Friday, Jul 24, 2026 The claims desk. Receipts included. POWERED BY LENZ ↗
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POLITICS

The Claim

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

Verified by Lenz ·

The Short Version

This claim is accurate. Multiple U.S. lawmakers have formally introduced legislation — most notably the bipartisan Payment Choice Act, introduced in both the House and Senate across 2024 and 2025 — that would require businesses to accept cash payments. GovTrack records confirm H.R. 8867 was introduced with 17 bipartisan cosponsors, and official congressional sources corroborate Senate versions. No such federal law has been enacted yet, but the claim only asserts that legislation has been proposed, which is clearly documented.

Caveats

  • No federal law currently requires businesses to accept cash — these are proposals, not enacted statutes.
  • The proposed legislation typically applies only to in-person retail transactions and caps the requirement at $500 per transaction, not a blanket mandate for all businesses.
  • Some evidence for the 2025 version of the bill relies on media reports rather than official Congress.gov records, though the 2024 introduction is confirmed by GovTrack.

The Receipts

  1. Is it legal for a business in the United States to refuse cash as a form of payment? - Federal Reserve

    Federal Reserve

  2. H.R. 7148 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026

    House Rules Committee

  3. H.R. 8867: Payment Choice Act of 2024

    GovTrack.us

  4. New 'cash law' could force Walmart and Costco to take your money the old-fashioned way - Fox Business

    Fox Business

  5. Protecting Cash Means Safeguarding the Right to Transact | Op-Eds

    Op-Eds

  6. New 'Cash Law' Would Change Stores Nationwide

    McGraw Hill Education

  7. Cashless Business Regulations in the U.S. 2025 - mobilemoney

    mobilemoney

  8. New "cash law" would change stores nationwide: Full list of cosponsors - Newsweek

    Newsweek

  9. Fetterman pushes cash payments bill with GOP colleague: 'Every American should be able to use paper currency' - Fox Business

    Fox Business

  10. Cash Shortages and Credit Only – Are Businesses Allowed to Refuse Cash Payments? - Maynard Nexsen

    Maynard Nexsen

+ 3 more sources — see the full list on Lenz

Filed Under

United States Congress

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