Credit card processing and merchant services in Allentown, PA
Allentown counter sales carry Pennsylvania's 6% sales tax and no local add-on. Since Act 21, taxable orders you deliver into Philadelphia or Allegheny County need their local tax as well.
A counter sale in Allentown carries Pennsylvania's 6% sales tax, with no local sales tax on top. The Department of Revenue says local sales tax is added in two places, 1% in Allegheny County and 2% in Philadelphia, and Allentown is in neither.
Deliveries are where it gets more involved. Act 21 of 2026 ties those two local taxes to the delivery address, and vendors that already collect the state's 6% now have to collect the local tax on taxable sales delivered to customers in those counties. The Department of Revenue started enforcing that on October 1, 2026. Take a $400 taxable order. Picked up at your Allentown shop, it carries $24 in tax. Shipped to a customer in Pittsburgh, it's $28, and shipped to Philadelphia, it's $32. If your online store still works out tax from your own address, it's undercharging on both of those deliveries.
Card fees have fewer moving parts. Pennsylvania has no surcharge statute, so Visa and Mastercard rules set the limits: credit cards only, never above your own cost, no more than 3% on Visa or 4% on Mastercard, and notice before the sale. We haven't found a statewide law requiring businesses to take cash. Philadelphia's ordinance does require it, but that rule governs sellers in Philadelphia, not an Allentown shop that ships there.
The Census Bureau estimated Allentown's population at 126,044 on July 1, 2025. For shipped and web orders, our online payments cover hosted checkout and gateway integration, and the counter runs on our POS terminals. Every account is priced on interchange-plus, and a free statement review breaks down what you pay per card type.
The Pennsylvania page has Act 21's details, and our Philadelphia and Pittsburgh pages explain the two local taxes from the inside.
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Common questions
What sales tax rate does an Allentown store charge?
6% on taxable sales made at your Allentown location. Pennsylvania adds local sales tax only in Philadelphia (2%) and Allegheny County (1%), and Allentown is in neither. Deliveries are different: under Act 21 of 2026, taxable orders delivered into those two places take their local tax too.
I ship orders from Allentown to Philadelphia. What rate do I charge?
8%, if you already collect Pennsylvania's 6% sales tax. Act 21 of 2026 requires those vendors to collect Philadelphia's 2% on taxable sales delivered to customers there, and the Department of Revenue began enforcing it on October 1, 2026. Orders delivered into Allegheny County take 7%. Set your checkout to calculate tax from the ship-to address.
When did the delivery-address rule take effect?
Act 21 was enacted on July 12, 2026, with an effective date reaching back to tax years after December 31, 2025. The Department of Revenue started enforcing it on October 1, 2026. If you shipped taxable orders into Philadelphia or Allegheny County earlier in 2026, ask your accountant how the retroactive date affects you.
Can an Allentown business add a credit card surcharge?
Yes. Pennsylvania has no surcharge statute, so Visa and Mastercard rules apply: credit cards only, no more than your cost, capped at 3% for Visa and 4% for Mastercard, with notice at the entrance and checkout and the fee shown on the receipt. Visa also requires you to notify your acquirer in writing 30 days before your Allentown business starts surcharging.
Does an Allentown business have to accept cash?
We haven't found a statewide Pennsylvania law that requires it. Philadelphia's cash ordinance applies to sellers in Philadelphia, not to a shop in Allentown. Before you go card-only, check for any local rule and think about the customers who still prefer to pay cash.
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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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