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How can I charge a credit card processing fee to clients?

  • Updated

 

The Surcharge feature is in beta. We expect general availability in late summer 2024.

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There is a surcharge feature which allows practices to pass on a credit card processing fee to pet owners. When this option is enabled, a calculated payment processing fee is added to the total invoice cost. Pet owners can review the surcharge amount and decline the fee from payment devices. The practice can waive the surcharge fee during checkout by clearing the Include surcharge option. 

 

Credit card surcharges may be restricted or prohibited in some states. Before enabling this feature, please review the relevant laws in your state to ensure compliance. For more information on Surcharge, visit https://empower2.fisglobal.com/rs/092-EMI-875/images/Merchant%20Surcharging%20Guide%20External%2001132023.pdf

 

Surcharging with Debit cards 

The surcharge only works for Credit type cards. Due to card brand regulations, surcharges cannot be applied to payments with debit cards. This includes payments using Debit cards that are processed as credit. The processor will identify the debit card and remove the surcharge automatically. 

 

Mandatory Notifications

Merchants MUST register with Mastercard and notify their processor within a minimum of 30 days before assessing a surcharge for any card brand. The surcharge rate must be the same across all card brands and cannot exceed 3%.

 

Covetrus Payment Processing (WorldPay)

You can enable the Surcharge feature under WorldPay Integrated Payments Settings.

  1. Go to the Menu > Settings > Billing > Payments.
  2. Enable the option Use Covetrus Payment Processing (WorldPay Integrated Solution).
  3. Scroll down to the WorldPay Integrated Payments Settings.
  4. Fill in the fields for the Worldpay integration.
  5. To apply a surcharge for credit card payments, check the box for Enable Surcharge.

Enable Surcharge.png

  • A message appears for you to be aware of relevant laws in your state.

Enable Surcharge Message.png

  1. Click Proceed to enable the surcharge.
  2. A new field will appear after enabling the surcharge.

Surcharge Percentage Fee.png

  1. For the Surcharge Percentage Fee, enter the percentage to charge the client. For example, if Visa charges 3%, enter 3 as the Surcharge Percentage Fee. Please note that the surcharge rate is applied to all card brands and cannot exceed 3%.
  2. Save changes.

 

Process Credit Card Payment with Surcharge

As a reminder, a surcharge is only applied to credit card payments, not debit cards.

  1. Go to the client record.
  2. Under Account Balance, click on Make Payment.

Process Pmt - Incl Surcharge on Invoice.png

The option, Include surcharge on invoice, will show with a message indicating the client must approve this charge to complete the credit card payment.

Note: To waive the surcharge for a client, click on No for the Include surcharge on invoice.

  1. Click Process Payment.

Pmt Amt Confirmation.png

The Payment Amount Confirmation shows the amount of the payment, the surcharge, which is a calculated amount of the payment times the percentage of the surcharge, and the total amount to be processed.

  1. Click Yes to proceed.

 

Accepted Payment

If the client accepts the surcharge and total amount being charged to their credit card, the payment processes as normal.

 

Declined Payment

On the card terminal, if the client declines to pay the surcharge, the payment is cancelled on the device and shows the card declined on the client page in Pulse.

card declined message.png

 

Processing Receipt

The credit card processing receipt will include the surcharge. Below is an image of a sample receipt with surcharge:

Sample receipt.png

Refund with Surcharge

Void payment with a refund

If a payment includes a surcharge, the entire amount, including the surcharge, will be returned to the cardholder.

Partial surcharge refund with Returned items

The prorated surcharge amount is included in the refund amount. For example, with a 3% surcharge, a $30 surcharge was applied to a $1000 invoice for a total payment of $1030. A $100 item was returned, the total refund amount is $103 which includes $3 surcharge.

If the returned item (s) amount is less than the invoice's balance, the refund amount will not include surcharge.

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