LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron says businesses cannot hide their COVID-19 surcharges.
The fee must be clearly noted on a receipt to let the customers know they were charged.
Cameron clarified the guidance on Tuesday, as many businesses have passed on costs for personal protective equipment and other coronavirus-related expenses to customers in the form of the surcharges.
The attorney general said all surcharges must comply with consumer protection laws, meaning businesses can't profit from a surcharge and it can't be labeled as a tax.
Surcharges have to be clearly disclosed to a customer before sale, "including in advertising or marketing materials and during the ordering or purchase authorization process," Cameron's office said in a news release.
The charges also have to "reflect a 'reasonable' expense incurred by the business."
"Our hope is that this guidance will help businesses understand current consumer protection laws and ensure they have the tools they need to navigate this process," Cameron said.
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