What is the Code of Conduct for the Payment Card Industry in Canada?

At a glance

How it works

The Code binds the card networks and the firms around them. That means issuers, acquirers and the processors that work for acquirers. Acquirers answer for those processors. For you, the protections show up in five places.

1. Notice. You get 30 to 60 calendar days' notice before a new or higher fee takes effect.
2. Leaving. You can cancel without penalty within 70 calendar days after the change.
3. Renewals. Tell your provider at least 45 calendar days before renewal. A fixed-term contract can renew only for periods of six months or less.
4. Statements. Each month your statement must show your effective rate, the interchange and network fees, and the number and volume of sales.
5. Complaints. Your provider must acknowledge a complaint in 5 business days and resolve it in 20.

A Canadian example

A bakery in Laval pays a $10 monthly account fee. Its processor raises the fee to $25, effective 1 June. Notice must reach the bakery 30 to 60 days earlier, so between 2 April and 2 May. After 1 June, the bakery has 70 days to leave without penalty, until 10 August. The change costs $15 more a month, or $180 a year. An example only, not a quote.

What is different in Canada and Québec

• The Code applies across Canada, Québec included. There is no separate Québec version. FCAC's merchant pages are also published in French.
• Interac adopted the Code. Interac debit is covered, not only Visa and Mastercard credit.
• The Code lets merchants offer different discounts by payment method. Adding a surcharge is a separate question, and Québec bans it for consumers. See our surcharging guide.
• If a cut in network fees is not passed on to you in full, your provider must tell you 30 to 60 days before the change.
• Networks owe acquirers notice too: at least 120 days for a fee change and 210 days for a structural one.

What it costs and where it shows on your statement

The Code costs you nothing. It shows up as paperwork. On your monthly statement, find the effective rate and each fee line. At the front of your agreement, find the key-terms summary, the cost per transaction and the fee list. Keep every fee notice. It tells you when your 70 days began.

Where CleverPays fits in this step

The card networks adopted the Code and FCAC oversees it. CleverPays does not write it, enforce it or set Visa, Mastercard or Interac rules. CleverPays is operated by Groupe Heo Inc., an Agent of Fiserv Canada Ltd. We publish the Code on our site, and we run a complaint form.

We can read a recent statement with you and show the effective rate and each fee line. We can explain a fee notice or a renewal date. If you want to complain, we will walk you through the steps and help you gather what you need. We answer in English and French.

Common mistakes

• Waiting too long. The 70-day window starts when the change takes effect, and it does not restart.
• Thinking the Code sets prices or contract length. It does not. It sets notice, disclosure and exit rules.
• Expecting FCAC to settle your dispute. FCAC does not settle single disputes or pay money back. It can look at complaints to see if the Code is followed.

Related terms

• FCAC: the federal agency that monitors the Code.
• Early termination fee: what some contracts charge if you leave before the term ends.
• Merchant statement: the monthly report of your sales and fees.
• Effective rate: total fees divided by card sales.
• Payment processor: the company that handles your card sales and sends your fee notices.
• Card network operator: Visa, Mastercard, Interac and the others that adopted the Code.

Common questions