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What an extra payment charge means
MDR, or merchant discount rate, is a charge associated with a merchant’s acceptance of electronic payments. The rules discussed here concern MDR specifically. If a shop adds an amount under another name—such as a “convenience fee”—the label alone does not show whether it is MDR or establish whether the fee is allowed. The RBI materials cited below do not resolve every separately named fee.
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For any disputed amount, identify three things before drawing a conclusion: which payment mode you used, what the shop says the charge is for, and who imposed it. A merchant-added amount, a payment provider’s fee, and a card issuer’s charge are not necessarily the same kind of charge. Check the bill or transaction record to see whether the amount appears as a separate merchant line item, and ask the shop to explain it. That helps describe the dispute accurately; it does not by itself decide whether a fee is permitted.
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Rules by payment mode
| Payment mode | What RBI’s cited material says about MDR | What that means for a customer |
|---|---|---|
| UPI | The Government directed that MDR not be collected on UPI transactions from January 1, 2020, as reported by RBI. | A shop should not collect UPI MDR. The cited material does not settle whether every separately described platform or convenience fee is MDR or otherwise permissible. |
| RuPay debit card | The Government-directed no-MDR rule applies to RuPay debit-card transactions from January 1, 2020, according to RBI. | A shop should not add RuPay debit MDR to the customer’s bill. |
| Other debit cards | RBI’s 2017 circular instructed banks to ensure merchants they onboard do not pass debit-card MDR to customers. RBI’s later report distinguishes non-RuPay debit-card MDR from the no-MDR treatment of UPI and RuPay debit cards. | A merchant should not pass debit-card MDR to a customer. Do not confuse this no-pass-through instruction with the later government direction specifically naming UPI and RuPay debit cards. |
| Credit cards | In an August 3, 2023 response, RBI said it had issued no instructions on levying charges on credit-card transactions. | That is not a declaration that every credit-card surcharge is permitted. The cited RBI statement does not resolve card-network rules, acquiring arrangements, contracts, or other applicable law. |
This comparison is about the payment rail and the identity of the fee. It is not a simple rule that all electronic payments are treated alike. UPI and RuPay debit have a specific no-MDR direction from 2020; the 2017 circular separately instructs banks not to let onboarded merchants pass debit-card MDR to customers. RBI’s account also distinguishes non-RuPay debit-card MDR from the specific UPI and RuPay no-MDR direction. Credit cards have a different answer in the material: RBI has said it issued no instructions on credit-card levies, which is narrower than saying that a particular fee is lawful.
RBI’s 2023 response reproduces the query, “Can a merchant take extra charge of 3% on the payment by credit cards or 2.5% on the payment by debit cards from the customer?” The practical answer is not to treat those percentages as a universal rule: the debit-card MDR pass-through instruction is clear, while RBI’s statement about credit cards is limited to the instructions it has issued. A number quoted by a shop does not override the distinction between the payment instrument and the type of charge.
Why debit-card MDR caps are not customer surcharges
RBI’s circular of December 6, 2017 set maximum MDR rates for merchants based on previous-financial-year turnover and the type of acceptance infrastructure. These are limits on merchant-side MDR, not permission for a shop to add the same percentage to a customer’s bill. The circular also says banks should ensure merchants they onboard do not pass debit-card MDR on to debit-card customers; that instruction took effect January 1, 2018. See the RBI debit-card MDR circular.
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| Merchant’s previous-year turnover | Physical POS or online card transaction | QR-code-based card acceptance |
|---|---|---|
| Up to ₹20 lakh | Maximum 0.40%, capped at ₹200 per transaction | Maximum 0.30%, capped at ₹200 per transaction |
| Above ₹20 lakh | Maximum 0.90%, capped at ₹1,000 per transaction | Maximum 0.80%, capped at ₹1,000 per transaction |
These figures describe the merchant-side caps in RBI’s 2017 circular. They do not tell a customer what a merchant may add as a surcharge; the circular separately directs banks to prevent debit-card MDR pass-through. For example, seeing “0.40%” in a discussion of the circular does not mean a shop may add 0.40% to a debit-card bill. The cap is framed around the merchant’s turnover and acceptance infrastructure, and it applies to MDR charged on the merchant side.
