Act751.com A resource from ZeroPoint
For Louisiana customers

Charged extra for paying with a debit card? Here's what you can do.

Since August 1, 2026, Louisiana law (Act 751, formerly SB 254) makes it illegal for a business to add a surcharge when you pay with a debit card. Keep your receipt - it's your evidence.

Get your money back Get my written notice
Report it officially File with the AG
Step 1 - The official channels

File with the Louisiana Attorney General

The state's enforcement channel is the Attorney General's office. This is the official route - Act751.com is not affiliated with the AG or any state agency, and reporting to us (below) is not a substitute for it.

☎ Consumer Protection Hotline

  • 1-800-351-4889 - the Attorney General's toll-free consumer line.
  • Surcharge complaints under Act 751 currently go through this general hotline; no dedicated Act 751 line has been announced.

✎ Online complaint form

What your complaint should include (per the law, R.S. 51:3082): the business's name and address, the date and amount of the transaction, the amount of the surcharge, and your receipt or other documentation. Take a photo of the receipt before it fades.

Step 2 - Start the 30-day clock

Generate your written notice - free

Act 751 gives you a direct path to getting your money back: once you send the business written notice, it has 30 days to fix the violation and reimburse your surcharge - or it loses the law's protection against being sued. This tool fills in the letter for you. Print it, hand it over, or send it however you can prove it was received.

Written notice details

Everything stays in your browser until you choose to send the letter. Fields marked * are required.

Free, no account needed. This is a general template based on the text of the law - not legal advice. Act751.com is maintained by ZeroPoint, a Louisiana payments firm; when you generate a notice, the business you name may be contacted by ZeroPoint to help it come into compliance.

Step 3 - Optional

Tell us about the business

Most businesses surcharging debit don't know they're breaking the law - a processor set it up years ago. If you flag a business here, ZeroPoint (the Louisiana payments firm behind this site) may reach out to help it fix the problem and get customers reimbursed. This goes to ZeroPoint, not the state - it does not replace an official AG complaint.

Flag a business

Only the business name and city are required.

This report goes to ZeroPoint, a private Louisiana payments firm - not to the Attorney General or any state agency. To file an official complaint, call 1-800-351-4889 or use the AG's online form. Your details are never sold or shared.

Quick answers

Reporting a business, in plain English

Is it illegal for a business to charge extra for a debit card in Louisiana?+
Yes. Since August 1, 2026, Louisiana law - Act 751, formerly SB 254, codified at R.S. 51:3081 - prohibits a business from adding a surcharge or fee when you pay with a debit card. It applies whether the fee is called a "card fee," "service fee," or "non-cash adjustment," and whether your debit card runs with a PIN or as a swipe/tap. Credit-card surcharges are not banned by this law.
How do I report a business charging a debit-card fee in Louisiana?+
Call the Louisiana Attorney General's Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-351-4889, or file the AG's online consumer complaint form. Include the business's name and address, the transaction date and amount, the surcharge amount, and your receipt. You can also flag the business to us and we may help it come into compliance.
Can I get the surcharge refunded?+
Yes - the law has a built-in path. Send the business written notice of the violation: it then has 30 days from receiving your notice to fix the practice and reimburse your surcharge. If it doesn't, the law gives you a private right of action to sue for actual damages. Use the free written-notice generator above to create the letter.
What proof do I need to report a surcharge?+
Your receipt is the key evidence - it shows the transaction, the added fee, and the date. Photograph it before the ink fades. A photo of checkout signage advertising a card fee helps too. The law specifically contemplates complaints "supported by the customer's receipt."
Who enforces the debit-surcharge ban?+
The Louisiana Attorney General, who can bring a civil action against the business - and you, through a private right of action for willful, repeated, or uncured violations. Defying an administrative or court order costs the business up to $500 per violation plus the AG's legal costs.
Business owners

Just received one of these letters?

You have 30 days to fix it and reimburse the surcharge - and the fix is usually a configuration change, not a crisis. We'll review your setup for free and tell you exactly where you stand.

Get a free compliance check →