36.29.190 - Acceptance of payment by credit cards, charge cards, and other electronic communications authorized -- Costs borne by payer -- Exception. - Washington Statutes

Acceptance of payment by credit cards, charge cards, and other electronic communications authorized — Costs borne by payer — Exception.

County treasurers are authorized to accept credit cards, charge cards, debit cards, smart cards, stored value cards, federal wire, and automatic clearinghouse system transactions, or other electronic communication, for any payment of any kind including, but not limited to, taxes, fines, interest, penalties, special assessments, fees, rates, charges, or moneys due counties. A payer desiring to pay by a credit card, charge card, debit card, smart card, stored value card, federal wire, automatic clearinghouse system, or other electronic communication shall bear the cost of processing the transaction in an amount determined by the treasurer, unless the county legislative authority or the legislative authority of a district where the county treasurer serves as ex officio treasurer finds that it is in the best interests of the county or district to not charge transaction processing costs for all payment transactions made for a specific category of nontax payments received by the county treasurer, including, but not limited to, fines, interest not associated with taxes, penalties not associated with taxes, special assessments, fees, rates, and charges. The treasurer's cost determination shall be based upon costs incurred by the treasurer and may not, in any event, exceed the additional direct costs incurred by the county to accept the specific form of payment utilized by the payer.

[2003 c 23 § 8; 1997 c 393 § 19; 1996 c 153 § 3.]

Notes: Applicability -- 1996 c 153: See note following RCW 84.56.020.