Fuel Card Fees: FleetCor Pays $100M in FTC Settlement

What happened

On September 17, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC, the U.S. agency that protects consumers and small businesses) announced a $100 million settlement. FleetCor Technologies, now called Corpay, and its CEO, Ronald Clarke, agreed to pay it. The money is meant to repay business customers who were harmed.

The FTC says FleetCor charged fuel card fees that customers never agreed to. Those fees added up to hundreds of millions of dollars and hurt tens of thousands of customers. The FTC also says FleetCor charged late fees to customers who paid on time, or who FleetCor kept from paying on time. It says the company made false claims about fuel savings, fraud protection and fees too.

This case is not new. The FTC filed its complaint in 2019. In 2023, a federal court ruled for the FTC on every count. In 2026, a federal appeals court upheld every ruling. This settlement resolves the rest of the case. If the order becomes final, breaking it can cost up to $53,088 per violation.

What it means for owner-operators

Fuel is one of the biggest bills for any truck. Many owner-operators and small fleets use fuel cards to pay at the pump and track spending. Hidden fuel card fees can quietly eat into a margin that is already tight. The FTC says the harmed customers are small businesses. An owner-operator is a small business too.

This is good news for small businesses. The case ended with a $100 million payout, not just a warning. But nobody has been paid yet. The FTC has not said who qualifies, how much anyone will get, or when. First, the settlement will be published in the Federal Register (the government's daily public notice). Then the public gets 30 days to comment. After that, the FTC decides whether to make the order final. Do not count on a check yet.

What to do next

• Read your fuel card contract and every line of your invoices. Look for fees you do not recognize.
• Check for late fees on bills you paid on time. Keep your receipts and payment dates.
• If a fee looks wrong, ask your card company to explain it in writing.
• Watch the FTC website (ftc.gov) for news on who can receive money. Be careful with anyone who asks you to pay to "claim" a refund.
• Want a second set of eyes on your insurance costs? Call TCZ Insurance Agency at 956-526-6727.