How Much Is a UK Card Machine Exit Fee?
UK card machine exit fees range from £150 to £450 inside the minimum term. Rolling contracts (Dojo, SumUp, Zettle, Square, Tide) have no exit fee. Fixed term contracts (Worldpay, Elavon, Barclaycard, Lloyds Cardnet, NatWest Tyl) typically charge £150 to £300 in year one, £100 to £200 in year two, and a small admin fee in year three. Some contracts apply a flat exit fee regardless of when. Hardware non-return fees are separate, £150 to £300 if you fail to return the terminal.
What this means for your business
Exit fee structures vary across UK acquirers. The three main shapes: flat fee (a single amount regardless of when you exit, e.g. £300 throughout the term), prorated fee (months remaining x monthly fee, e.g. £20 x 24 months = £480 if you exit 12 months into a 36-month term), and tiered fee (year one £300, year two £200, year three £100). Read the exit fee schedule in the contract before signing, the difference between these structures can be £200 to £400 on a typical mid-term exit.
Rolling contracts have no exit fee because there is no minimum term. The merchant gives 30 days notice and the contract ends. Dojo, SumUp, Zettle, Square and Tide all operate this way. The trade-off is usually a slightly higher transaction percentage. For a business that might switch within 36 months, the rolling option saves the exit fee risk and the percentage premium often costs less than the exit fee would have.
Hardware non-return fees are separate from exit fees. Most UK acquirers ship the terminal in returnable packaging with a courier label for return at end of contract. Late return (more than 14 days after final transaction) or missing return triggers a hardware non-return charge of £150 to £300. Keep the original packaging from delivery, return tracking, and a copy of the courier label. The non-return charge is enforceable in UK courts and shows on the credit file if unpaid.
Key points
- UK card machine exit fees range from £150 to £450 inside the minimum term
- Rolling contracts (Dojo, SumUp, Zettle, Square, Tide) have no exit fee
- Fixed contracts typically tier the fee by year, lower in later years
- Some contracts apply a flat exit fee regardless of when
- Hardware non-return charge is separate, £150 to £300 if you fail to return
- Late return (more than 14 days after final transaction) triggers the charge
- Keep original packaging and return tracking, this is your protection
Common pitfalls
- Cancelling the direct debit before formal notice, this is a breach and accelerates the exit fee
- Throwing away original terminal packaging, you cannot return the hardware without it
- Missing the 14-day return window after final transaction, this triggers the non-return charge
- Forgetting that the exit fee is in addition to the notice-period billing, not instead of it
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Can the exit fee be waived?
Sometimes. Retain teams have authority to waive 50 to 100 per cent of the exit fee to keep the account. Ask before formal termination. If you can argue material breach (service failure, unsanctioned rate increase, missed rate review), the exit fee should not apply at all.
Is the exit fee tax-deductible?
Usually yes for limited companies and sole traders. The exit fee is a business expense and is deductible against revenue in the year incurred. Keep the invoice or settlement letter as evidence for the accountant.
Director, MerchantHQ
Oliver leads MerchantHQ's editorial and comparison research. With a background in UK commercial finance, he oversees provider analysis, rate verification, and industry reporting across all verticals.
Last reviewed: 18 May 2026