Credit card processing and merchant services in Oregon

Oregon makes checkout simpler in one way and stricter in another. The simple part: the state has no general sales or use tax, so a shop selling to customers in Oregon has no sales tax line to calculate. The stricter part: under ORS 659A.410, a place of public accommodation generally can't refuse U.S. coins or bills, so going fully cashless isn't an option for most storefronts.

The cash law leaves some room. You can turn down $50 and $100 bills, and coin payments of $100 or more. Internet sales, phone and mail orders, farmers' markets and roadside stands, transactions on aircraft, EV charging stations, and micro markets and many vending machines are exempt. Venues for live entertainment or sporting events can have patrons convert cash into a cashless card or wristband, but they can't charge a fee to convert it or to refund what's left.

Card surcharges have no Oregon-specific limit that we could find. That leaves the card network rules: no more than your cost, a 3% ceiling on Visa and 4% on Mastercard, notice at the door and the register, the amount on the receipt, and never on debit or prepaid cards.

So most Oregon businesses run cash and cards side by side, with no sales tax to work out. That makes your processing rate one of the few payment costs you can really change. Our free statement review shows what it is today, and the Portland page covers the city's Clean Energy Surcharge, which applies only to very large retailers. Our Salem page walks through the state's Corporate Activity Tax thresholds for growing businesses.