“Some United States lawmakers have proposed legislation that would require businesses to accept cash payments.”

There is no federal statute mandating that a private business, a person, or an organization must accept currency or coins as payment for goods or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether to accept cash unless there is a state law that says otherwise. Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, entitled "Legal tender," states: "United States coins and currency [including Federal Reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal Reserve Banks and national banks] are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues."

List of amendments includes various prohibitions and funding restrictions, but no amendments related to requiring businesses to accept cash payments.

Status: This bill was introduced on June 25, 2024, in the House of Representatives but has not seen further action. Bipartisan cosponsors include 17 members.

Ohioans could soon be shopping like it's 1999 if legislators pass the Currency Access to Spend Here (CASH) bill, which would require businesses and government offices to accept cash for payments up to $500. Thomas' bill mirrors one that Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and Sen. Kevan Cramer, R-N. D., introduced, known as the Payment Choice Act of 2025. Their bill would also require businesses to accept cash and bar them from charging a higher price to those who chose to pay in cash.

That's why I'm proud to cosponsor the Payment Choice Act in Congress − a bipartisan fix to this mess. The Payment Choice Act would require retailers to accept cash as a payment option for purchases of $500 or less. It would also prohibit charging fees or higher prices for cash payments and bring uniformity to the patchwork of different state and local laws that have emerged.

A current bill in the U.S. Congress would require stores to accept cash as a legal currency across the United States. The bill has bipartisan support in the U.S. House of Representatives from a total of 17 cosponsors. A similar bill was introduced in the Senate and is sponsored by Senators Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, and John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat.

The Payment Choice Act, a bipartisan bill, was reintroduced on July 17th, with sponsorship from Senators Fetterman and Cramer. It would mandate that brick-and-mortar retailers across the nation accept cash for purchases up to $500 without surcharges; In New York State, legislation sponsored by Senator Sanders passed both legislative houses in June 2025, banning retailers from refusing cash, including grocery stores and essentials.

Two legislators signed onto a bipartisan bill in recent weeks that would require stores to accept cash as a legal currency across the United States. Representative John Rose, the Tennessee Republican who introduced the legislation, for comment via email. Rose introduced in February the “Payment Choice Act of 2025,” which would implement new rules for brick-and-mortar stores.

Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and Kevin Cramer, R-N. D., have introduced a bill that would generally require those conducting in-person business to accept cash as payment from customers. 'Any person engaged in the business of selling or offering goods or services at retail to the public who accepts in-person payments at a physical location … shall accept cash as a form of payment for sales made at such physical location in amounts up to and including $500 per transaction,' the measure stipulates, in part.

Federal law does not mandate that private businesses must accept cash for payment. The Federal Reserve has stated that private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether to accept cash - unless there is a state law that says otherwise. Only four states have passed legislation forcing businesses to accept cash payments - Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Connecticut.

Two bills promoting cash usage and ATM security have been reintroduced to Congress: the Payment Choice Act and the Secure Access to Cash Act. The Payment Choice Act has been introduced and reintroduced multiple times over the past couple of years, but the primary goal has been the same: protect cash usage as a payment option.

Welcome to the Pro-Cash Legislation Database, the comprehensive list of legislative efforts aimed at preserving and promoting cash as a fundamental form of payment. In an increasingly digital age, the significance of cash remains undeniable, from safeguarding consumer choice to fostering financial inclusivity and upholding price fairness. Updated October 2023. This measure requires that any person that sells goods or services at retail and that accepts in-person payments at a physical location must accept cash as a form of payment and not charge cash-paying customers a higher price compared to the price charged to other customers.

Arguments against mandatory cash acceptance often cite increased security risks for businesses handling large amounts of cash, higher operational costs associated with cash management (e.g., counting, transporting, banking), and the preference of many consumers and businesses for the convenience and record-keeping benefits of digital payments. Some retailers also argue that they should have the freedom to choose their accepted payment methods.

A federal payment choice act remained stalled in Congress despite bipartisan support. As a result, states continued acting independently.