Added Surcharges When Purchasing a Savannah Cat
When purchasing a Savannah cat, buyers are often surprised to see additional charges added at checkout. These are commonly referred to as surcharges, processing fees, or merchant fees.
What many buyers do not realize is that credit card companies regulate these charges, not breeders, and in many cases, added surcharges are not allowed at all.
Understanding how these rules work can help protect you from being charged improperly.
Credit Card Companies Control Surcharge Rules
Credit card companies, not state or federal law, set most of the rules governing how payments can be processed.
Every breeder who accepts credit or debit cards agrees to follow the rules set by their payment processor. Violating those rules can result in penalties or termination of their merchant account.
A breeder who adds an unauthorized surcharge risks losing their ability to accept credit card payments altogether.
PayPal Rules on Added Surcharges
Many breeders use PayPal because it is convenient and widely accepted. What is not commonly known is that PayPal strictly prohibits added surcharges.
From the PayPal User Agreement:
“No Surcharges. You agree that you will not impose a surcharge or any other fee for accepting PayPal as a payment method. You may charge a handling fee in connection with the sale of goods or services, as long as the handling fee does not operate as a surcharge and is not higher than the handling fee you charge for non-PayPal transactions.”
What This Means in Plain Terms
• A breeder cannot add a PayPal fee
• A breeder cannot charge more just because PayPal is used
• A handling fee is only allowed if everyone pays it equally
• The fee cannot be higher for PayPal users
If a breeder adds a “PayPal fee,” it is a violation of their PayPal merchant agreement.
Are Added Surcharges Legal?
In 2013, a court settlement allowed merchants in some states to add surcharges under very specific conditions.
However, the rules are strict:
• Surcharges may apply only to credit cards, not debit cards
• The surcharge may not exceed the actual processing fee
• The surcharge must be clearly disclosed
• The same surcharge must apply to all credit cards
Important Exception
If a merchant adds a surcharge to Visa or Mastercard transactions, they must also apply it to American Express.
This creates a problem because American Express prohibits surcharges entirely, which means many merchants are not legally able to add them at all.
States That Ban Added Surcharges
As of now, the following states prohibit credit card surcharges:
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Kansas
Maine
Massachusetts
New York
Oklahoma
Texas
If a breeder operates in one of these states, added surcharges are not allowed.
What To Do If a Breeder Adds a Surcharge
If you encounter added fees, here are the steps you can take:
Ask which payment processor they use
Ask whether the fee applies to all buyers
Ask whether the fee is listed in their merchant agreement
If PayPal is used, reference PayPal’s no-surcharge policy
Ask for the name of their credit card processor
You are well within your rights to ask these questions.
Why This Matters to Buyers
Added surcharges are often presented as normal or unavoidable. In reality, they may violate merchant agreements or state law.
A breeder who follows proper business practices should:
Price kittens appropriately from the start
Avoid surprise fees
Clearly disclose all costs
Follow payment processor rules
Transparency is a sign of a reputable breeder.
Are added surcharges legal when buying a Savannah cat?
In many cases, no. Most payment processors, including PayPal, prohibit sellers from adding extra surcharges. Some states also restrict or ban these fees entirely.
Final Thoughts
If a breeder asks you to pay added credit card or PayPal fees, it is worth asking questions before proceeding. In many cases, those fees are not allowed, and the breeder may be violating their payment agreement.
Being informed helps protect you and encourages ethical business practices within the Savannah cat community.