Credit card processing in Maine
Maine prohibits surcharges on both credit and debit card payments, which rules out the most common fee-passing tactic. For coastal businesses that earn most of their year in summer, the rate and fee structure on the statement is what counts.
Maine law (9-A M.R.S. 8-509) prohibits surcharges on credit and debit card payments; discounts are not surcharges. Maine Revenue Services lists the general sales tax rate as 5.5%.
From rural stores to Old Port restaurants: Maine's business mix
Portland's Old Port is full of restaurants, breweries and shops that serve residents year-round and visitors all summer. Bar Harbor, Kennebunkport and the midcoast towns depend on a short, intense tourist season with many out-of-state and Canadian visitors.
Inland and northern Maine run on forestry, fishing and small main-street retail, with long distances between towns and patchy connectivity in places. Lobster and seafood businesses sell both retail and wholesale.
Card fees in Maine, legally
Maine law, 9-A M.R.S. 8-509, says a seller may not impose a surcharge on a cardholder who pays by credit or debit card instead of cash, check or similar means. There is a limited exception for government entities, and discounts are not surcharges. Check current rules before changing how you price.
| Status | Prohibited |
|---|---|
| Key condition | Sellers may not surcharge credit or debit card payments. Limited exception for government entities only. Discounts are not surcharges. |
| Source | 9-A M.R.S. 8-509 |
Surcharge laws in every state · information, not legal advice
Which pricing suits Old Port restaurants?
With surcharges banned, Maine merchants should concentrate on interchange-plus pricing without padding, removing junk fees and avoiding monthly minimums that punish the off-season. A genuine discount for cash is allowed, but it must truly lower the regular price. Seafood businesses selling to restaurants can cut costs with ACH for wholesale accounts.
POS for seasonal coastal shops and inns, lobster and seafood sellers and more
- Old Port restaurants
- Pay-at-table, tip adjustment and fast batching, with no surcharge settings enabled.
- Seasonal coastal shops and inns
- Pricing with no monthly minimum, seasonal staff logins and deposits for bookings.
- Lobster and seafood sellers
- Retail POS plus invoicing and ACH for wholesale buyers.
- Rural stores
- Terminals with offline mode and cellular backup, set up around how rural stores in Maine sell.
City-level pages
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.
Towns and cities we serve in Maine
Portland · Lewiston · Bangor · South Portland · Auburn · Biddeford · Sanford · Saco · Augusta · Westbrook · Waterville · Presque Isle · Brunswick · Bath · Caribou · Old Town · Rockland · Belfast · Ellsworth · Kennebunk · Camden · Bar Harbor · Freeport · Scarborough · Falmouth
Commercial corridors
Portland
Congress Street · Exchange Street · Commercial Street · Fore Street · Wharf Street
Bangor
Main Street · Broadway · Stillwater Avenue · Hammond Street
Bar Harbor
Main Street · Cottage Street · West Street
Kennebunkport
Dock Square · Ocean Avenue · Main Street
Asked by Maine merchants
For Old Port restaurants: Maine law, 9-A M.R.S. 8-509, says a seller may not impose a surcharge on a cardholder who pays by credit or debit card instead of cash, check or similar means. There is a limited exception for government entities, and discounts are not surcharges. Check current rules before changing how you price.
The statute says discounts are not surcharges. A real discount off the regular price for cash is different from a fee added to card sales, and the setup matters.
For lobster and seafood sellers: Monthly minimums, annual fees and inactivity fees. Ask for pricing that follows your volume.
For rural stores: Yes, foreign-issued cards carry international fees. Interchange-plus shows them so you can see the cost.