The table is also not a schedule of fees for all digital payments. It describes debit-card MDR categories in the 2017 circular: physical point-of-sale (POS) or online card transactions, and QR-code-based card acceptance, with different limits depending on whether the merchant’s previous-financial-year turnover was up to ₹20 lakh or above it. The transaction caps—₹200 or ₹1,000—are part of those merchant-side limits. They are not extra amounts a customer should expect to see on a receipt.
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RBI’s later banking report says the Government directed that MDR shall not be collected for UPI and RuPay debit-card transactions from January 1, 2020, while discussing capped MDR for non-RuPay debit cards. Read the RBI banking report for that distinction. The sequence matters: the circular took effect on January 1, 2018, and the report records the later Government direction effective January 1, 2020 for UPI and RuPay debit-card transactions.
How to assess the fee on your bill
A useful first check is to compare the amount charged with the payment choice. If the extra amount appears only after selecting UPI, a debit card, or a credit card, note that connection and ask the merchant to state exactly what it represents. If it is described as MDR, the applicable RBI material differs by mode: debit-card MDR should not be passed on to the customer, and MDR is not to be collected on UPI and RuPay debit-card transactions under the direction reported by RBI. If the shop instead describes a separate fee, the sources here do not settle it simply by its name.
Next, identify who is imposing the charge. A merchant may add a line to the bill; a payment provider may describe a fee in a separate transaction flow; an issuer may post a charge to an account. Those situations should not be collapsed into one category. Ask for an itemised bill or a written explanation where possible, and retain the response. If a fee is charged on a credit-card transaction, ask what basis the merchant relies on and check the transaction with your card issuer. RBI’s limited statement on credit-card instructions does not answer all questions about network rules, acquiring arrangements, contracts, or other law.
Keep the payment mode precise when you describe the issue. “Card” may mean debit or credit, and the material does not treat those as identical. Likewise, saying “digital payment” obscures the difference between UPI and a card transaction. A complaint that says which instrument was used, how much was added, how it was described, and who charged it is easier to assess than one that only says “extra fee.”
What to do if a shop adds a fee
- Ask what the fee is. Request that the merchant identify the charge, its amount, and the payment mode to which it applies. Ask whether it is being described as MDR or as a separate fee. If it is a card payment, clarify whether the card was debit or credit; if it was debit, identify the card network if known.
- Keep the evidence. Save the bill, payment receipt or transaction record, and any written explanation of the charge. Note the payment mode and amount. Keep the merchant’s description rather than relying only on memory, especially if the amount is labelled “convenience,” “service,” or something similar.
- For a card charge you dispute, contact the card issuer. RBI’s August 3, 2023 response says an account holder may raise a grievance with the card issuer. Include the transaction record and the merchant’s explanation. Be clear about whether you dispute the charge itself, its description, or its calculation.
- Escalate an unresolved issuer complaint through RBI’s route. If you are dissatisfied with the issuer’s response, or receive no response within one month, RBI says you may lodge a grievance under the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme through the Complaint Management System (CMS) portal, by email, or by physical submission to the Centralised Receipt and Processing Centre. Details are in RBI’s response.
Keep copies of the original payment record and any issuer correspondence so that the escalation can be described against the timeline: first raise the grievance with the card issuer, then consider the RBI route if the response is unsatisfactory or there has been no response within one month. The source describes this route for a card-charge grievance; it does not establish that the same process applies to every UPI merchant dispute.
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The cited escalation route concerns card-charge disputes with an issuer. It does not establish that the same process applies to every UPI merchant dispute. If the disputed payment was made through UPI, do not assume from this card guidance alone that the Integrated Ombudsman route is the right complaint channel for that merchant issue.
What RBI’s credit-card statement does—and does not—settle
RBI’s August 3, 2023 response states: “Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has not issued any instructions on levy of charges on Credit Card transactions.” This describes RBI’s instructions, not a complete ruling on whether a particular merchant’s surcharge is lawful. The material cited here does not establish the effect of card-network rules, acquiring agreements, or other applicable law on a particular fee.
