Credit card processing and merchant services in Montana
Montana has no general sales tax, though resort areas can add a local one, and its code requires retail establishments to accept cash.
Card surcharges
Surcharging allowedNo Montana statute caps them, despite a 3% cap quoted online; card network caps and the debit ban still apply.
Sales tax
None, except local resort taxes
Last checked
October 6, 2026
Montana is one of the few states without a general sales tax, and the Department of Revenue says so plainly. That keeps checkout simple for most businesses. The exception is resort communities, which can levy a local resort tax at a maximum rate of 3%. If your business is in a resort area, ask the local government whether the tax covers what you sell before you set up your terminal.
Cash is the other Montana rule to know. Montana Code 30-14-228, enacted in 2023, says a retail establishment selling goods or services must accept U.S. currency. The statute lists exceptions, including banks and credit unions, stores with a device that converts cash into a prepaid card, and transactions that need a card for a security deposit or damages. A store complies if at least one point of sale at the address takes cash, and the fee for a violation is up to $100. Check the current code before you change your setup.
Credit card surcharges have no Montana cap that we could find, even though a 3% state cap is quoted on some websites. Visa's and Mastercard's rules are the real limits: your cost or 3% for Visa, your cost or 4% for Mastercard, posted notice, the amount on the receipt, and no fee on debit or prepaid cards.
With no sales tax to calculate, your processing rate is the main payment cost left. A free statement review shows what it is, and interchange-plus pricing keeps it visible on every statement.
What Montana merchants should know
Credit card surcharges in Montana
We found no Montana statute that bans or caps credit card surcharges. Some websites cite a 3% Montana cap, but we found no law that sets one.
The card network rules apply: no more than your cost, a 3% ceiling for Visa and 4% for Mastercard, notice at the point of entry and the point of sale, the amount on the receipt, and no surcharge on debit or prepaid cards.
Sources: Visa, U.S. Merchant Surcharge Q and A (PDF); Mastercard, Credit card surcharge rules and fees for merchants
Accepting cash in Montana
Montana Code 30-14-228, enacted in 2023, says a retail establishment offering goods or services must accept U.S. currency, and that the state and local governments must accept cash from the public. Listed exceptions include banks and credit unions, retail establishments with a qualifying device that converts cash into a prepaid card, and transactions that need a card for a deposit or damages.
A business with several registers complies if at least one point of sale at the address takes cash. The statute sets a fee of up to $100 per violation. Check the current text before you rely on it.
Source: Montana Code Annotated, 30-14-228, Acceptance of United States currency
No general sales tax; local resort tax
Montana does not have a general sales tax. Resort communities can levy a local resort tax, and the Department of Revenue gives the maximum resort tax rate as 3% under 7-6-1503, MCA. If you sell in a resort area, confirm with the local government whether the tax applies to your sales.
Sources: Montana Department of Revenue, Sales tax guidance for Montana businesses and residents; Montana Department of Revenue, Local resort tax
Cities we cover in Montana
Payment services we provide
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Common questions
Do Montana businesses have to accept cash?
Under Montana Code 30-14-228, enacted in 2023, retail establishments must accept U.S. currency, with exceptions such as banks, credit unions and stores with a qualifying cash-to-prepaid-card device. If you have several registers, one taking cash is enough. The rule applies only where someone takes payment in person, so an online-only store isn't covered. Check the current text before you go card-only at a counter, since the fee runs up to $100 per violation.
Is there a 3% credit card surcharge cap in Montana?
Not in any Montana statute we found, despite what some websites say. The practical caps come from the card networks: Visa limits surcharges to your merchant discount rate or 3%, whichever is lower, and Mastercard to your average effective rate or 4%. Neither allows a surcharge on debit or prepaid cards.
Do I charge sales tax in Montana?
Not a general sales tax; the Department of Revenue says Montana doesn't have one. Resort communities are different, because they can levy a local resort tax of up to 3%. If you sell in one of those areas, confirm with the local government which sales the tax covers.
What does no sales tax mean for my card processing?
Your checkout is simpler, with no tax line to calculate on most sales. That leaves processing fees as the main payment cost you control. Ask for interchange-plus pricing so you can see the card network costs and the processor's markup separately, and get a free statement review to see your current effective rate.
Other states we serve besides Montana
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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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