The deadline does the work here, so there is no need to panic. But there is real value in checking early, because the law's 30-day window to cure a violation only helps if you find the problem before someone else does. Acting now turns a potential liability into a non-event.
What to confirm, in plain terms
Three questions sit at the heart of it. One: when a customer pays by card, do you add anything you would not charge a cash customer? Two: if you do, can your system reliably keep that fee off debit cards - including debit that runs as signature? Three: if you use a cash-discount or dual-pricing program, is it one posted price with a discount for cash, disclosed consistently? Honest answers to those three tell you most of what you need to know.
Notice what is not on this list: a step-by-step guide to reconfiguring your terminal. That is deliberate. The settings that actually control whether debit gets surcharged live inside your specific processor and equipment, and changing them blindly is worse than not touching them. This is the part to verify with someone who can read your setup - not to DIY from a checklist.
Why earlier beats later
The consequences - private lawsuits for actual damages, plus state complaint reporting backed by a customer's receipt - attach once the law is in force. The cure window exists, but it rewards the businesses that catch the issue themselves. The earlier you confirm, the more quietly any fix happens.
A note on timing: Treat this as a way to frame the conversation, not a compliance opinion on your business. The Attorney General's enforcement rules are still being finalized, so some operational details may change. Everything here reflects the law as written - for advice on your specific situation, consult a qualified professional, and confirm rather than assume.
The simplest path to "confirmed"
If you want a fast read on where you likely stand, the Risk Scorecard gives you a red / yellow / green answer in about a minute. If you want certainty, that is what a free ZeroPoint compliance check is for: send a recent processing statement, a photo of your signage or a receipt, or take a five-minute call, and we will tell you plainly whether you are exposed and what it would take to fix it - well before August 1.