HomeCirculars › RBI/2011-12/467

RBI Caps Gold Jewellery Loan LTV at 60% for NBFCs

No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2011-12/467 · issued 21 Mar 2012 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI has capped gold jewellery loan LTV at 60% for all NBFCs, mandated balance sheet disclosure of such loans, and set a 12% minimum Tier 1 capital requirement by April 2014 for NBFCs with over 50% gold jewellery loan assets. Advances against bullion, primary gold, and gold coins are prohibited.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

A gold-loan officer in Indore, Priya, reviews her NBFC's loan applications. She sees a customer wants a ₹60,000 loan against a gold necklace valued at ₹1,00,000. She approves it because the loan is exactly 60% of the value, following the new RBI cap. She also notes that her branch must stop lending against gold coins, as per the rule.

What changed

RBI introduced a 60% LTV cap on gold jewellery loans for all NBFCs, effective immediately. NBFCs must now disclose the percentage of gold jewellery loans to total assets in their balance sheets. Additionally, NBFCs where gold jewellery loans constitute 50% or more of financial assets must achieve a minimum Tier 1 capital of 12% by April 1, 2014. Lending against bullion, primary gold, or gold coins is completely banned.

What it means for you

This is a prudential measure to curb concentration risk and protect against gold price volatility. NBFCs heavily reliant on gold jewellery lending face tighter capital requirements, which may slow their balance sheet growth and increase funding costs.

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

Who it affects

All NBFCs lending against gold jewellery, NBFCs primarily engaged in gold jewellery lending (gold jewellery loans ≥ 50% of financial assets), Banks and other lenders providing funding to gold-loan NBFCs

❓ Common questions

Regulatory timeline

Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).

Does the 60% LTV cap apply to all gold jewellery loans or only new ones?

The circular states the LTV ratio shall not exceed 60% for loans granted against gold jewellery, effective immediately. It does not specify whether it applies to existing loans, but as a prudential norm, it is likely applicable to all such loans.

What happens if an NBFC fails to meet the 12% Tier 1 capital requirement by April 1, 2014?

The circular mandates compliance by that date but does not specify consequences for non-compliance.

Are banks also subject to these gold loan LTV norms?

No, this circular specifically applies to NBFCs. Banks have separate regulatory guidelines for gold loans.

📜 This document’s life story (1 recorded event, each backed by RBI’s own words)
Repealed by RBI/2025-26/100 — Consolidation of Regulations — Withdrawal of circulars (28 Nov 2025)
RBI’s words: “Official withdrawal register entry #100: DNBS(PD).241/CGM(US)-2012 — "Non-Banking Financial (Non-Deposit Accepting or Holding) Companies Prudential Norms (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2007" dated March 2”
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2011-12/467 DNBS.CC.PD.No.265/03.10.01/2011-12 March 21, 2012 To All NBFCs Dear Sir, Lending Against Security of Single Product – Gold Jewellery It is observed that NBFCs that are predominantly engaged in lending against the collateral of gold jewellery have recorded significant growth in recent years both in terms of size of their balance sheet and physical presence. This in turn, has led to their increased dependence on public funds including bank finance and non-convertible debentures issued to retail investors. 2. Given the rapid pace of their business growth and the nature of their business model, which has inherent concentration risk and is exposed to adverse movement of gold prices, as a prudential measure, it has been decided that all NBFCs shall i. hereafter maintain a Loan-to-Value(LTV) ratio not exceeding 60 percent for loans granted against the collateral of gold jewellery and ii. disclose in their balance sheet the percentage of such loans to their total assets. 3. NBFCs primarily engaged in lending against gold jewellery (such loans comprising 50 percent or more of their financial assets) shall maintain a minimum Tier l capital of 12 percent by April 01, 2014. 4. NBFCs should not grant any advance against bullion / primary gold and gold coins. 5. Copies of Amending Notifications No.DNBS.241/CGM(US)-2012 and DNBS.242/CGM(US)-2012 of date are enclosed for meticulous compliance. Yours sincerely, (Uma Subramaniam) Chief General Manager-in-Charge RESERVE BANK OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF NON-BANKING SUPERVISION CENTRAL OFFICE CENTRE I, WORLD TRADE CENTRE, CUFFE PARADE, COLABA, MUMBAI, 400 005. Notification No.DNBS(PD).241/ CGM(US)-2012 dated March 21, 2012 The Reserve Bank of India, having considered it necessary in public interest and being satisfied that, for the purpose of enabling the Bank to regulate the credit system to the advantage of the country, it is necessary to amend the Non-Banking Financial (Non-Deposit Accepting or Holding) Companies Prudential Norms (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2007(hereinafter referred to as the said Directions), contained in Notification No. DNBS. 193/DG(VL)-2007 dated February 22, 2007 , in exercise of the powers conferred by section 45JA of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (2 of 1934) and of all the powers enabling it in this behalf, hereby directs that the said Directions shall be amended with immediate effect as follows, namely – Insertion of new paragraph 17 A- After paragraph 17 of the said Directions, the following paragraph 17A shall be inserted. “Loans against security of single product - gold jewellery” a. All NBFCs shall i. maintain a Loan-to-Value(LTV) ratio not exceeding 60 percent for loans granted against the collateral of gold jewellery and ii. disclose in their balance sheet the percentage of such loans to their total assets. b. NBFCs should not grant any advance against bullion / primary gold and gold coins. NBFCs primarily engaged in lending against gold jewellery (such loans comprising 50 percent or more of their financial assets) shall maintain a minimum Tier l capital of 12 percent by April 01, 2014. (Uma Subramaniam) Chief General Manager-in-Charge RESERVE BANK OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF NON-BANKING SUPERVISION CENTRAL OFFICE CENTRE I, WORLD TRADE CENTRE, CUFFE PARADE, COLABA, MUMBAI, 400 005. Notification No. DNBS(PD).242/ CGM(US)-2012 dated March 21, 2012 The Reserve Bank of India, having considered it necessary in public interest and being satisfied that, for the purpose of enabling the Bank to regulate the credit system to the advantage of the country, it is necessary to amend the Non-Banking Financial (Deposit Accepting or Holding) Companies Prudential Norms (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2007(hereinafter referred to as the said Directions), contained in Notification No. DNBS.192/DG(VL)-2007 dated February 22, 2007 , in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 45JA of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (2 of 1934) and of all the powers enabling it in this behalf, hereby directs that the said Directions shall be amended with immediate effect as follows, namely - Insertion of new paragraph 17 A- After paragraph 17 of the said Directions, the following paragraph 17A shall be inserted. “Loans against security of single product - gold jewellery” a. All NBFCs shall i. maintain a Loan-to-Value(LTV) ratio not exceeding 60 percent for loans granted against the collateral of gold jewellery and ii. disclose in their balance sheet the percentage of such loans to their total assets. b. NBFCs should not grant any advance against bullion / primary gold and gold coins. NBFCs primarily engaged in lending against gold jewellery (such loans comprising 50 percent or more of their financial assets) shall maintain a minimum Tier l capital of 12 percent by April 01, 2014. (Uma Subramaniam) Chief General Manager-in-Charge
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2011-12/467 · issued 21 Mar 2012. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
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Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=7086&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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