Credit card processing and merchant services in Maine

In Maine, a card fee at the register is off the table for debit cards as well as credit. Title 9-A, Sec. 8-509 says a seller may not impose a surcharge on a cardholder who pays by credit or debit card instead of cash, check or similar means. A discount from the regular price isn't a surcharge, so discounts for cash or check are fine. The Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection adds the practical part: you can't advertise a low price and then add a card fee at checkout. The regular price has to be clear from the start.

Lawmakers looked at this again in 2025. LD 151 would have let businesses add surcharges to credit and debit card payments, and the committee reported it Ought Not to Pass that May. The ban stands, so any savings have to come from what you pay to accept cards, not from passing the cost on.

Tax setup takes more thought than the 5.5% headline suggests. Maine Revenue Services lists 5.5% for general sales, 8% for prepared food, 9% for rentals of lodging and 10% for short-term auto rentals. A general store that sells sandwiches and hardware, or an inn with a dining room, needs separate tax codes so each sale lands at the right rate.

More than half of Maine's employees, 54.5%, work for small businesses, according to the SBA Office of Advocacy's 2025 profile. If you run one, an interchange-plus statement shows exactly where your card costs come from, and our free statement review will tell you whether you're overpaying. There's no long-term contract and no cancellation fee.