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If a merchant adds a line item specifically for paying by UPI, ask what it covers and request that the charge be removed or refunded. Keep the itemized bill and your UPI payment record. India’s Reserve Bank of India (RBI) says banks and system providers may not impose direct or indirect charges on people making or receiving payments through prescribed electronic modes, and UPI is one of those modes. That rule does not automatically settle every separately described delivery, platform or other service fee, so check the exact wording and circumstances before treating any extra amount as a UPI surcharge.
Can a shop charge extra for paying by UPI?
Start by separating a payment fee from the price of something else. A bill line explicitly described as a “UPI charge” or a fee for choosing UPI is different from a separately identified service, such as delivery. Ask the merchant to explain the line item and its basis. If it is specifically a fee for paying by UPI, ask for it to be removed before you pay or refunded if you have already paid.
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The central rule to know is in section 10A of India’s Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. In its FAQ, the RBI states that, effective 1 January 2020, “no bank or system provider shall impose, whether directly or indirectly, any charge upon a person making or receiving a payment” using electronic modes prescribed under section 269-SU of the Income Tax Act. The RBI also says the Central Board of Direct Taxes notified UPI (BHIM-UPI) as one of those prescribed modes on 30 December 2019. This is a rule about charges imposed by banks or system providers on people making or receiving payments; it should not be stretched into a blanket conclusion about every separate merchant fee or service charge.
A merchant-side payment acceptance charge is often called a merchant discount rate, or MDR. The Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance, Government of India, published an FAQ on MDR for select UPI person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions on 15 September 2026. The existence of MDR treatment for select transactions does not, by itself, establish that a customer owes a UPI fee. Do not assume that a merchant’s acceptance costs are automatically payable by you, or that every separately described amount is unlawful. Identify what the merchant actually charged and who imposed it.
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First check what the line item means
Compare the itemized bill with the payment confirmation before making a complaint. The label, amount, timing and recipient can help establish whether this is a dispute about the merchant’s pricing, a charge by a bank or payment provider, an unauthorized debit, or a failed transaction.
- “UPI charge” or “payment fee”: Ask whether the amount was added because you chose UPI. If so, request its removal or a refund and keep the merchant’s answer.
- “Convenience fee”: Ask what service it covers, whether it applies to other payment methods, and when it was disclosed. The label alone does not establish whether it is a UPI fee or a separate service charge.
- A named service, delivery or platform fee: Ask what service it covers and whether it was part of the agreed price. The RBI rule on charges imposed by banks and system providers does not, on its own, resolve the treatment of every separately contracted merchant fee.
- A debit or fee shown by your bank or payment provider: Check the transaction details and contact the provider if you believe it imposed a UPI transaction charge. The RBI FAQ addresses charges imposed by banks and system providers on people making or receiving payments through prescribed modes.
- Money debited but no merchant confirmation: Treat this as a possible failed transaction, not simply a bill surcharge. The applicable reversal timelines depend on what happened to the payment.
How to ask for a UPI fee to be removed or refunded
Raise the issue with the merchant first when the disputed amount appears on the merchant’s bill. Be specific about the line item and ask for an explanation rather than relying on a broad claim that every extra charge is illegal. If the merchant confirms that the charge is for choosing UPI, request removal before payment or a refund afterward.
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- Check the bill and payment record. Record the exact description and amount of the disputed line. Confirm whether the UPI payment completed and whether the merchant received confirmation.
- Ask the merchant to identify the charge. Request a written explanation of what it covers, who imposed it and whether it is specifically tied to your choice of UPI. If you are still at the point of sale, ask for a revised bill before paying.
- State the remedy you want. If the merchant says it is a fee for paying by UPI, ask them to remove it or refund it. If they say it is for a separate service, ask what the service is and how the charge relates to your transaction.
- Save evidence. Keep the itemized bill or receipt, merchant name and details, UPI transaction reference or ID, date and time, amount, and any written messages. If the merchant changes the bill, retain the original and revised versions where possible.
- Escalate to the relevant payment provider only when appropriate. If the issue concerns an app, bank, account debit, transaction status or provider-imposed charge, raise it with that provider and retain the complaint number. A provider may be able to investigate its own transaction records, but a merchant pricing dispute is not automatically a failed-payment complaint.
Keep the request factual: identify the transaction, quote the disputed bill description, explain why you believe it is specifically a UPI fee, and ask for removal or refund. A clear record helps if you later need to show what you asked and how the merchant responded. It does not guarantee that the merchant will agree or that a complaint will result in a refund.
