AZE.US
Some businesses in Azerbaijan are reportedly refusing both POS-terminal and card-to-card payments, asking customers to pay exclusively in cash.
Lawyer Akram Hasanov told Demokrat.az that commercial establishments covered by cashless-payment requirements – particularly VAT-registered businesses – must provide customers with access to a POS terminal.
Such businesses cannot insist that customers pay only in cash, he said.
Hasanov acknowledged that a POS terminal may occasionally become unavailable because of a technical malfunction, an internet outage or another temporary problem.
However, businesses cannot use technical issues as a permanent excuse to avoid accepting cashless payments.
Customers who believe a retailer is deliberately withholding its POS terminal or falsely claiming that it is not working may report the business to Azerbaijan’s State Tax Service.
Complaints can be submitted through the agency’s hotline or other official channels.
Tax authorities can then determine whether the terminal was unavailable for legitimate technical reasons or whether the business was intentionally refusing cashless payments.
Establishments found to be violating the rules may face penalties.
AZE.US