Cash Payment Refusal

You can file a complaint about a store in New York City that refuses cash payments. This includes businesses that sell food, such as restaurants and mobile food vendors.

Cash means U.S. paper currency and coins. Stores must accept cash unless they have a machine to convert cash to a prepaid card. They cannot charge more for paying in cash.

Businesses cannot enact policies that violate NYC's cashless ban or other laws.The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) is aware that the U.S. Mint has discontinued the production of the penny as of November 12, 2025.

Businesses in NYC may choose, but are not required, to implement a policy of:

Rounding down the cost of the final total paid by the consumer to the nearest nickel, and/or
Rounding up the change owed to a consumer to the nearest nickel

Note: The discontinuation of penny production does not exempt compliance with existing federal, state, and local laws.

Learn more from DCWP.

Report cash payment refusal by a:

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