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The right channel depends on who imposed the charge and what happened to the transfer. NPCI says a merchant can check UPI transaction status or raise a grievance with its acquiring bank. That is useful for a merchant checking a payment-status problem; it is not a promise that the acquiring bank will decide a disagreement about the merchant’s bill.
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| What happened | First place to raise it | What to retain or request |
|---|---|---|
| A merchant bill includes a fee specifically for paying by UPI | The merchant | Itemized bill, transaction record, explanation of the charge, and request for removal or refund |
| You believe your bank or payment provider imposed a UPI transaction charge | The bank or provider that applied the charge | Account entry, transaction reference, date, amount, and complaint number |
| Your account was debited, but the merchant did not receive confirmation | Your payment app or bank; the merchant can also check status or contact its acquiring bank | Transaction reference, debit record, merchant details, and provider complaint number |
| You did not authorize the debit | Your bank or payment provider promptly | Transaction details and the report or complaint number; describe it as unauthorized, not merely a disputed bill item |
| A regulated entity has not resolved a service complaint | The entity’s complaint process first, then consider the RBI Integrated Ombudsman Scheme if eligible | Your original complaint, the entity’s response or lack of response, and supporting records |
Be precise when reporting the issue. A completed UPI payment followed by a disputed bill addition is different from an unauthorized debit. Both are different from a payment that was debited but not confirmed at the merchant location. Giving the bank or app the correct description helps direct the complaint to the relevant process.
When RBI’s failed-transaction reversal rules apply
RBI’s failed-transaction framework covers specific payment failures. It is not a general refund mechanism for a completed payment when the customer disputes a charge on the merchant’s bill.
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- Funds transfer: If the payer’s account is debited but the beneficiary account is not credited, the RBI circular sets a reversal deadline of T+1. Compensation of ₹100 per day applies for delay beyond T+1 in that specified situation.
- Payment to a merchant: If the customer’s account is debited but transaction confirmation is not received at the merchant location, auto-reversal is due within T+5. Compensation of ₹100 per day applies for delay beyond T+5 in that scenario.
Here, T is the transaction date; the circular expresses deadlines as T+1 and T+5. The RBI says the prescribed turnaround time is an outer limit and that applicable compensation should be credited without waiting for a customer claim. These deadlines and compensation amounts relate to the matching failed-transaction facts. If the merchant received confirmation and the disagreement is only about an added bill item, do not describe it as a failed payment to claim an automatic reversal under this framework.
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Escalating a complaint about a bank or payment provider
If your complaint is about a bank, payment app or other regulated entity’s service, raise it with that entity first and keep the complaint reference and response. The RBI Integrated Ombudsman Scheme 2026 took effect on 1 July 2026 and provides a cost-free grievance mechanism for eligible complaints about regulated entities. Before escalating, check the scheme’s scope and follow its required initial complaint process; an unresolved disagreement with a merchant is not automatically a complaint against a regulated entity.
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Organize the records so the issue is easy to understand: the disputed amount, the transaction reference, what happened, who you contacted, when you contacted them, and what response you received. Use the provider’s complaint process for a problem attributable to that provider. If the provider says the merchant received the payment and the complaint concerns the merchant’s bill, continue pursuing the pricing issue with the merchant rather than assuming the provider can decide it.
What the latest UPI fee figures do—and do not—show
In a release dated 15 September 2026, the DFS described UPI as remaining free for peer-to-peer transactions and 96% of merchant transactions. The named figure is 96% of merchant transactions; the available release text does not provide the underlying calculation or explain the remaining share. It should therefore be quoted with its source and date, not treated as proof that a particular customer owes a charge, or that every merchant transaction has the same pricing treatment.
The DFS also published an FAQ on MDR for select UPI P2M transactions on that date. “Select” matters: the FAQ title does not establish that MDR applies to every merchant or transaction. Nor does a merchant-side MDR, where applicable, alone show that a customer is responsible for paying a UPI surcharge. For an individual bill, the practical question remains what the line item actually covers and who imposed it.
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Keep a compact record of the dispute
Before closing the matter, make sure you can reconstruct both the bill and the payment. Keep:
- The original itemized bill or receipt, including the exact disputed wording.
- The UPI transaction reference or ID, date and time, amount, and payment status.
- The merchant’s name and contact details, plus any revised bill or refund receipt.
- Written messages or notes of the merchant’s explanation and your request.
- The bank or app complaint reference and any response, if you raised a provider issue.
This record helps distinguish a specific payment fee from a separate service charge and a completed payment from a failed or unauthorized transaction. It also gives the merchant or provider the key details needed to locate the relevant bill or payment.
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