Credit card processing and merchant services in Salt Lake City, UT
Salt Lake City sellers handle at least two sales tax rates, one for grocery food and one for most other goods, plus Utah's guidance on disclosing fees.
Utah taxes grocery food at a combined 3% everywhere in the state: a 1.75% state rate plus local and county option taxes. Most other taxable goods start from the 4.85% state rate, with local taxes added on top. So a Salt Lake City market that sells groceries alongside other goods has to map every item to the right tax code, and a cafe that also sells packaged groceries may need more than one rate. Look up the current combined general rate for your address with the State Tax Commission, since the local pieces can change.
Fees come next. Utah's Division of Consumer Protection says customers have to know the exact price, including any surcharge, before they pay, and a receipt line after the sale doesn't count. The same guidance warns against labeling a fee as credit card processing when it runs higher than what processing actually costs you. Visa and Mastercard draw a similar line, with ceilings of 3% and 4%.
Say a Salt Lake City cafe runs $25,000 a month in credit card sales at an average cost of 2.6%. The most a surcharge could recover is $650 a month, and only if every credit card customer pays it. Cutting the rate by a few tenths of a point saves money on debit too.
Salt Lake City had about 218,000 residents in July 2025, by the Census Bureau's estimate, and its hotels, restaurants and bars did roughly $1.5 billion in business in 2022. If you'd like a second look at your costs, send a recent statement for a free statement review, or see how we work with restaurants and retail shops.
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Common questions
What sales tax rate applies to groceries in Salt Lake City?
3%, the same combined grocery food rate that applies throughout Utah: a 1.75% state rate plus local and county option taxes. Other taxable goods start from the 4.85% state rate plus local taxes, so set up separate tax codes and check which items count as grocery food under the State Tax Commission's rules.
How do I disclose a surcharge in Salt Lake City?
Before the customer pays. Utah's Division of Consumer Protection says customers must be told exactly how much they'll pay, including any fee or surcharge, before the purchase, and a receipt line alone isn't enough. Card network rules add signs at the entrance and the point of sale and the surcharge amount on the receipt.
Can Salt Lake City businesses surcharge debit cards?
No. Visa and Mastercard don't allow surcharges on debit or prepaid cards, in Utah or anywhere else in the US. Interchange on debit cards from large banks is capped at 21 cents plus 0.05% of the sale plus 1 cent under Regulation II, so debit is already one of the cheaper ways your customers can pay.
Where do I find Salt Lake City's combined sales tax rate?
Get it from the Utah State Tax Commission for your exact address. The state portion is 4.85% for general sales and 1.75% for grocery food, and local taxes are added on top. Check the rate when you set up your POS and again whenever the Tax Commission announces changes.
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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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