{"what_this_is":"The machine-readable twin of the BankPulse page for one RBI rulebook. Same points, same dates, same paragraph references as the page a person reads. RBI's own wording is not reproduced here: each point names the RBI paragraph, the character offset into the text BankPulse read and the sha256 of that text, so the claim can be checked against RBI's own document.","schema_version":1,"release_id":"d653cdb0a5","generated_at":"2026-09-15T00:33:59.117975+00:00","id":"md13155","title":"Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Credit Cards and Debit Cards: Issuance and Conduct) Directions, 2025","document_kind":"Directions","page":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155","status":"In force","importance":{"code":"MR","label":"MUST READ","weight":"Must read","why":"Binding RBI Directions naming this institution class in the title","layer":"bankpulse_inference"},"applies_to":{"shown":"Commercial banks","class_code":"SCB","from":"the document's own title","layer":"bankpulse_inference"},"dates":{"prid":"md13155","mode":"four_dates_v1","published":{"label":"Published","value":"November 28, 2025","stated":true,"why":"The day RBI put this document out."},"effective":{"label":"Starts to apply","value":"","stated":false,"why":"Not stated separately in this document. Read the rule itself before you assume a start date."},"transition":{"label":"Time to get ready","value":"","stated":false,"why":"Cannot be worked out until the day it starts to apply is known."},"deadline":{"label":"Last date to act","value":"","stated":false,"why":"No date to act by was found in this document. Other dates may sit inside single paragraphs."},"sources":{"published":"doc_date in data/highlights/md13155.json","effective":"none held","transition":"none held","deadline":"none held"}},"rbi_source":{"url":"https://rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_ViewMasDirections.aspx?id=13155","document_date":"November 28, 2025","read_by_bankpulse":"2026-08-21 16:15:29 UTC","text_sha256":"7316b17c6a5e6204580526cfdc35a5107ba9e12b185ebcb74116aaaf216d8bcb","word_count":null,"standing_last_checked":"Standing checked on RBI’s Master Directions index, 15 September 2026, 5:58 am IST."},"counts":{"points_shown":30,"points_naming_an_rbi_paragraph":30,"points_stored":30,"actions":0,"amendments":1},"points":[{"n":1,"claim":"md13155-27e662d9","page_group":"Chapter I. Preliminary","stored_section":"KEY DATES","heading":"Start date","plain_english":"This rule takes effect immediately.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 2","rbi_char_offset":2904,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p1","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":2,"claim":"md13155-914b06f1","page_group":"Chapter I. Preliminary","stored_section":"WHO IT APPLIES TO","heading":"Who is covered","plain_english":"This rule applies to commercial banks, called 'banks' here.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 3","rbi_char_offset":2986,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p2","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":3,"claim":"md13155-b96bc7ef","page_group":"Chapter I. Preliminary","stored_section":"WHO IT APPLIES TO","heading":"Meaning of Commercial Banks","plain_english":"Commercial Banks here means normal banks and SBI, not Small Finance or Payment Banks.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 3","rbi_char_offset":3166,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":"The word banks on this page has a narrow meaning. It covers banking companies, the corresponding new banks and the State Bank of India. It leaves out small finance banks, payment banks and local area banks.","anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p3","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":4,"claim":"md13155-9a02b840","page_group":"Chapter I. Preliminary","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Renewal is not unsolicited","plain_english":"Issuing a card on renewal or replacement is not treated as an unsolicited card.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 5(22)","rbi_char_offset":8104,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":["credit-card"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p4","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":1,"claim":"md13155-dadac80e","page_group":"Chapter II. Conduct of Credit Card Business","stored_section":"WHO IT APPLIES TO","heading":"Credit card entry bar","plain_english":"Banks need a net worth of ₹100 crore or more to offer credit cards, with board approval.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 7","rbi_char_offset":9175,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"Board","team":null,"products_covered":["credit-card"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p5","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":2,"claim":"md13155-dd428397","page_group":"Chapter II. Conduct of Credit Card Business","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Unactivated card closure","plain_english":"An unactivated card must be closed free of cost within seven working days, if the customer gives no consent.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 11(6)","rbi_char_offset":14379,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":["credit-card"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p6","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":3,"claim":"md13155-c98b32cb","page_group":"Chapter II. Conduct of Credit Card Business","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Over-limit consent","plain_english":"Banks cannot let a customer go over their credit limit without the customer's explicit consent.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 12(5)","rbi_char_offset":18506,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p7","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":4,"claim":"md13155-ff9c7035","page_group":"Chapter II. Conduct of Credit Card Business","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Seven-day closure rule","plain_english":"Banks must close a credit card within seven working days of the customer's request.