Payment processing in Maryland.
VitaPay serves merchants in Maryland, as it does in every US state. Below are the Maryland rules and official offices worth knowing before you take your first card payment there: the surcharging rule, the sales-tax agency and where the business is registered.
Adding a credit card surcharge in Maryland.
No state surcharge restriction foundNo Maryland statute in force bans, caps or sets disclosure rules for private merchants' credit card surcharges. In 2024, HB 1481 and SB 520 would have capped surcharges at processing cost, but both stalled in committee.
General information, not legal advice. Surcharging laws change, and card network rules apply in addition to Maryland law. Confirm the current rule with the state or your own adviser before adding a surcharge; the sources below show when this was last read.
Sales tax and registration in Maryland.
Sales tax at the point of sale
Sales tax is configured on the terminal before you go live. In Maryland, the agency to register with is:
Comptroller of MarylandRegistering the business
A merchant account is opened in the name of a registered business. In Maryland, business entities are registered with:
Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT)Sources and date checked.
- Nickel: Maryland surcharge laws (industry, updated June 2026) Checked September 21, 2026
- Comptroller of Maryland Checked September 21, 2026
- Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) Checked September 21, 2026
Priced the same way in every state.
Interchange and card-network assessments passed through at cost, plus a stated processor margin, quoted in writing for your business. No long-term contract and no early termination penalty.
