UPI or Card Payment Failed but Money Debited: Refund Timelines
Money debited but the UPI payment, card payment or IMPS transfer failed? Under RBI’s rules on failed transactions, your bank or payment provider must reverse the money within a fixed time, and pay ₹100 per day of delay after that. Here are the deadlines and how to complain.
RBI refund deadlines for failed transactions
| Type of transaction | Must be reversed within | Compensation if late |
|---|---|---|
| UPI / IMPS: debited but not credited to the receiver | T+1 day | ₹100 per day |
| Card at shop (POS) or online: debited but merchant not paid | T+5 days | ₹100 per day |
| Card-to-card transfer failed | T+1 day | ₹100 per day |
| ATM cash not dispensed | T+5 days | ₹100 per day |
T = the day of the transaction. Compensation is meant to be paid automatically.
What to do
- Don’t pay again straight away. Check whether the first payment went through.
- Raise a dispute in the app. Every UPI app has a Help / Raise Complaint option on the transaction. For card payments, contact your card issuer.
- Complain to your bank if it isn’t resolved in the time above. Keep the transaction ID / UTR number.
- Escalate to the RBI Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in if there’s no resolution within 30 days. For UPI, you can also use NPCI’s dispute redressal on its website.
If it’s fraud, not a failure
If the payment was unauthorised, report it immediately on 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in and inform your bank in writing. Quick reporting limits your liability under RBI rules.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a failed UPI refund take?
RBI’s limit is T+1 day for UPI transactions where money was debited but not credited. Many reverse within hours.
Related guides
Official links: RBI · NPCI. Easy Guide India is not affiliated with RBI, NPCI or any bank.