Credit card processing and merchant services in Springfield, IL
Sangamon County added a 0.50% public safety sales tax on July 1, 2026, so any Springfield register or online checkout set up before then needs a rate check first.
The tax change to know in Springfield took effect on July 1, 2026. That day Sangamon County began collecting a 0.50% county public safety tax, according to the Illinois Department of Revenue's rate change summary, which shows the county's combined rate moving from 7.25% to 7.75%. If your POS, online store or invoice template hasn't been touched since June, it may still be charging the old rate.
Don't just type 7.75% into the terminal, though. That's the county figure, and municipal taxes can apply on top inside a city. Look up each Springfield location in IDOR's Tax Rate Finder and use the rate it returns for that address.
Groceries need their own setting this year as well. The state stopped taxing them on January 1, 2026, and local governments may now charge exactly 1% instead. The Tax Rate Finder is also where you check whether a local grocery tax applies at your address. If you sell both groceries and general merchandise, set them up as separate tax categories.
Illinois also has two payment laws on the calendar: the interchange law, now scheduled for July 1, 2027 and largely blocked in court, and a cash-acceptance law that begins January 1, 2028. Neither changes your checkout today. The Illinois page tracks both, along with the card network surcharge limits that apply because Illinois has no surcharge statute.
Springfield had 112,989 residents in the Census Bureau's July 1, 2025 estimate. We work with Springfield businesses remotely, with POS terminals, the virtual terminal for phone and invoice payments, and interchange-plus pricing. A free statement review shows what card acceptance costs you now, well before either state law arrives.
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Common questions
Did sales tax go up in Springfield in 2026?
Sangamon County's did. IDOR's rate change summary for July 1, 2026 lists a new 0.50% county public safety tax, which moved the county's combined rate from 7.25% to 7.75%. Check your exact Springfield address in IDOR's Tax Rate Finder before you update your terminals.
Do Springfield stores charge sales tax on groceries?
Not the state's share. Illinois stopped taxing groceries on January 1, 2026, but cities and counties may adopt a local grocery tax of exactly 1%. Check your address in IDOR's Tax Rate Finder to see whether one applies, and give groceries their own tax category on your POS terminals.
Will the Illinois interchange law lower my Springfield processing costs?
Not anytime soon. Its start date is July 1, 2027, and a federal court has blocked most of it. Our Illinois page follows where it stands. For savings you can count on now, interchange-plus pricing passes through the card networks' actual costs with a disclosed markup.
Can a Springfield business surcharge credit cards?
Yes. Illinois has no surcharge statute, and the 1% cap you may have read about came from a bill that never passed. Visa caps surcharges at 3% and Mastercard at 4%, both limited to your cost, and neither allows a surcharge on debit or prepaid cards. Our surcharging program covers disclosure and setup.
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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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