Credit card processing and merchant services in Nampa, ID
Nampa's population grew 19.9% from April 2020 to July 2025. Shops here charge Idaho's 6% sales tax, and short-term lodging inside the Nampa Auditorium District adds a 5% district tax.
Nampa has grown fast. The Census Bureau's July 1, 2025 estimate puts the city at 120,384 people, 19.9% more than its April 2020 base of 100,414. If you're opening a business here, get the tax setup right before you pick terminals. Renting rooms adds a second layer of lodging taxes.
Most sales start from Idaho's 6% state sales tax. The State Tax Commission's guide counts fees for paying by credit, debit or gift card as part of the taxable purchase price, so a card fee on a taxable sale gets taxed as well. Put a 3% fee on a $500 taxable invoice and the fee is $15. The 6% tax on that fee alone is 90 cents.
Rooms changed in 2026. The Tax Commission now administers the Nampa Auditorium District's tax, which is 5% on the short-term lodging sales the district tax covers, and returns go on Form 4350. It reaches stays of 30 days or less inside the district, meeting rooms included, but not campgrounds. The Commission said providers that already held a travel and convention tax permit would get a district permit automatically. Idaho's separate 2% travel and convention tax still applies to short stays. Our hotel payments guide covers holds and no-shows.
No Idaho statute on surcharging turned up in our research, so Visa's cap of 3% or your cost and Mastercard's cap of 4% or your cost are the limits, and debit cards can't be surcharged. Sources are on the Idaho page; the Boise page covers the Greater Boise Auditorium District.
Whatever you sell, a free statement review is a good first step: it shows what your current processor takes from each sale and how that compares with interchange-plus pricing. We work with Nampa businesses remotely, with POS terminals at the counter and a virtual terminal for phone bookings.
Rules that matter in Nampa
Lodging taxes in the Nampa Auditorium District
The Idaho State Tax Commission now administers the Nampa Auditorium District's tax. Lodging providers in the district collect 5% on the lodging sales the district tax covers: rooms rented for 30 days or less inside the district's boundaries, including nonsleeping rooms such as meeting rooms. The district tax doesn't apply to campgrounds. Returns are filed on Form 4350, and the Tax Commission said providers that already held a travel and convention tax permit would receive a district permit automatically.
Idaho's 2% travel and convention tax applies separately to hotel and motel rooms rented for 30 days or less, vacation-home rentals and overnight stays at private campgrounds. Short-term lodging providers also need a regular seller's permit.
Sources: Idaho State Tax Commission, Idaho Tax Commission to administer more auditorium districts taxes; Idaho State Tax Commission, Auditorium district taxes; Idaho State Tax Commission, Form 4350 instructions, Nampa Auditorium District Tax Return (PDF); Idaho State Tax Commission, Travel and convention tax; Idaho State Tax Commission, Lodging: basics
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Common questions
What lodging taxes does a Nampa hotel collect?
Inside the Nampa Auditorium District, the district's 5% tax applies to rooms rented for 30 days or less, meeting rooms included, and Idaho's 2% travel and convention tax applies to the same short stays. District returns go on the Tax Commission's Form 4350. You also need a regular seller's permit, so confirm with the district or the Tax Commission that your address is inside the boundary before your first booking.
Does the Nampa district tax apply to campgrounds?
No. The Tax Commission says the auditorium district tax doesn't apply to campgrounds. Idaho's 2% travel and convention tax does cover overnight stays at private campgrounds, though, so a campground in Nampa still has a lodging tax to collect. Check the current rules with the Tax Commission before you set up your booking software.
Do I add sales tax to a card fee in Nampa?
Yes, when the sale itself is taxable. The State Tax Commission's guide counts fees for paying by credit, debit or gift card as part of the taxable purchase price. A 2% fee on a $200 taxable sale is $4, which carries 24 cents of tax at 6%. Set your POS to add the fee first and then apply the tax to the total.
Can a Nampa business surcharge debit cards?
No. Visa and Mastercard both prohibit surcharges on debit and prepaid cards, and no Idaho statute we found changes that. On credit cards, Visa caps the fee at 3% and Mastercard at 4%, and neither may exceed what you pay to process the card. Our guide to debit card surcharges explains why debit is treated differently.
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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