Credit card processing and merchant services in Oshawa, ON
Oshawa grew 10.0% between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, well ahead of Ontario's 5.8%. New businesses there should match their card hardware to the place customers actually pay.
Oshawa counted 175,383 residents at the 2021 Census, 10.0% more than in 2016, while Ontario as a whole grew 5.8%. The Oshawa census metropolitan area reached 415,311. If you're opening a business into that growth, one of your first purchases is probably a card terminal, and it often gets bought before anyone asks where customers will be standing when they pay.
Start there. A countertop terminal suits a fixed till, such as a pharmacy counter or a salon's front desk. A wireless terminal lets a server settle the bill at the table or a service writer take payment at the bay door. A portable terminal or a mobile card reader goes wherever you go, and tap to pay on a phone needs no extra hardware at all. Our POS terminals come in countertop, wireless and portable models that take chip, tap and swipe, and they accept Interac, Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Then think about which cards will be used on them. Interac says a debit transaction costs merchants around 10 cents, while credit card fees are a percentage of the sale. If your customers mostly tap debit for small amounts, you want pricing that bills debit as debit, which is what interchange-plus does.
Hotels, motels and short-term rentals have a city tax to configure. The City of Oshawa's Municipal Accommodation Tax has been 5% since October 1, 2024. It's charged on the room cost portion of stays of 30 days or less, and licensed short-term rentals collect it too. Rates vary from city to city in Ontario, so a booking system copied from a property elsewhere may charge the wrong one.
Surcharging Visa and Mastercard credit cards is legal in Ontario within the 2.4% cap. Our guide to choosing a POS system in Canada goes deeper on hardware. Once you're processing, send a statement for a free statement review, and see our Ontario page for the provincial rules.
Rules that matter in Oshawa
Oshawa's 5% Municipal Accommodation Tax
The City of Oshawa's Municipal Accommodation Tax rate of 5% took effect on October 1, 2024. It applies only to the room cost portion of stays of 30 days or less, and it applies to all licensed short-term rentals as well as hotels and motels. Put the tax on a separate line of the guest's bill.
Payment services we provide
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Common questions
Which card terminal should a new Oshawa business buy?
The one that fits where you take payment. A countertop model suits a fixed checkout, a wireless one lets staff walk the terminal to a table or a service bay, and a mobile reader or tap to pay on a phone works anywhere with a data connection. If you're unsure, tell your rep how a typical sale happens and start from there.
What is Oshawa's Municipal Accommodation Tax?
5%, since October 1, 2024. The City of Oshawa charges it on the room cost portion of stays of 30 days or less, so a 45-night booking falls outside it, and so do extras billed apart from the room. Licensed short-term rentals collect it as well as hotels and motels.
Do my customers pay less when they tap debit instead of credit?
No, they pay the same price. You pay less. Interac says Interac Debit costs merchants around 10 cents per transaction as a flat fee, while credit card costs rise with the size of the sale. On interchange-plus pricing that difference shows up on your statement instead of being averaged away.
Can an Oshawa shop add a surcharge to credit card sales?
Yes, within Visa and Mastercard's rules: credit cards only, at most 2.4% or your cost of acceptance if that's lower, after 30 days' notice, with signs at the entrance and the till and the amount on the receipt. Visa and Mastercard debit and prepaid cards are excluded. Our surcharging program covers setup and disclosure.
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.
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