Credit card processing in Florida
Florida merchants sell to tourists, seasonal residents from the North and Canada, and a large Spanish-speaking population, all while planning around hurricane season. That mix produces statements full of foreign, rewards and card-not-present transactions.
Florida's surcharge statute (Fla. Stat. 501.0117) is still published, but a federal appeals court held it unconstitutional in 2015, so check its status with counsel. The Florida Department of Revenue lists the general state sales tax rate as 6%; check whether local taxes also apply at each location.
From beach bars and restaurants to Orlando attractions and hotels: Florida's business mix
Orlando's theme-park corridor and the beaches from Clearwater to Fort Lauderdale support hotels, restaurants, attractions and gift shops that see international cards every day. Miami and Hialeah add a Latin American trade and retail economy where Spanish is often the first language at the counter.
Jacksonville is a port and logistics hub with military installations nearby, Tampa and St. Petersburg mix finance, healthcare and tourism, and fast-growing Port St. Lucie and Cape Coral keep contractors, roofers and home services busy, especially after storms.
Passing on card costs in Florida
Florida Statutes 501.0117 still says a seller may not surcharge for paying by credit card, and makes a violation a misdemeanor, but a federal appeals court held it unconstitutional in 2015 and the US Supreme Court declined review in 2017. The statute is still published. Discounts for paying by cash or other non-credit means are allowed if offered to everyone. Check its status with counsel before surcharging.
| Status | Statute on the books, disputed in court |
|---|---|
| Key condition | Fla. Stat. 501.0117 says a seller that accepts credit cards may not impose a surcharge for paying by credit card instead of cash, check or similar means, and makes a violation a second-degree misdemeanor. Discounts for paying by cash, check or other non-credit means are allowed if offered to all prospective customers. In 2015 a federal appeals court held the statute unconstitutional (Dana's Railroad Supply v. Attorney General, 807 F.3d 1235, 11th Cir.), and the US Supreme Court denied review on April 3, 2017 (No. 15-1482). The statute is still published. Check its current status with counsel before surcharging. |
| Source | Fla. Stat. 501.0117 (2026); Dana's Railroad Supply v. Attorney General, 807 F.3d 1235 (11th Cir. 2015); Bondi v. Dana's Railroad Supply, No. 15-1482 (U.S., cert. denied Apr. 3, 2017) |
Surcharge laws in every state · check current rules with counsel
Which pricing suits Orlando attractions and hotels?
Because the surcharge statute is still on the books, many Florida merchants choose a cash discount offered to all customers, which the statute itself permits, over a card fee. Hotels and attractions with heavy international card volume usually save more by seeing cross-border fees clearly on interchange-plus pricing. Roofers and contractors taking storm-season deposits should prioritize a provider that understands large, sudden tickets over a slightly lower rate.
POS for Miami and Hialeah retailers, roofing and storm-repair contractors and more
- Orlando attractions and hotels
- Pre-authorizations, folio posting and fast contactless for international guests, with dynamic currency conversion switched off unless the guest chooses it.
- Miami and Hialeah retailers
- Bilingual receipts and prompts, layaway and gift cards, and strong fraud screening on high-value electronics.
- Roofing and storm-repair contractors
- Mobile invoicing, pay-by-link for insurance-funded jobs and clear deposit terms to limit chargebacks.
- Beach bars and restaurants
- Tab management, tip adjustment and a terminal with battery and offline mode for power cuts.
Where the detail is local
Send one statement. Every fee named, back, usually within 4 hours.
It is free, there is nothing to sign and nothing to cancel. We read your current merchant statement line by line, name every fee on it — including the ones buried in the fee schedule — work out your true effective rate, and send the written analysis back, usually within 4 hours. Do not want to wait? Call 1-888-705-7896 and we will read your statement with you on the call in about 5 minutes.
Our Florida coverage
Jacksonville · Miami · Tampa · Orlando · St. Petersburg · Hialeah · Port St. Lucie · Tallahassee · Cape Coral · Fort Lauderdale · Pembroke Pines · Hollywood · Gainesville · Miramar · Coral Springs · Palm Bay · West Palm Beach · Clearwater · Lakeland · Pompano Beach · Miami Gardens · Davie · Boca Raton · Sunrise · Deltona · Plantation · Fort Myers · Melbourne · Largo · Deerfield Beach · Boynton Beach · Kissimmee · Homestead · Delray Beach · Daytona Beach · North Miami · Sarasota · Naples · Ocala · Bradenton · Pensacola · Key West · St. Augustine · Winter Park · Coral Gables · Doral · Aventura · Wellington · Jupiter · Port Orange
Commercial corridors
Miami
Ocean Drive · Lincoln Road · Collins Avenue · Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street) · Brickell Avenue · Miracle Mile · NW 2nd Avenue (Wynwood) · Biscayne Boulevard · Grand Avenue
Orlando
Orange Avenue · Park Avenue · International Drive · Mills Avenue · Colonial Drive · Sand Lake Road
Tampa
7th Avenue (Ybor City) · Kennedy Boulevard · Howard Avenue · Dale Mabry Highway · Franklin Street
Jacksonville
Bay Street · King Street · Beach Boulevard · San Marco Boulevard · Atlantic Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale
Las Olas Boulevard · A1A · Federal Highway · Wilton Drive
Naples
Fifth Avenue South · Third Street South · Tamiami Trail North
Key West
Duval Street · Truman Avenue · Whitehead Street
Florida merchant questions
Fla. Stat. 501.0117 still prohibits it on paper, but the Eleventh Circuit held it unconstitutional in 2015 and the Supreme Court denied review. Because the statute remains published, check its status with counsel. A cash discount offered to all customers is expressly allowed.
Plan for power and internet loss: terminals with batteries, cellular backup and offline mode with a sensible limit. Close your batch before a storm so funds are not delayed.
Yes. Foreign-issued cards carry cross-border and international fees. On interchange-plus pricing you can see those fees; on flat rate they are blended in.
Ask when you call. Our Spanish pages at /es/ explain our services in Spanish, and statement analysis and setup are done remotely.