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 19","rbi_char_offset":21907,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":["credit-card"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p8","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":5,"claim":"md13155-8df9e982","page_group":"Chapter II. Conduct of Credit Card Business","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"₹500-a-day penalty","plain_english":"Late closure of a card costs the bank ₹500 per day, paid to the customer.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 19","rbi_char_offset":22742,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":"A cardholder asks to close the card and the account has nothing outstanding. The closure takes 10 days longer than it should. The customer is owed ₹500 for each of those days, which is ₹5,000.","anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p9","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":6,"claim":"md13155-0f698758","page_group":"Chapter II. Conduct of Credit Card Business","stored_section":"KEY DATES","heading":"Thirty days to update","plain_english":"Closure of a card account must be updated with credit information companies within 30 days.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 20","rbi_char_offset":23810,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p10","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":7,"claim":"md13155-7683fbe8","page_group":"Chapter II. Conduct of Credit Card Business","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Minimum due floor","plain_english":"The minimum amount due must not be less than ₹250 so that interest is not capitalised.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 23(2)","rbi_char_offset":27656,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p11","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":8,"claim":"md13155-fac71e46","page_group":"Chapter II. Conduct of Credit Card Business","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Three-day late fee rule","plain_english":"Banks can charge late fees only after a bill is three days overdue.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 23(5)","rbi_char_offset":28788,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":["credit-card"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p12","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":9,"claim":"md13155-0f90708a","page_group":"Chapter II. Conduct of Credit Card Business","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Billing dispute deadline","plain_english":"Banks must answer a billing dispute within 30 days.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 25","rbi_char_offset":31222,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p13","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":10,"claim":"md13155-13d9525f","page_group":"Chapter II. Conduct of Credit Card Business","stored_section":"WHO SHOULD ACT","heading":"Board-approved card policy","plain_english":"Each bank must have a board-approved policy for issuing and running credit cards.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 8","rbi_char_offset":9589,"weight":"DO IT","role":"Board","team":null,"products_covered":["credit-card"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p14","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":11,"claim":"md13155-88234efa","page_group":"Chapter II. Conduct of Credit Card Business","stored_section":"WHO SHOULD ACT","heading":"Withdraw the credit report","plain_english":"Credit information already reported for an inactivated credit card must be withdrawn at once.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 11(7)","rbi_char_offset":15823,"weight":"DO IT","role":"Compliance","team":null,"products_covered":["credit-card"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p15","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":12,"claim":"md13155-c1141aec","page_group":"Chapter II. Conduct of Credit Card Business","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Quote the annual rate","plain_english":"Card issuers must quote annualised percentage rates for purchases, transfers, cash advances and default.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 23(1)","rbi_char_offset":26035,"weight":"DO IT","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":["credit-card"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p16","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":13,"claim":"md13155-dc963e9d","page_group":"Chapter II. Conduct of Credit Card Business","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Unsolicited card penalty","plain_english":"Sending an unsolicited card that gets billed costs the bank twice the charges as penalty.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 11(4)","rbi_char_offset":12623,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p17","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":14,"claim":"md13155-c51f2c40","page_group":"Chapter II. Conduct of Credit Card Business","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Charges outside the limit","plain_english":"Interest and fees are not counted when working out limit usage or overlimit charges.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 12(5)","rbi_char_offset":19249,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":["credit-card"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p18","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":15,"claim":"md13155-7f07c81e","page_group":"Chapter II. Conduct of Credit Card Business","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Unused card closure","plain_english":"A card unused for over a year starts a closure process, after the customer is told.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 20","rbi_char_offset":23485,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":["credit-card"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p19","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":1,"claim":"md13155-19ac7d6d","page_group":"Chapter III. Issue of Debit Card by Banks","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Debit card is optional","plain_english":"A bank cannot force a debit card on a customer or tie it to another facility.