The distinction is important for both customers and merchants. It would overstate the RBI response to turn “no instructions” into a blanket permission for every credit-card surcharge. It would also be inaccurate to apply the debit-card MDR circular as though it directly answered the credit-card question. For a disputed credit-card charge, request the merchant’s stated basis and contact the issuer to raise the transaction concern.
RBI’s 2024 amendment to its card-issuance and conduct directions concerns card issuers; the cited material does not provide a general merchant surcharge rule. If a shop adds a credit-card fee, ask for its basis and check the transaction with your issuer rather than assuming either that the charge is automatically allowed or that RBI’s debit-card MDR rule answers the credit-card question.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently asked questions
Can a shop add a fee when I pay by UPI?
RBI’s 2022–23 report says the Government directed that MDR not be collected on UPI transactions from January 1, 2020. That addresses MDR, not every possible fee that might be separately described as a platform or convenience fee. Ask the merchant what the charge represents; the cited sources do not settle every separately named fee.
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Can a shop pass debit-card MDR on to me?
RBI’s December 6, 2017 circular says banks should ensure merchants they onboard do not pass debit-card MDR charges to customers. That instruction took effect January 1, 2018. The later no-MDR direction reported by RBI specifically names UPI and RuPay debit-card transactions from January 1, 2020; do not conflate that statement with the broader debit-card no-pass-through instruction.
Do the 0.40% and 0.90% figures mean I can be charged that much?
No. The 0.40%, 0.30%, 0.90%, and 0.80% figures are merchant-side debit-card MDR caps from the 2017 circular, subject to turnover, acceptance type, and per-transaction limits. They are not a customer surcharge schedule. The circular separately instructs banks to ensure onboarded merchants do not pass debit-card MDR on to customers.
Does RBI say credit-card surcharges are allowed?
No such blanket conclusion follows from the cited response. On August 3, 2023, RBI said it had not issued instructions on levying charges on credit-card transactions. That is not an affirmative finding that every surcharge is lawful; the reviewed material does not resolve network rules, acquiring arrangements, contracts, or other applicable law.
Where do I complain about a disputed card fee?
Start by raising the grievance with the card issuer and keep the transaction record and the merchant’s explanation. RBI says a customer who is dissatisfied with the issuer’s response, or receives no response within one month, may complain under the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme through the CMS portal, email, or physical submission to the Centralised Receipt and Processing Centre. This guidance is for card-charge disputes and does not establish the same route for every UPI merchant dispute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a shop add a fee when I pay by UPI?
RBI’s 2022–23 report says the Government directed that MDR not be collected on UPI transactions from January 1, 2020. That addresses MDR, not every possible fee separately described as a platform or convenience fee; the cited sources do not settle every such charge.
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Can a shop pass debit-card MDR on to me?
RBI’s 2017 circular says banks should ensure merchants they onboard do not pass debit-card MDR to customers. That instruction took effect January 1, 2018. The later no-MDR direction reported by RBI specifically names UPI and RuPay debit-card transactions.
Do the RBI MDR percentages mean a customer can be charged that amount?
No. The percentages are merchant-side debit-card MDR caps, varying by turnover and acceptance type, and subject to transaction caps. They are not a customer surcharge schedule.
Does RBI say credit-card surcharges are allowed?
No blanket conclusion follows. RBI said on August 3, 2023 that it had issued no instructions on levying charges on credit-card transactions; that does not establish that every surcharge is lawful.
Where should I complain about a disputed card fee?
Start with the card issuer. If its response is unsatisfactory or there is no response within one month, RBI says you may complain under the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme through the CMS portal, email, or physical submission. This cited route concerns card-charge disputes.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: A shop should not pass debit-card MDR on to customers, and RBI reports that MDR is not to be collected for UPI and RuPay debit-card transactions from January 1, 2020. Merchant-side debit-card MDR caps are not customer surcharges. For credit cards, RBI says it has issued no instructions on levies—not that every surcharge is lawful. Ask what a disputed fee represents, keep the receipt, and take card-charge disputes to the issuer first; after an unsatisfactory response or no response within one month, RBI identifies an Integrated Ombudsman route.
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