JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — JEA announced after two years customers will again be charged a fee if paying their monthly bill by credit or debit card.
The payment processing fees were temporarily suspended back in 2022, when unusually high utility bills impacted tens of thousands of JEA customers.
In August of 2022, JEA temporarily suspended disconnections for past due balances in an effort to give customers time to catch up.
In October 2022, credit and debit card fees for payments were suspended as people resumed regular payments. In the last two years, JEA data shows the utility has absorbed the cost of more than $9 million worth of credit card fees.
First Coast News received the following question from a viewer this week.
"I saw on news today that JEA will start charging a fee for credit/debit card payments. It is my understanding that fees for debit cards are not permitted. Please advise. Thank you."
THE QUESTION:
Can JEA charge you a service fee if you pay with a debit or credit card?
THE SOURCE:
- Attorney Andrew Bonderud
According to Jacksonville attorney Andrew Bonderud, it is completely legal for JEA to pass that service fee onto its customers.
"As long as JEA is charged a transaction fee then its perfectly appropriate for JEA to pass that expense along to the consumer or to the account holder who has the utility bill," Bonderud said.
THE ANSWER:
Yes, JEA can charge you a vendor service fee if you pay using a credit or debit card.
To avoid the fee, you can use a different payment method, like route your bank account information to JEA's website, to pay your bill. You can also pay by check or money order.