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RBI enhances UPI Lite offline limits to ₹1,000 per transaction

No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet

Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2024-25/93 · issued 04 Dec 2024 · ~1 min read

Quick answerRBI has raised UPI Lite offline transaction limit from ₹500 to ₹1,000 and the total instrument limit from ₹2,000 to ₹5,000, effective immediately. This enhances small-value digital payments without internet connectivity.

What changed

The RBI circular dated December 4, 2024 amends the offline digital payment framework originally set in January 2022. For UPI Lite, the per-transaction limit has been doubled from ₹500 to ₹1,000, and the total limit per payment instrument at any point in time has been raised from ₹2,000 to ₹5,000.

What it means for you

Banks and payment system operators can now offer UPI Lite users higher transaction ceilings for offline payments, as per the RBI circular. This expands digital payment reach, but lenders must update system limits and ensure compliance with the revised caps.

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

Update UPI Lite system parameters to reflect new limits: ₹1,000 per transaction and ₹5,000 total per instrument.
Communicate the enhanced limits to customers via app notifications, SMS, or in-branch messaging.
Review risk management frameworks for offline transactions to account for higher exposure per instrument.
Ensure compliance with Section 18 read with Section 10(2) of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.

Who it affects

Banks offering UPI Lite services, Non-bank payment system operators, UPI Lite end-users, Merchants accepting offline digital payments

❓ Common questions

Regulatory timeline

Decoded by BankPulse 2026-06-18 02:41 IST
Status change: withdrawn 03 Aug 2026, 04:00 IST

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

What are the new limits for UPI Lite offline transactions?

The per-transaction limit has been increased to ₹1,000, and the total limit per payment instrument at any point in time is now ₹5,000.

When do these changes take effect?

The circular is effective immediately from December 4, 2024.

Do these limits apply to all offline digital payments or only UPI Lite?

The circular specifically enhances limits for UPI Lite under the offline framework. Other offline payment instruments remain subject to the earlier limits unless separately amended.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI

RBI/2024-25/93
 CO.DPSS.POLC.No.S908/02-14-003/2024-25
 December 04, 2024
 The Chairman / Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer
 Authorised Payment System Operators and Participants (Banks and Non-banks)
 Madam / Dear Sir,
 Amendment to Framework for Facilitating Small Value Digital Payments in Offline Mode
 This has reference to the RBI circular CO.DPSS.POLC.No.S1264/02-14-003/2021-2022 dated January 03, 2022 (updated as on August 24, 2023) which enabled small value digital payments in offline mode (Offline Framework). The framework, inter-alia, prescribes an upper limit of ₹500 for offline digital payment transaction, and a total limit of ₹2,000 for a payment instrument at any point in time.
 2. A reference is also invited to the Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies dated October 09, 2024 , wherein it was announced that the stated limits shall be enhanced for UPI Lite. Accordingly, the Offline framework has been updated and the enhanced limits for UPI Lite shall be ₹1,000 per transaction, with ₹5,000 being the total limit at any point in time.
 3. This circular is issued under Section 18 read with Section 10 (2) of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (Act 51 of 2007), and shall come into effect immediately.
 Yours faithfully,
 (Gunveer Singh)
Chief General Manager-in-Charge

Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2024-25/93 · issued 04 Dec 2024. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.

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BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 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=12752&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.