Credit card processing and merchant services in Macon, GA
Bibb County appeared on Georgia's list of sales tax rate changes for April 2026, at 8%. If your Macon register was set up before then, compare it with the current quarterly chart.
Bibb County's sales tax hasn't sat still. The Georgia Department of Revenue's historical chart for January 2026 shows the county's ELOST, the education local option sales tax, running from January 1, 2021 to September 30, 2025. Bibb then turned up on the Department's list of rate changes for April 2026, at 8%, which is the 4% state rate plus local taxes. If a register or online store had its rate set in the past year, it could be out of date.
Checking takes a few minutes. Georgia's local rates can change at the start of any calendar quarter, and the Department posts upcoming changes before each one. Bibb's jurisdiction code on the general rate chart is 011, so compare that line with your POS every January, April, July and October.
Macon and Bibb County run as one consolidated government, which is why the Census Bureau reports them together as Macon-Bibb County. Its July 1, 2025 estimate is 157,556 residents, 0.1% above the April 2020 estimates base of 157,358, and the 2022 Economic Census counted $5.87 billion in retail sales and $584.1 million in accommodation and food services sales. Our Augusta page covers another consolidated government and its own sales tax cycle.
Card fees are simpler than the tax table. Georgia has no statute capping surcharges on everyday retail sales, so Visa's 3% and Mastercard's 4% caps apply, or your cost if lower, and debit and prepaid cards can't be surcharged. O.C.G.A. 13-1-15, the convenience fee law some guides cite, only covers payments on certain loans and financing contracts; our Georgia page explains who it reaches.
Before you add a fee, find out what you pay now. On interchange-plus pricing, interchange and our markup sit on separate lines, and a free statement review gives you your effective rate in writing.
Rules that matter in Macon
Bibb County's 2026 sales tax rate change
The Georgia Department of Revenue's historical sales tax chart for January 2026 shows Bibb County's ELOST in effect from January 1, 2021 to September 30, 2025. Bibb, jurisdiction code 011, then appears at 8% on the Department's list of rate changes for April 2026.
Local rates in Georgia can change when a calendar quarter begins, and the Department lists upcoming changes ahead of each quarter. Compare your POS with Bibb's line on the current general rate chart whenever a new quarter starts.
Sources: Georgia Department of Revenue, Historical sales tax chart, January 2026 (PDF); Georgia Department of Revenue, Quarterly sales tax rate changes, April 2026 (PDF); 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 the sales tax rate in Macon, Georgia?
Bibb County, jurisdiction code 011, appears at 8% on the Georgia Department of Revenue's list of rate changes for April 2026, which is the 4% state rate plus local taxes. Local rates can change at the start of any quarter, so confirm Bibb's line on the current chart before you rely on it.
When did Bibb County's previous education sales tax end?
September 30, 2025. The Department of Revenue's January 2026 historical chart shows Bibb's ELOST running from January 1, 2021 to that date, and Bibb then appeared on the April 2026 list of rate changes at 8%. If your rate was set during that stretch, compare it with the current chart.
Is Macon a city or a county for sales tax?
Both, in a sense. Macon and Bibb County are one consolidated government, and the Census Bureau reports them as Macon-Bibb County. On the Department of Revenue's charts, the rate is listed under Bibb County, code 011, so that's the line to match in your POS.
Can a Macon restaurant add a credit card surcharge?
Yes, within the card networks' rules, since Georgia doesn't cap retail surcharges by statute. Keep it at or below 3% on Visa and 4% on Mastercard, or your cost if lower, leave debit and prepaid cards out, and post notice at the entrance and the register with the amount on each receipt. Our surcharge sign guide covers wording.
Does the $5 convenience fee law cover a Macon store that finances purchases?
It can. O.C.G.A. 13-1-15 covers payments on retail installment and home solicitation sales contracts, among the other contracts it lists. Since July 1, 2025, a covered merchant may charge its average cost or up to $5, whichever is greater, for paying electronically, as long as it offers a fee-free way to pay and discloses the fee in advance.
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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