Credit card processing and merchant services in Augusta, GA
Augusta's sales tax includes voter-approved local levies such as SPLOST, and the city expected SPLOST 8 to finish collecting in fall 2026. Check the state's rate chart before each new quarter starts.
The Census Bureau doesn't report Augusta as a plain city. Its figures are for "Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance)", and the July 2025 estimate is 201,999 residents, a 0.0% change from the April 2020 estimates base of 202,071. With the population flat, margins matter, and card processing is one cost you can shop around.
Part of Augusta's sales tax is SPLOST, which the city's FAQ describes as a special 1% sales tax paid on purchases in Augusta-Richmond County. Each phase has to be approved by the Augusta Commission and then by voters in a referendum. The city's SPLOST 8 page says collections were expected to be complete in fall 2026 and that SPLOST 9 would go before the public in May 2026. We haven't confirmed that vote's result from an official source, so check the Department of Revenue's upcoming rate changes and the chart for each new quarter before you change anything in your POS.
Sales in Richmond County also carry a 1% regional transportation tax. The Department of Revenue lists Richmond among the counties whose TSPLOST took effect on January 1, 2013, and says that first regional TSPLOST applies only to the first $5,000 of a motor vehicle sale or lease. If you sell or lease vehicles, ask your accountant which deals are subject to sales tax, then make sure your system applies that cap.
Georgia has no statute capping surcharges on ordinary retail sales, so Visa's 3% and Mastercard's 4% limits apply, debit cards are excluded, and the fee must be posted at the door, at checkout and on the receipt. The state's convenience fee law, explained on our Georgia page, reaches only certain loans and financing contracts. We'd look at your rate first: interchange-plus pricing shows each card's interchange at cost, and a free statement review tells you whether a fee is worth adding.
Rules that matter in Augusta
SPLOST phases and your tax rate
Augusta's SPLOST is a 1% sales tax approved one phase at a time, first by the Augusta Commission and then by referendum. The city's SPLOST 8 page says collections were expected to be complete in fall 2026 and that SPLOST 9 would be considered by the public in May 2026.
Georgia's local rates can change at the start of a calendar quarter, and the Department of Revenue lists upcoming changes before they take effect. Check that list and the new quarterly chart for Richmond County before each quarter begins.
Sources: Augusta, Georgia, FAQs: What is SPLOST?; Augusta, Georgia, SPLOST 8; Georgia Department of Revenue, Sales tax: upcoming quarterly rate changes; Georgia Department of Revenue, Sales tax rates: general
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Common questions
What is SPLOST, and why does it matter for my Augusta register?
SPLOST is a special purpose local option sales tax. Augusta's government describes it as a special 1% sales tax paid on purchases in Augusta-Richmond County, and each phase needs approval from the Augusta Commission and then from voters. When a phase ends with nothing to replace it, or a new levy starts, Richmond County's rate changes at the start of a quarter.
What should I check in my POS when SPLOST 8 wraps up?
Whether Richmond County's rate has changed. The city's SPLOST 8 page says collections were expected to be complete in fall 2026, with SPLOST 9 going before the public in May 2026. The Georgia Department of Revenue posts upcoming local rate changes before each quarter begins, so compare its list and the new chart with the rate your register uses.
Does Richmond County's TSPLOST apply to vehicle sales?
Only to part of them. On a motor vehicle sale or lease that's subject to sales tax, the Department of Revenue says the first regional TSPLOST applies only to the first $5,000 of the transaction. Richmond is on the Department's list of counties with that 1% tax, in effect since January 1, 2013. Dealers should confirm with an accountant which transactions are taxable.
Can an Augusta business charge a fee for paying by credit card?
Yes, within the card networks' rules, because Georgia has no statute capping retail surcharges. Visa allows up to 3% or your merchant discount rate, whichever is lower, with 30 days' notice to your acquirer, and Mastercard allows up to 4% or your average effective rate. Leave debit and prepaid cards out. Our guide to credit card surcharge signs shows what to post.
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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