No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2005-06/368 · issued 20 Apr 2006 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI exempts credit card limits for bank directors from Section 20 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, provided the bank applies the same criteria as for normal credit card business.
What changed
RBI has clarified that credit card limits granted to directors of banks are not considered 'loans or advances' under Section 20 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. This exemption applies only if the bank uses the same criteria for determining the credit limit as it does for its regular credit card customers.
What it means for you
Banks can now issue credit cards to their directors without violating Section 20 restrictions, as long as the credit limit is set using standard, non-discriminatory criteria. This reduces compliance burden and allows directors to access credit card facilities like other customers, but banks must ensure no preferential treatment is given.
Historical instruction — do not use for current compliance. This is what was required at the time; it no longer reflects current RBI requirements. If no replacement rule is linked above, that only means none is recorded on our register yet — it does not prove no later applicable rule exists. Confirm on the official RBI source below.
What banks were required to do at the time
Review your credit card issuance policy to ensure uniform criteria are applied for all customers, including directors.
Document the criteria used for determining credit limits for directors to demonstrate compliance with this exemption.
Train credit card processing teams on the new exemption and the requirement for equal treatment.
Update internal audit checklists to verify that director credit card limits are not treated as loans or advances under Section 20.
Who it affects
All scheduled commercial banks (excluding RRBs), Bank directors who may now receive credit card facilities, Credit card operations and compliance teams
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-19 18:41 IST
repealed_by — Consolidation of Regulations — Withdrawal of circulars (28 Nov 2025)
Status change: withdrawn05 Aug 2026, 04:00 IST
Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).
Does this exemption apply to all types of credit card facilities for directors?
Yes, the exemption covers the entire credit limit granted under a credit card facility, provided the bank uses the same criteria as for normal credit card business.
What happens if a bank gives preferential treatment to a director's credit card limit?
If the criteria differ from those applied to regular customers, the credit limit would be considered a 'loan or advance' under Section 20, and the exemption would not apply.
📜 This document’s life story (1 recorded event, each backed by RBI’s own words)
Repealed byRBI/2025-26/100 — Consolidation of Regulations — Withdrawal of circulars (28 Nov 2025)
RBI’s words: “Official withdrawal register entry #2674: DBOD.No.Leg.BC.81/09.11.013/2005-06 — "Exemption from Applicability of Section 20 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 - Issue of Credit Cards to Directors of ”
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2005-06/368
DBOD.No.Leg.BC.81/09.11.013/2005-06
April 20, 2006
To
All Scheduled Commercial Banks
(Excluding RRBs)
Dear Sir,
Exemption from applicability of Section 20 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949- Issue of Credit Cards to Directors of banks
Please refer to para 1.2.4 of our Master Circular DBOD.Dir.BC. 8/13.03.00 /2005-06 dated July 1, 2005 on 'Loans and Advances - 'Statutory and Other Restrictions', wherein it was advised that for the purpose of section 20 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, the term 'loans and advances' shall not include loans or advances against Government securities, life insurance policies, or fixed deposit, facilities like bills purchased / discounted, purchase of cheques, other non-fund based facilities like acceptance / co-acceptance of bills, opening of L/Cs and issue of guarantees etc.
2. It has further been decided, in exercise of powers conferred by clause (a) of the Explanation under sub-section 4 of Section 20 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949), that for the purpose of aforesaid Section, the term 'loan or advance' shall not include a credit limit granted under credit card facility provided by the bank to its Directors to the extent the credit limit so granted is determined by the bank by applying the same criteria as applied by it in the normal conduct of the credit card business.
3. Please acknowledge receipt.
Yours faithfully
(Prashant Saran)
Chief General Manager in-Charge
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2005-06/368 · issued 20 Apr 2006. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.
BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 05 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=2841&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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