Australia’s tax office to end credit card payments after November 2026

Australia’s Taxation Office will stop accepting credit card payments for tax bills after 30 November 2026, following a Reserve Bank review of card payment costs and surcharges. The ATO says it is not appropriate for credit card merchant fees to be passed on to the community.

The change affects taxpayers with credit-card-linked payment plans, including direct debits, and they will need to switch payment methods before their next instalment after the deadline. The announcement comes as nationwide rules prevent retailers from adding card surcharges: businesses must absorb the costs or include them in prices. The Reserve Bank expects a lower maximum fee rate of 0.30 per cent, down from 0.80 per cent, to reduce business payment costs by about $660 million a year.