New UPI Rules Effective From February 14, 2026
Significant updates to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) are being introduced by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) starting February 14, 2026. These changes will affect all UPI users — including those on popular platforms like Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm and others — as well as merchants and businesses that rely on digital payments. The main goal of these changes is to improve UPI security, reduce system overload and enhance the overall transaction experience for users and banks across India.
Daily Balance Check Limits
Under the new rules, UPI users will be able to check their bank account balance a maximum of 50 times per day per UPI app. For example, if a user has both Google Pay and Paytm installed, they can check balance up to 50 times on each app — making a total of 100 daily checks across both. This cap is intended to reduce repeated load on backend systems caused by frequent balance inquiries.
Linked Account Details Access Capped
Users often switch between apps to view details of all their linked bank accounts. To manage infrastructure load, NPCI has now limited the number of times the “List Account API” can be triggered to just 25 times per app per day. This means UPI apps must manage and optimize how users view linked account details without overloading servers.
Autopay Payment Timing Changes
Recurring UPI transactions — such as subscriptions, EMIs, utility bill payments and auto-debits — will now only be processed during non-peak hours (early morning, mid-day and late evenings). Each autopay mandate can have up to four total processing attempts (original plus three retries). This is expected to significantly reduce system pressure and failure rates during high-traffic hours.
Inactive UPI IDs Will Be Disabled
UPI IDs that have not been used for 12 months or more will be automatically deactivated. Since mobile numbers can be reassigned or recycled, this step has been introduced to protect users’ accounts and prevent misuse.
Stronger Bank Account Linking Verification
Adding a new bank account to UPI will now involve more stringent verification and user authentication checks. The aim is to bolster security and ensure only authorized users link accounts — lowering the risk of fraud.
Faster API Response Time
The response time for key UPI transaction APIs will be reduced from 30 seconds to just 10 seconds. This change will make real-time transactions faster and smoother, improving reliability for all users.
UPI Credit Line Payments
From August 2026, a new facility will be introduced allowing users to make UPI payments or withdraw funds using a pre-approved credit line provided by a bank or non-bank financial company (NBFC). This is expected to benefit users who need access to short-term credit, overdraft funds or flexible payment options.
Why These Changes Matter
NPCI has emphasized that these updates aim to:
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Reduce unexpected server load
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Improve security standards
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Minimize transaction failures and delays
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Provide a smoother payment experience
UPI users — especially frequent digital payers, merchants, gig workers, shopkeepers and freelancers — should adapt their usage patterns accordingly to avoid disruption. Non-compliance could lead to API usage restriction, penalties or even service bans for some apps or banks.
