09/10/2026
ATO to Stop Accepting Credit Cards After 30 November 2026
From 1 December 2026, the Australian Taxation Office will no longer accept credit cards as a payment method for tax payments.
The change follows the Reserve Bank of Australia’s review of merchant card payment costs. The ATO has advised that, as a government agency, it does not consider it appropriate for credit card merchant fees to be transferred to the community.
While most taxpayers do not use credit cards to pay their tax obligations, the ATO recognises that some taxpayers currently rely on credit card payments to manage their tax payments.
If you currently have an ATO payment plan linked to a credit card, you will need to update your payment method before your next instalment due after 30 November 2026. The ATO is contacting taxpayers who have payment plans linked to credit cards with information about the changes and what they need to do.
Alternative payment options will continue to be available, and the ATO has confirmed that support will remain available for taxpayers experiencing financial hardship or other circumstances that make it difficult to meet their tax obligations.
This decision is currently under review following feedback received. We will continue to monitor developments and share any updates as they become available.
For more information about the changes and available payment options, please see the ATO's article here: https://www.ato.gov.au/media-centre/ato-to-stop-accepting-credit-cards-after-30-november-2026. Alternatively, go to ato.gov.au and search QC108119.
Alternative payment options for taxpayers are outlined at ato.gov.au/howtopay.