New Jersey payments and fintech laws

What it would do: Prohibits public utilities from assessing surcharges on payment transactions, fees on customers making one-time payments instead of enrolling in automatic payments, and fees on customers receiving paper statements instead of paperless statements.

What it would do: Allows merchants accepting cash transactions to round the final transaction total up or down according to specified rules: prices ending in $.01-$.02 round down to nearest $.05, $.03-$.04 round up to $.05, $.06-$.07 round down to $.05, $.08-$.09 round up to $.10. Rounding applies only to cash transactions after all taxes and fees are calculated, and violators face civil penalties of $1,000 to $5,000.

What it would do: Prohibits any business entity from owning, controlling, installing, managing, selling, or offering for sale a cryptocurrency automatic teller machine in New Jersey, making such activity an unlawful practice under consumer protection law.

What it would do: Requires State employees to receive net pay as paper checks if requested, requires unemployment insurance claimants to receive written notice of payment options including prepaid debit card, direct deposit, and paper check, and requires the Division of Taxation to offer taxpayers State tax refunds as paper checks.

What it would do: Prohibits sellers from charging surcharges when customers pay with debit cards, gift cards, or electronic benefit transfer cards. Requires sellers who impose credit card surcharges to clearly disclose the prohibition before payment. Violations are unlawful practices punishable by up to $10,000 for first offense and $20,000 for subsequent offenses.

What it would do: Prohibits sellers from charging a surcharge to customers using debit cards or gift cards for transactions in New Jersey. Violations are unlawful practices under existing consumer protection law.

What it would do: Requires residential landlords to accept rent payments by cash, certified check, money order, third parties, or rental assistance programs, and increases the penalty for violating rent acceptance requirements from prior law to $2,000 per offense, with tenants able to sue separately for $2,000 plus attorney's fees.

What it would do: Allows businesses accepting cash transactions to round amounts due at the point of sale according to specified rules based on the cents portion of the price. Rounding does not apply to non-cash payments and does not prohibit voluntary donation rounding programs.

What it would do: Prohibits retail businesses from charging convenience fees or similar fees when buyers pay with legal tender cash, and establishes civil penalties of up to $2,500 for first offense and $5,000 for second offense, with certain exemptions for airports, parking facilities, car rental companies, and large venues.

What it would do: Requires local units to establish card payment and electronic funds transfer systems for State Uniform Construction Code Act fees, and requires construction contracts under the Local Public Contracts Law to allow contractors to pay enforcing agency fees through these electronic payment methods.

What it would do: Requires the State Treasurer to disburse State employee net pay as a paper check if requested in writing, requires the Division of Unemployment and Temporary Disability Insurance to offer unemployment claimants written notice of payment options including paper check with signed designation, and requires the Division of Taxation to offer taxpayers State tax refunds as paper checks.

What it would do: Requires retail mercantile establishments that display gift cards for sale to post a conspicuous notice at or near the gift card display location cautioning consumers about gift card fraud and instructing them on steps to take if fraud is suspected. Violators are subject to a $1,000 civil penalty.

What it would do: Requires payment card networks to make available and merchant acquirers to assign a specific merchant category code for firearms and ammunition businesses by specified dates. Authorizes the Attorney General to enforce violations with civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation, injunctive relief, and attorney's fees.

What it would do: Requires payment card networks to make available and merchant acquirers to assign the ISO merchant category code for firearms and ammunition businesses to firearms merchants in New Jersey beginning May 1, 2027, with enforcement by the Attorney General and civil penalties of $10,000 per violation.

What it would do: Requires public schools and nonpublic schools participating in federally assisted meal programs to offer no-fee direct payment options for school meals and other charges, and mandates payment processing platforms disclose all fees and average annual costs to users.

What it would do: Upgrades criminal penalties for using or possessing payment card scanning devices to third degree for first use offense and second degree if subsequent offense involves theft of at least $50,000. Requires merchants accepting payment cards to implement reasonable security measures including terminal inspections, employee training, security cameras, and encryption software.

What it would do: Upgrades retail theft crimes to higher degrees, establishes extended prison terms for repeat retail theft offenders, creates new gift card fraud protections requiring secure packaging and warning notices, and authorizes the Attorney General to establish a retail theft unit with $1 million appropriation.

What it would do: Requires buy now pay later lenders to obtain a license from the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance, establishes underwriting and disclosure requirements, prohibits deceptive practices, limits interest and fees, and provides consumer protections including dispute resolution and data privacy controls.

What it would do: Prohibits payment card networks from charging interchange fees that include percentages of gross transaction amounts without excluding taxes or gratuities, and caps interchange fees for charitable contributions at 0.2% for debit cards and 0.3% for credit cards.

What it would do: Establishes a Stolen SNAP Benefits Replacement Fund in the Department of Treasury and requires the Commissioner of Human Services to replace SNAP benefits stolen through card skimming, cloning, or similar fraud occurring between December 20, 2024 and chip card transition. Appropriates $20 million to the Administrative Office of the Courts for system design and administration.

What it would do: Prohibits payment card networks from charging interchange fees that include taxes or gratuities in the percentage calculation, and caps interchange fees for eligible contributions at 0.2% for debit cards and 0.3% for credit cards. Violators face civil penalties up to $1,000 per violation and must refund collected fees.

What it would do: Prohibits payment card networks from charging interchange fees on sales tax and gratuity amounts in electronic payment transactions, provided merchants transmit such data during authorization or settlement, with a $1,000 per-transaction penalty for violations.

What it would do: Authorizes local units to assess and collect a convenience fee not exceeding $3 per electronic payment using credit cards, debit cards, or electronic funds transfer systems, in addition to existing service charges, while requiring local units to also offer traditional payment methods.

What it would do: Beginning January 31, 2027, authorized New Jersey SNAP retailers accepting electronic benefits transfer cards must equip each point of sale terminal with features or technology to prevent card skimming. The Department of Human Services may inspect for compliance and assess penalties up to $1,000 for first violations, $3,000 for second, and $5,000 for subsequent violations, or exclude retailers after four violations.

What it would do: Prohibits sellers from imposing any credit card surcharge on customers in New Jersey. Requires sellers to post clear notice of credit card minimum transaction amounts and cash discounts at points of sale, online, or verbally depending on transaction type.