Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

[Lucid08]

HI all!

If this is not the correct forum section for this question, please move it to the correct section.

If a business displays/advertises that they accept Visa/MC/AMEX/Discover, can they refuse to take said cards as payment and demand cash only at the time of the sale?

[j_casteel]

Is there a problem with their registers? Phone lines/System? Credit card machines?

I've had businesses say they couldn't accept cards at that time for whatever reason and could only take cash. If I didn't have the cash on me then I'd just go somewhere else. Not that big of a deal.

[SwiftTone]

If its temporary as the system is down, probably.

If they have a minimum for credit cards, then no, they are not alowd to do that

[lanc]

Businesses can now put minimum purchase limits for cc because of Dodd Frank

[j_casteel]

I did forget about the minimum most have now....but it seems i'm always over that anyway.

[Hightechredneck]

I'm seeing more and more businesses not accepting credit cards. We frequent a local restaurant that only accepts cash and personal checks.

[ryanbush]

yse they can put minimums, and heres how it breakdown by network: 

Visa: Max of 10.00$ minimum on Credit Cards, no minimum on Debit Cards

Mastercard: no Minimums

American Express: Merchant can enact minimums as long as its the same for all networks

Discover: no regulation

[trumpet-205]

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@lanc wrote:

Businesses can now put minimum purchase limits for cc because of Dodd Frank

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That's only $10 max for credit card, no minimum for debit card.

OP to your question, yes a business can refuse to accept your card even when they advertise such. As long as their reason to do so is not in violation of minimum purchase limit.

[john398]

What I find confusing is when a businesss posts on theier website that they require ID when using a credit card when they are not really suppose to ask for ID

[compassion101]

Just to add to the info above about min purchases etc., they can't pick and choose, such as they cannot decide to refuse Visa sig due to a higher swipe fee.