HomeCirculars › RBI/2011-12/544

Mandatory Machine Processing of ₹100+ Notes at All Branches

No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2011-12/544 · issued 09 May 2012 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI now requires all bank branches to machine-process ₹100 and higher denomination notes for authenticity before re-circulation, removing the earlier threshold of ₹50 lakh daily cash receipts. Non-compliance is a directive violation.

What changed

Previously, only branches with average daily cash receipts of ₹50 lakh or more had to use note sorting machines for ₹100+ notes. Now, every branch—regardless of cash volume—must machine-check all ₹100 and higher denomination notes before re-issuing them over counters or through ATMs.

What it means for you

Banks must invest in or deploy note sorting/authenticity machines at every branch, not just high-cash branches. This raises operational costs and requires logistical planning, especially for rural and small urban branches. Non-compliance is a serious regulatory breach.

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 scheduled commercial banks (including RRBs), Scheduled state co-operative banks, Scheduled (primary) urban co-operative banks, Branch operations and cash management teams, Compliance and audit departments

❓ Common questions

Regulatory timeline

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

Does this apply to ATMs as well?

Yes, the directive explicitly states that banknotes in denominations of ₹100 and above may be re-issued through ATMs only after machine verification for authenticity.

What happens if a branch does not comply?

Non-compliance is treated as a violation of the RBI directive, which could lead to regulatory action, including penalties or other supervisory measures.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2011-12/544 DCM (FNV) No. 5063/16.02.22/2011-12 May 09, 2012 The Chairman and Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer All Scheduled Commercial Banks (Including RRBs) and Scheduled State Co-operative Banks / Scheduled (Primary) Urban Co-operative Banks Dear Sir/Madam, Detection and Reporting Mechanism of Counterfeit Notes – Monetary Policy Statement 2012-13 Please refer to our Directive No. 3158/09.39.00 (Policy)/2009-10 dated November 19, 2009 read with Circular No. NPD.3161/03.39.00 (Policy)/2009-10 dated November 19, 2009 on Sorting / Processing of banknotes, advising the banks that banknotes in the denomination of 100 and above may be re-issued over their counters or through ATMs, only if such banknotes have been duly checked for authenticity / genuineness by machines. Further, the banks were also advised to use such machines in all bank branches with average daily cash receipt of ` 50 lakh and above, within a definite time frame. 2. In light of Para 127 of the Monetary Policy Statement 2012-13 announced by RBI Governor on April 17, 2012 (copy enclosed), banks should now re-align their cash management in such a manner so as to ensure that cash receipts in the denominations of ` 100 and above should not be put into re-circulation without the notes being machine processed for authenticity. 3. The above instructions shall come into effect immediately and are applicable to all bank branches, irrespective of the volume of daily cash receipt. 4. Any non-compliance will be construed as violation of the above mentioned Directive issued by the Reserve Bank. 5. Please acknowledge receipt. Yours faithfully, ( Dr. N Krishna Mohan ) Chief General Manager Encl: One
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2011-12/544 · issued 09 May 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=7193&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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