ATM rules 2021: Cash withdrawal, transaction charges to change soon

New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India had recently announced a couple of changes in the ATM rules. While these rules are in line with the long pressing demands by the payment services, banks and white label ATM operators for customers it also means a little more burden on their pocket.

Here are 5 big rule changes related to ATM card you must know

1. Effective August 1, 2021, banks are allowed to increase interchange fee per transaction from Rs 15 to Rs 17 for financial transactions and from Rs 5 to Rs 6 for non-financial transactions in all centres, the circular said. ATMs are deployed by banks for serving their own customers and also provide services to other banks' customers as acquirers where they earn interchange income.

2.  RBI has now permitted banks to increase charges for cash and non-cash ATM transactions beyond free monthly permissible limit from next year. "To compensate the banks for the higher interchange fee and given the general escalation in costs, they are allowed to increase the customer charges to Rs 21 per transaction. This increase shall be effective from January 1, 2022," the RBI said in a circular.

3. Bank customers will have to pay Rs 21 per transaction, instead of Rs 20, with effect from January 1, 2022, if they exceed the monthly limit of free transactions.

4. Customers are eligible for five free transactions (inclusive of financial and non-financial transactions) every month from their own bank ATMs.

5. Customers are also eligible for free transactions (inclusive of financial and non-financial transactions) from other bank ATMs viz. three transactions in metro centres and five transactions in non-metro centres. Beyond the free transactions, the ceiling/cap on customer charges is Rs 20 per transaction.