Accepting Cards
The University of Illinois System requires all departments to follow the Card Acceptance Requirements when processing card transactions. These requirements, provided in our Helpful Links, include best security practices.
Merchants may impose a minimum transaction amount on credit card transactions as follows:
- The minimum purchase amount must be $10 or less.
- Merchants may not differentiate among card-issuing banks. In other words, merchants cannot impose a minimum purchase on cards issued by one bank and not another.
- Merchants may not differentiate among card brands. In other words, if a merchant choose to set a minimum charge, the minimum must apply to American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover equally.
- Merchants may not set a minimum transaction amount on debit card transactions.
It is a department’s discretion whether or not to implement a minimum transaction amount. Merchants must disclose their minimum purchase requirement through signage at the point of sale and through proper verbal communication at the time a card is presented for payment.
We also recommend you review the "Operational Procedures" on our Training Resources page.