Debit card charges India banks levy look small one by one, but annual fees, ATM fees, replacement fees and minimum balance penalties can quietly take a few hundred rupees a year from a savings account. This page compares the main debit card charges India customers pay in 2026, with a dated source for every table. Fees are set by each bank and change often, so confirm the amount for your exact card and account with the bank and check the Reserve Bank of India guidelines on customer charges before acting.
Debit Card Charges India 2026: The Short Version
Entry-level debit cards cost roughly Rs 0 to Rs 250 a year before 18% GST, and most banks waive the fee in the first year. Premium and rewards variants run from Rs 500 to well above Rs 1,000. Beyond the free monthly ATM transactions, banks can charge up to Rs 23 plus GST per cash withdrawal. Minimum balance penalties apply mainly on private bank savings accounts, while basic and zero-balance accounts have none.
Debit Card Annual Fee (AMC) by Bank
Debit card annual maintenance charge by bank, October 2026
| Bank | Annual fee (before GST) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| State Bank of India | Rs 125 on Classic; up to Rs 350 by variant | Charged from the second year |
| HDFC Bank | Rs 150 to Rs 750 | Depends on card variant |
| ICICI Bank | Nil, except Coral Rs 499 | Coral fee is a joining fee |
| Axis Bank | Nil to Rs 1,500 | See variant table below |
| Federal Bank | Up to Rs 750 contactless, Rs 500 other | |
| Indian Bank | Up to Rs 150 | Rs 60 rural and semi-urban, Rs 120 metro and urban |
| Union Bank of India | Up to Rs 400 | |
| Indian Overseas Bank | Rs 250 RuPay Classic and Platinum, Rs 800 RuPay Select |
Source: BankBazaar debit card AMC guide, updated 7 Oct 2026. PNB, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, Kotak and several others are not itemised in that source.
Axis Bank debit card fees by variant, effective 1 September 2026
| Variant | Annual fee | Joining fee | Replacement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burgundy Private and Burgundy | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Priority | Nil | Nil | Rs 200 |
| Mastercard Debit | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| RuPay Classic | Rs 150 | Rs 150 | Rs 300 |
| Visa Platinum and RuPay Platinum | Rs 200 | Rs 200 | Rs 200 |
| Prime | Rs 200 | Rs 200 | Rs 300 |
| Liberty | Rs 300 | Rs 200 | Rs 200 |
| Prestige | Rs 500 | Rs 500 | Rs 200 |
| Value Plus | Rs 750 | Rs 750 | Rs 200 |
| Delight | Rs 1,500 | Rs 1,500 | Rs 200 |
Source: Axis Bank fees and charges for debit cards, effective 1 Sep 2026. All amounts exclude 18% GST. Burgundy and Priority fees apply if the account is downgraded.
ATM Withdrawal and Other Debit Card Charges India Banks Apply
ATM, replacement and foreign transaction charges
| Charge | Typical amount | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Free ATM transactions | 5 a month at other banks in non-metros, 3 in the six metros | BankBazaar, 7 Oct 2026 |
| Cash withdrawal beyond free limit | Up to Rs 23 plus GST (Axis: Rs 23) | BankBazaar, 7 Oct 2026; Axis, 1 Sep 2026 |
| Balance enquiry (Axis) | Rs 10 domestic, Rs 25 international | Axis, 1 Sep 2026 |
| International cash withdrawal (Axis) | Rs 125 per transaction | Axis, 1 Sep 2026 |
| Cross-currency markup (Axis) | 3.5% on international purchases and withdrawals | Axis, 1 Sep 2026 |
| Card replacement (Axis) | Nil to Rs 300 by variant | Axis, 1 Sep 2026 |
| SBI cash deposit to a third-party account via ATM | Rs 22 plus GST | BankBazaar, 7 Oct 2026 |
Foreign currency spending on a debit card is far costlier than it looks. For a full comparison of foreign transaction markups, watch for our forex card and credit card forex markup page, and see the credit card charges India comparison for credit card fees.
Minimum Balance and Zero-Balance Account Charges
Debit card charges India customers see on a statement are only part of the cost of holding an account. Many private bank savings accounts also charge a penalty when the monthly average balance falls short of the required level. The RBI leaves the minimum balance requirement to individual banks, so the rule differs from bank to bank.
Minimum monthly average balance and penalty, private banks
| Bank | Regular savings: metro or urban | Semi-urban | Rural | Typical penalty per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Bank | Rs 10,000 | Rs 5,000 | Rs 2,500 | Up to Rs 600 plus GST |
| ICICI Bank | Rs 10,000 | Rs 5,000 | Rs 2,000 | Up to Rs 500 plus GST |
| Axis Bank | Rs 10,000 | Rs 5,000 | Rs 2,500 | Up to Rs 600 plus GST |
| Kotak Mahindra Bank | Rs 10,000 (Kotak 811 digital: nil) | Nil on 811 | Nil on 811 | Nil on 811 |
Source: CitizenNest minimum balance guide, updated 20 Jun 2026 (figures indicative as of May 2026). Public sector banks such as SBI have withdrawn average balance penalties on regular savings accounts, though this source still lists older slabs for them, so verify with the bank.
Zero-balance account options
| Account | Who offers it | Key feature |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account (BSBDA) | All scheduled banks | No minimum balance, free basic debit card, limited free withdrawals |
| Jan Dhan (PMJDY) | Public sector banks and some private banks | No minimum balance, no penalty |
| Kotak 811 | Kotak Mahindra Bank | Digital savings with no minimum balance |
| Salary accounts | