JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Starting Monday, JEA customers who pay their bill using a credit or debit card will now be charged a vendor service fee.
The fee will also apply to payments made through JEA's automated phone system (IVR).
The utility absorbed the fees, totaling more than $9 million, for the last two years.
JEA determined in June that customers would cover the fee in to align with "normal utility sector practices."
The fees are "pass-through" costs from JEA's processing vendor KUBRA, and the utility does not profit from the fees.
"JEA continued to work with KUBRA in the last several weeks to minimize the impact on customers who choose to use credit or debit cards," a JEA spokesperson said in a release Monday.
A new structure in place will reduce the top-tier fee level and cap the maximum payment.
Here's a look at the fees for card payments:
- $2.35 for payments up to $400
- $8.95 for payments between $400.01 - $1,000
- $40 for payments between $1,000.01 - $2,500
JEA said customers can make fee-free payments by direct bank transfers, checks or cash payments.