Starting April 1, 2026, several banks in India are rolling out important changes to ATM usage rules, impacting how customers withdraw cash and how charges are applied. While the core RBI framework remains the same, these bank-level updates could affect your monthly banking costs.
Change 1: UPI ATM Withdrawals Will Count Towards Free Limit
One of the biggest changes is that UPI-based (cardless) ATM withdrawals will now be included in your monthly free transaction limit.
Earlier, these transactions were treated separately. Now, banks like HDFC will count them along with debit card withdrawals. This means if you exceed your monthly free limit, you will be charged standard ATM fees even for UPI withdrawals.
Change 2: Charges Apply After Free Transaction Limit
Customers will continue to get a fixed number of free ATM transactions per month. However, once this limit is crossed, charges of up to ₹23 per transaction (plus taxes) will apply.
This applies to both:
- Cash withdrawals
- In some cases, non-financial transactions depending on the bank
Change 3: Free Transaction Limits Remain Restricted
The structure of free ATM usage remains limited:
- Around 5 free transactions at your own bank’s ATM
- 3 free transactions in metro cities at other bank ATMs
- 5 in non-metro cities
After this, every additional transaction becomes chargeable.
Change 4: Some Banks Are Revising Withdrawal Limits
Certain banks, such as Punjab National Bank (PNB), are reducing daily ATM withdrawal limits for select debit cards.
In some cases, limits have been cut by up to 50 percent—for example:
- ₹1 lakh reduced to ₹50,000
- ₹1.5 lakh reduced to ₹75,000
This change is aimed at improving security and controlling risk.
Change 5: More Charges Likely Based on Usage Patterns
Banks are increasingly aligning ATM usage with cost recovery and digital banking push.
This means:
- Frequent ATM users may pay more
- Small, repeated withdrawals could increase monthly charges
- Digital payments are being encouraged as an alternative
What This Means for You
These changes are not a complete overhaul but a tightening of usage rules and charges. Customers should monitor their ATM usage more closely, especially with UPI withdrawals now included in limits.
