Answer
Can I put an ATM in my small business?
For most shops, cafes, venues and stations the answer is yes — and it usually costs nothing. What decides it is footfall, hours and a metre of accessible floor near power.
Most enquiries receive a response within 3 hours during business hours.
Short answer
Can I put an ATM in my small business?
Most Australian small businesses can host an ATM, and under free placement the venue pays nothing for the machine, the cash or the servicing. Operators assess a site on weekly customer numbers, trading hours, whether customers need cash, distance to the nearest other ATM, and whether there is a safe, visible spot with power. A leased premises also needs the landlord's consent, because the terminal is anchored in place.
How sites are assessed
The eligibility test operators actually apply
Site eligibility is an assessment of whether a machine will be used enough to cover the cost of servicing it. It is a commercial judgement, not a licence or an approval process, and it takes only a short conversation about your trade.
- Weekly customer numbers, and how many would plausibly withdraw cash
- Trading days and hours, including any late-night or seven-day trade
- Whether your trade is cash-preferring: gaming, markets, entry fees, tips, trades
- How far the nearest ATM is, and whether it is available when you are open
- A visible, accessible position with a standard power point nearby
- Reasonable security: staff presence during trading, lighting, and lock-up out of hours
- Landlord consent where the premises are leased
Practicalities
Space, power and data requirements
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Floor space | Roughly a metre of clear width, with room to queue and to service the machine |
| Accessibility | Clear approach so customers using the screen and keypad are not blocked |
| Power | A standard general power outlet on a circuit that is not switched off after hours |
| Data | Fixed internet where available, otherwise a 4G modem supplied with the machine |
| Fixing | Anchoring to a solid floor or wall, which is why landlord consent is needed |
| Privacy | A position where the keypad is not overlooked by cameras or other customers |
Your side of the arrangement
What the venue is responsible for
Under free placement the operator owns the machine and the cash inside it, and carries the cost of loading, servicing and repairs. The venue's obligations are limited but real, because uptime depends on them.
- Keep the agreed position clear and available during trading hours
- Provide power, and reasonable access for technicians and cash servicing
- Report faults, jams or an empty machine promptly so uptime is maintained
- Do not move, cover or re-brand the terminal without agreement
- Give notice as agreed if you close, refit or relocate the premises
Common sites
Business types that host well
Convenience & mini-marts
Steady daily trade and long hours, often with the nearest bank ATM some distance away.
Pubs, clubs & RSLs
Late trading and cash-preferring customers make these among the strongest sites.
Service stations
Long or 24-hour trading, high vehicle traffic and reliable overnight demand.
Cafes & restaurants
Works best in strips, near markets, or where card minimums push customers to cash.
Shopping centres
Entry-adjacent positions capture centre-wide foot traffic, not just one tenancy.
Caravan parks & markets
Seasonal but strong, particularly where mobile coverage or other ATMs are limited.
Other routes
If your site is not suited to a free machine
Where volumes are too low for a fully serviced free placement, a lease or an outright purchase can still make sense if you value having cash on site for your own trade rather than the surcharge income.
Some venues are better served by EFTPOS cash out, which needs no floor space at all. Our ATM versus EFTPOS cash out guide compares the two on cost, limits and customer experience.
FAQs
Questions people ask
In most cases yes. Operators assess weekly customers, trading hours, cash demand, distance to the nearest ATM and whether there is a safe, visible spot with power. Under free placement the venue pays nothing for the machine or its servicing.
Under free placement, no. The operator supplies, installs, loads and services the machine at its own cost, and the venue receives an agreed share of each withdrawal. Lease and purchase options carry costs and a larger share.
There is no single threshold, because withdrawal rates differ by trade type. A late-trading venue with modest numbers often outperforms a busier daytime retailer, so the assessment looks at hours and cash demand alongside customer counts.
Yes, for leased premises, because the terminal is anchored and may need cabling. Written consent is normally straightforward, and under placement the machine can be removed at the operator's cost at the end of the term.
After the site is assessed and the agreement signed, installation is typically scheduled within a few weeks depending on technician runs in your state, then commissioned and tested before customers use it.
Under free placement and lease, the operator supplies and loads the cash, so no venue money sits in the machine. Owners arrange their own cash supply, either themselves or through a cash-in-transit provider.
Report it and the operator's service agreement applies, with a stated response time for faults and jams. Prompt reporting is the single most effective thing a venue does to protect its share of income.
Keep reading
Related pages
- How to get an ATM machine for your businessThe full process from enquiry to first withdrawal.
- ATM by venue typeWhat placement looks like in your kind of venue.
- Buy an ATM machineModels, pricing, payback and what ownership involves.
- Free ATM placementNo purchase, no running costs, a share of every withdrawal.
- ATM machine for businessCompare free placement, lease and purchase for your venue.
Want this answered for your venue specifically?
Tell us your site and volumes and we'll give you the real numbers. Or call 0412 025 552 — Mon–Fri 8:30am – 7:30pm AEST · Online enquiries 24/7.