Credit card processing and merchant services in Lansing, MI

Lansing's population edged up to 113,884 in the Census Bureau's July 1, 2025 estimate, 1.1% above its April 2020 base. For the businesses serving those residents, sales tax is the easy part. Michigan's rate is 6%, and the Department of Treasury says cities and other local units can't impose a sales or use tax. Whatever county line a delivery route crosses, a taxable sale still carries 6%.

That leaves card costs. Michigan's Attorney General says no state law restricts credit or debit card surcharges, so whether to add one is a business decision, bounded by the card networks. Visa caps a credit card surcharge at 3% and Mastercard at 4%, neither can exceed your cost, and neither network allows one on debit or prepaid cards.

Run the numbers before you decide. Say a Lansing shop takes $30,000 a month in card payments, two-thirds of it on credit cards. A 3% surcharge on the credit share brings in about $600 a month, but every credit customer sees it on the receipt. Cutting the effective rate by half a point on all $30,000 saves $150 a month and adds nothing to anyone's bill. Some owners do both. Others find the lower rate is enough, or post a cash price instead; our guide to dual pricing vs. surcharging compares those options.

Fuel retailers have one extra Michigan rule: if the price on your road sign depends on paying cash, the sign has to say so next to the price. The Michigan page has that rule and the surcharge sources.

We serve Lansing businesses remotely with POS terminals, mobile payments and interchange-plus pricing, and a free statement review puts a number on your current effective rate.