Credit card processing and merchant services in Irvine, CA
Irvine had 318,764 residents in July 2025, about half again as many as the 2010 Census counted. If you bill clients by invoice or payment link, your card costs work differently.
The 2010 Census counted 212,375 people in Irvine. The Census Bureau's July 2025 estimate is 318,764, about half again as many, and 3.6% above the city's 2020 base. If you serve those residents by billing them rather than ringing them up at a counter, most of your card payments arrive without the card in hand.
Those card-not-present payments, such as a typed-in card number, a saved card or a payment link, generally fall into higher interchange categories than a chip or tap payment, and they carry more fraud risk. Address verification and CVV checks on every keyed or online payment help screen out stolen cards. Our guide to card-not-present transactions explains why the categories differ.
The setup counts as much as the rate. A virtual terminal lets you send invoices and payment links and run recurring billing for retainers or monthly plans. With interchange-plus pricing, your statement shows the interchange on those payments apart from our markup, so you can see what the keyed share of your volume is costing.
Sales tax still applies when you sell goods. CDTFA's table for January through March 2026 listed Irvine at 7.75%, and nearby Santa Ana is at 9.25% in the rates operative October 1, 2026. A business selling at events or job sites in both cities needs a separate setting for each, and Irvine's current rate is worth confirming with CDTFA's lookup by address. Software sellers have a date to plan for: from January 1, 2027, California taxes prewritten software delivered electronically or accessed remotely.
Surcharging works the same here as elsewhere in the state, and our California page explains the 1748.1 ban and the Attorney General's position. Send a recent statement for a free statement review and we'll show you what your keyed and online payments cost.
Payment services we provide
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Common questions
Are keyed-in card payments more expensive for an Irvine business?
Usually, yes. Payments where the card isn't present, such as typed-in numbers, saved cards and payment links, generally fall into higher interchange categories than chip or tap payments, and they carry more fraud risk. Address verification and CVV checks help on the fraud side, and interchange-plus pricing shows you exactly which categories your payments land in.
How should an Irvine firm collect retainers or monthly fees by card?
Store the card with the client's authorization and bill it on a schedule, instead of asking for the number by phone every month. Our virtual terminal handles invoices, payment links and recurring billing, and our guide to recurring billing covers the authorization and notice steps. Law firms should also read our guide to processing for lawyers.
What is the sales tax rate in Irvine?
CDTFA's table for January 1 to March 31, 2026 listed Irvine at 7.75%, and its October 1, 2026 table lists unincorporated Orange County at the same 7.75%. Confirm Irvine's current rate with CDTFA's lookup by address before you set up a register, since district taxes can change from one quarter to the next.
Will California tax the software my Irvine company sells?
Starting January 1, 2027, CDTFA says sales and use tax applies to digital products, including prewritten software that's transferred electronically or accessed remotely. The place of sale is generally the customer's address, so a subscription business needs each customer's location on file, wherever the company itself is based.
Can an Irvine business pass card fees on to clients?
Generally yes, within California's limits. The Attorney General generally applies the Italian Colors ruling to similarly situated merchants, Visa and Mastercard cap any surcharge at your cost (3% and 4% at most), and debit and prepaid cards can't be surcharged. Our surcharging program covers the notice and receipt steps.
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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