QCOSTARICA – Some small good news for merchants and their customers, the Central Bank announced on Monday the new maximum commissions for card payment systems, which will come into force in the country on February 12, 2023.
The so-called acquisition commission, the maximum charges that the providers of payment equipment (dataphones), can make to the affiliated business, are reviewed annually.
For 2023, a 0.25% reduction in the commission was agreed on the value of the payment made by national issuers. These operations will pay 2% against the current 2.25%.
In the case of operations with cards issued abroad, these will continue to pay 2.50% of the total value, applicable for all types and amounts of transactions and for all types of dataphone devices and commercial activities. The maximum percentage in local and cross-border payment operations for service stations, electric vehicle charging services, tolls, transport services regulated by Aresep and charitable organizations will also remain at 1.50%.
Finally, the maximum charge for the cost of the dataphone at the point of sale is also maintained at ¢12,500 per month.
More information on the maximum commissions of the card system approved by the BCCR, and on the technical study on which the setting is based, can be found here.
