ATM Rules Changing from April 1: UPI Withdrawals to Be Counted, Charges May Apply

Major changes to ATM withdrawal rules are coming from April 1. Banks like HDFC Bank and Punjab National Bank (PNB) have announced these new rules. These changes will affect how you use ATMs, the fees you pay, and your daily withdrawal limits.

Under the new rule, withdrawing cash from an ATM using UPI will now be part of your free transaction limit. Earlier, these cardless withdrawals were treated separately. But now, even if you scan a QR code to get cash via UPI, it will count as one of your monthly free ATM transactions.

If you go over the free transaction limit your bank offers, they will charge you a fee of up to Rs 23 for every extra transaction. Right now, HDFC Bank gives you 5 free cash withdrawals a month at its own ATMs. For other bank ATMs, you get 3 free withdrawals in metro cities and 5 in non-metro cities.

The UPI ATM withdrawal process is also very simple. Customers just need to scan the QR code on the ATM screen and approve the transaction on their UPI app to get cash without a debit card. Many banks are rolling out this feature to encourage digital payments.

Additionally, PNB has decided to lower the daily cash withdrawal limit for some of its debit cards. The bank has not yet released the full details. Banks are advising customers to check their card's rules and use digital options like UPI or net banking for large transactions.