As of August 1, 2026, it is illegal in Louisiana to charge customers extra for paying with a debit card - and many businesses are still doing it without knowing. Senate Bill 254 became Act 751 when it was signed on June 2, 2026: same law, new name.
⟶ Pick your path:
Senate Bill 254 became Act 751 when Gov. Jeff Landry signed it on June 2, 2026 — same law, new name. (You'll still see it called "SB 254"; on the books it's Act 751, codified at La. R.S. 51:3081.) It prohibits charging a customer an extra amount for paying with a debit card. It doesn't ban every pricing strategy - it bans one specific thing. The difference is where most of the risk hides.
SB 254 bans surcharging debit cards. Surcharging credit cards is not prohibited by this law - but only if debit is reliably excluded.
It reaches retail sellers broadly. If you sell to the public and accept debit cards, assume it applies to you.
Signed into law by Gov. Jeff Landry and now in force. Curing a violation means reimbursing every surcharged customer within 30 days of written notice.
SB 254 creates a private right of action. A single customer can bring a claim for actual damages - no class action required - for willful, repeated, or uncured violations.
Unlawful surcharges can be reported to the Attorney General today through the Consumer Protection Hotline - 1-800-351-4889 - or the online complaint form - and the customer's own receipt is the evidence. Defying an administrative or court order costs up to $500 per violation, plus the AG's legal costs. Charged as a customer? See your options →
After a customer's written notice, you have 30 days to fix the violation and reimburse the surcharge to stop a private suit. It doesn't cover willful or repeated violations - and it doesn't stop the Attorney General.
Charged a debit-card fee as a customer? Your refund clock only starts when the business receives your written notice - the law requires it in writing. Generate the required letter free, in about a minute.
Get my written notice →Surcharging debit already broke Visa and Mastercard rules - but enforcement was spotty, and plenty of businesses never heard a word. SB254 doesn't change what's prohibited; it changes who can act on it - the same surcharge now also opens you to customer lawsuits and state enforcement, not just network penalties.
They can cost the customer the same dollar - but now that SB 254 is in effect, only one is legal. The difference is structure, not price - see the full cash discount vs. surcharge breakdown.
Why it's a surcharge: there's a base price, and an extra amount is added at checkout for paying by card. When that fee can reach a debit card, it's exactly what the law bans.
Why it's legal: one posted price for everyone, and cash buyers get a discount off it. No extra amount is ever added for using a debit card.
Same $4 gap. One adds a fee to the card price; the other discounts the cash price. Whether yours is built - and disclosed - the legal way is exactly what the scorecard checks next.
SB 254 was authored by Senator Beth Mizell (R, District 12), who represents Washington, Tangipahoa, and parts of St. Tammany Parish and chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs. It was framed as a consumer-protection measure, aligning Louisiana with the existing federal prohibition on debit-card surcharges under the Dodd-Frank Act, and was signed into law by Governor Jeff Landry after passing the Senate unanimously and the House overwhelmingly.
Important: SB 254 applies only to debit card transactions. It does not change the rules for credit-card surcharges.
The takeaway: this is settled law - signed by the Governor, with strong support across both parties, and in effect since August 1, 2026. The only question left is whether your payment setup is compliant.
Act751.com (formerly SB254.net) is maintained by a Certified Payments Professional with 20 years in Louisiana merchant services - reviewing processing statements, untangling surcharge and cash-discount programs, and helping local businesses understand what they're actually being charged. This guide reflects that hands-on reading of the law, not legal theory. The free compliance check is offered through ZeroPoint, my Louisiana payments firm.
"This closes that gap and shows merchants that Louisiana is serious about consumer protection."
Send us one piece of evidence about how you take card payments today. We review it and give you a straight verdict: you're exposed and here's why, you're probably fine, or you're in a gray area worth fixing. No cost, no obligation.
Anything you send is reviewed confidentially, used only to return your verdict, and never sold or shared. No statement is required just to see your scorecard rating.
Note: the law is in effect. Surcharge complaints currently go through the Attorney General's general Consumer Protection Hotline (1-800-351-4889) and online complaint form; a dedicated Act 751 reporting channel has not been announced. We track further enforcement guidance and update this resource - but for advice on your specific situation, consult a licensed Louisiana attorney.
