MasterCard Rules (PDF)

Merchants
5.10 Noncompliance Assessments
4. When the Merchant has multiple locations and uses a central facility
to accumulate and present records to the Acquirer, in which event the
Merchant must present the record in accordance with applicable law and, in
any event, within 30 calendar days of the Transaction date.
5.10 Noncompliance Assessments
If the Corporation becomes aware of a Merchant’s noncompliance with any
Standard, the Corporation may notify the Acquirer of such noncompliance and
may assess the Acquirer, and the Acquirer must promptly cause the Merchant to
discontinue the noncompliant practice. A notification by the Corporation with
respect to at any one location of a Merchant requires the Acquirer to ensure
that the Merchant is in compliance with the Standards at all locations of the
Merchant that are subject to the Merchant Agreement(s).
A Customer may request that the Corporation’s Secretary review an assessment
for a Merchant’s noncompliance with a Standard.
5.11 Prohibited Practices
An Acquirer must ensure that none of its Merchants engage in any of the
prohibited practices set forth in this Rule 5.11.
5.11.1 Discrimination
A Merchant must not engage in any acceptance practice that discriminates
against or discourages the use of a Card in favor of any other acceptance brand.
NOTE
An addition to this Rule appears in Section 10a, “New Zealand Rules.” A variation
to this Rule appears in Chapter 10, “Asia/Pacific Region Rules,” Chapter 13,
“Latin America and the Caribbean Region Rules,” and Chapter 15, United States
Region Rules.”
5.11.2 Charges to Cardholders
A Merchant must not directly or indirectly require any Cardholder to pay a
surcharge or any part of any Merchant discount or any contemporaneous
finance charge in connection with a Transaction. A Merchant may provide
a discount to its customers for cash payments. A Merchant is permitted to
charge a fee (such as a bona fide commission, postage, expedited service or
convenience fees, and the like) if the fee is imposed on all like transactions
regardless of the form of payment used, or as the Corporation has expressly
permitted in writing. For purposes of this Rule.
1. A surcharge is any fee charged in connection with a Transaction that is not
charged if another payment method is used.
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5-16 12 December 2012 • MasterCard Rules