a receipt.

Card payments are Barumsaetze for these purposes. This is confirmed by the Wirtschaftskammer Oesterreich (WKO). Whether you pay in cash, by debit card, or by credit card, the merchant must record the transaction and provide a machine-printed or electronic receipt (Beleg) that carries the required mandatory fields.

As a customer, you are entitled to request a receipt for any Barumsatz. The merchant is obliged to issue one and you are obliged to take it (and carry it until you leave the immediate vicinity of the shop). Failure by the merchant to issue receipts can be reported to the Finanzamt.

What Do You Do If a Merchant Surcharges Illegally?

If a merchant adds an illegal card surcharge, you have three practical options. First, refuse to pay the surcharge and explain that it is prohibited under ZaDiG. Most merchants are unaware of the ban or are testing whether customers will push back. Second, ask for the surcharge to be removed from the invoice before you complete the transaction. Third, if the merchant insists, you can pay under protest and then seek reimbursement through the Arbeiterkammer (AK).

To report a merchant, contact the Arbeiterkammer via their consumer-protection hotline or online form. The AK provides free legal advice and can pursue the complaint on your behalf. You can also report the merchant to the WKO trade association, which has authority over member businesses. Keep your receipt and a note of the date, time, and exact fee charged as evidence.

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