Costs & contracts
Dispensary ATM costs and the contract questions to ask.
No two agreements split the money the same way. Compare offers on who pays for what and how you leave — not just the headline share.
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How the money flows
The customer pays a surcharge for each withdrawal, on top of the cash they take out. The processor settles the dispensed cash and the surcharge to the machine’s owner. Under placement the provider is the owner and may share part of the surcharge with your dispensary; under ownership it is yours, minus processing fees and your costs.
Federal Regulation E requires an ATM operator that charges a fee to show a notice of the fee and its amount on the screen or on paper before the customer is committed to paying; the customer can choose not to continue.
Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Regulation E, 12 CFR 1005.16 (ATM operator fee notices) · retrieved 2026-10-20
Cost items
| Cost | Under placement | If you own the ATM |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment | Provider | Purchase price, delivery and installation |
| Installation and anchoring | Usually provider; ask | You |
| Cash in the machine | Usually provider; store-funded versions exist | You — money that sits in the machine instead of your account |
| Cash loading | Provider or its partner | Staff time, or per-visit fees from a cash-service company |
| Communications line | Ask who pays | Usually you (wireless modem or data line) |
| Processing fees | Provider | Per the processing agreement |
| Repairs, parts, receipt paper | Provider, as written | You, or a service plan |
| Insurance for cash and equipment | Ask whose policy covers what | Your policy; check with your insurer |
| Compliance and software updates | Provider | You |
Typical patterns only. We do not publish prices: costs depend on equipment, location, volume and the agreement.
Setting a surcharge
If you own the ATM, you set the surcharge within your processor’s and the networks’ rules. A higher surcharge earns more per withdrawal but can push customers to withdraw larger amounts less often, or to come in with cash. Look at what customers already pay nearby and at your average ticket, and revisit the number after a few months of reports.
Contract questions to ask
Print this list or bring it to the consultation.
Term and exit
- How long is the initial term, and does it renew automatically?
- How much notice do I give to end it, and when is the window?
- Is there an early-termination fee, and how is it calculated?
- What happens to the machine and the agreement if I sell the business, relocate or lose my license?
Money
- What surcharge will customers pay, and who sets it?
- What share do I receive, how is it calculated and when is it paid?
- Are there per-transaction network amounts, and who keeps them?
- What fees could be deducted from my share?
Cash and service
- Whose cash is in the machine, and who loads it?
- How are cash levels monitored, and what is the target time to refill?
- What is the repair response time, and who pays for parts?
- Who supplies receipt paper?
Processing and compliance
- Has the processor confirmed it accepts my license type and state?
- Who is responsible for equipment and software updates?
- Will the ATM’s location and camera coverage meet my state’s premises rules?
Ask for clarification when…
- Processor acceptance is described as guaranteed before anyone has reviewed your license.
- The equipment or setup is described as “compliant in every state.” Rules differ; ask which rules were checked.
- Responsibility for the cash — funding, loading, shortages — is not written down.
- The renewal and notice terms are not shown to you before signing.
Next step
Talk through the ATM for your dispensary.
Tell us your state, your license status and what you have today. We’ll walk through placement, ownership or a processing review and confirm what is available for your location.