Credit card processing and merchant services in Surrey, BC
Surrey grew 9.7% between the 2016 and 2021 censuses. Whether you sell from a storefront or a service van, your card payments should fit the way you actually work.
Surrey added about 50,000 residents between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, reaching 568,322. The City of Surrey requires every business in Surrey to hold a valid business licence, and it takes part in two inter-municipal programs: the Fraser Valley IMBL and the Metro-West IMBL. If your crews cross into neighbouring cities, apply for the inter-municipal licence through your home municipality.
Trades have a PST question that a storefront usually doesn't. B.C.'s Bulletin PST 301 treats repairing vehicles and other taxable goods as a taxable related service, and the PST applies to the labour and travel time on the invoice as well as the parts. Services to real property are a different case. They aren't subject to PST, so a renovation contractor may not need a PST number for that work. Two businesses in the same industrial park can need completely different tax setups.
Getting paid on site is the easy part. Tap to pay and mobile card readers take the payment in the driveway, and the virtual terminal sends invoices, payment links and recurring bills for work that's paid later. Nobody has to write a card number on a work order.
On interchange-plus pricing, a large job paid on a business credit card shows its real cost instead of disappearing into a blended rate. You can walk away any time without a cancellation fee. Our home services and automotive pages go deeper, and the British Columbia page covers the provincial rules.
Rules that matter in Surrey
Business licences and inter-municipal licences
The City of Surrey requires all businesses in Surrey to hold a valid business licence. Surrey participates in two Inter-Municipal Business Licence programs, the Fraser Valley IMBL and the Metro-West IMBL, and applicants apply for the inter-municipal licence in their home municipality.
Sources: City of Surrey, Types of businesses; Government of British Columbia, Mobile business licences
Payment services we provide
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Common questions
Does a Surrey business licence let me work in other cities?
A standard licence covers your Surrey business. For work across the region, Surrey participates in the Fraser Valley and Metro-West Inter-Municipal Business Licence programs, which let eligible businesses operate in participating municipalities on one licence. Apply for the inter-municipal licence in your home municipality.
Do I charge PST on repair labour in Surrey?
Usually, if you're repairing taxable goods such as vehicles. B.C.'s Bulletin PST 301 lists those repairs as taxable related services, and the price includes labour and travel time. Services to real property, such as installing goods that become part of a building, aren't subject to PST. Get the split right before you send the invoice.
Can I take card payments at a customer's home or job site?
Yes. Our mobile payments include tap to pay and mobile card readers, and our terminals accept Interac, Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and Google Pay. For jobs billed after the work is done, the virtual terminal sends invoices and payment links.
Can Surrey contractors add a surcharge to credit card payments?
Yes, on Visa and Mastercard credit cards, up to 2.4% or your cost of acceptance if that's lower. Give your acquirer 30 days' notice (Mastercard wants notice too), disclose the surcharge before the customer pays, and show it on the receipt. Debit and prepaid cards from those networks are excluded.
Disclaimer: general information, not professional advice
This page is general educational information, not legal, tax, accounting or financial advice. Rules and rates vary by place and change, so confirm them with the official source and a qualified professional before you act. Full terms are in our Terms of Service.
Let's talk about your payments
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