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 48","rbi_char_offset":42530,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":["credit-card"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p20","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":2,"claim":"md13155-767ad1f6","page_group":"Chapter III. Issue of Debit Card by Banks","stored_section":"WHO IT APPLIES TO","heading":"Debit card condition","plain_english":"Banks can issue debit cards only to customers with a savings or current account.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 46","rbi_char_offset":42188,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":["credit-card","deposit-account"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p21","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":1,"claim":"md13155-7f6f5c22","page_group":"Chapter V. Co-branding Arrangement","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Co-branded cards","plain_english":"Banks don't need RBI's prior approval to launch co-branded cards, if they meet set conditions.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 54","rbi_char_offset":44135,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":["credit-card"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p22","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":1,"claim":"md13155-31c67494","page_group":"Chapter VI. General Guidelines for Credit and Debit Cards","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"30-day notice rule","plain_english":"Banks must give 30 days' notice before changing card terms.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 79","rbi_char_offset":53344,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p23","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":2,"claim":"md13155-6b8bdb8d","page_group":"Chapter VI. General Guidelines for Credit and Debit Cards","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Grievance officer on bills","plain_english":"Every card bill must list the grievance officer's name and contact details.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 83","rbi_char_offset":55063,"weight":"DO IT","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":["credit-card"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p24","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":3,"claim":"md13155-a4d582f7","page_group":"Chapter VI. General Guidelines for Credit and Debit Cards","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Ombudsman route","plain_english":"A customer may lodge a complaint with the Ombudsman of the Reserve Bank.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 85","rbi_char_offset":56745,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p25","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":1,"claim":"md13155-5972649e","page_group":"Chapter VIII. Repeal and Other Provisions","stored_section":"WHAT IT REPLACES","heading":"Older rules cancelled","plain_english":"This document cancels the earlier conduct rules for these institutions.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 93","rbi_char_offset":63434,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p26","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":2,"claim":"md13155-7fbea917","page_group":"Chapter VIII. Repeal and Other Provisions","stored_section":"WHAT IT REPLACES","heading":"Old actions preserved","plain_english":"Anything already done under the old rules stays governed by those old rules.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 94","rbi_char_offset":63662,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p27","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":3,"claim":"md13155-ae84b68d","page_group":"Chapter VIII. Repeal and Other Provisions","stored_section":"WHAT IT REPLACES","heading":"Approvals carried over","plain_english":"Approvals given under the cancelled rules are now treated as given under these rules.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 94","rbi_char_offset":63852,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p28","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":4,"claim":"md13155-cb5408f8","page_group":"Chapter VIII. Repeal and Other Provisions","stored_section":"IMPACT","heading":"Other laws still apply","plain_english":"These Directions add to other laws. They do not replace any of them.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 95","rbi_char_offset":64720,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p29","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":5,"claim":"md13155-13edf821","page_group":"Chapter VIII. Repeal and Other Provisions","stored_section":"WHO SHOULD ACT","heading":"RBI's reading final","plain_english":"RBI's interpretation of any part of these Directions is final and binding.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 96","rbi_char_offset":65171,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/md13155#p30","layer":"bankpulse"}],"actions":[],"amendments":[{"id":"nt13388","title":"Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Credit Cards and Debit Cards: Issuance and Conduct) - Amendment Directions, 2026","date":"Apr 27, 2026","rbi_url":"https://rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=13388&Mode=0","order":1,"layer":"rbi_source"}],"layers":{"rbi_source":"Facts taken from RBI's own document.","bankpulse":"BankPulse's plain-English summary of RBI's document.","bankpulse_inference":"BankPulse's own inference, not stated by RBI."},"rbi_wording_not_included":"By design. BankPulse never republishes RBI's exact sentences. Use rbi_paragraph with rbi_source.url to read RBI's own words.","terms":"BankPulse's plain-English summaries are BankPulse's own work. The underlying regulation is the Reserve Bank of India's. Always check the RBI document named in rbi_source before acting."}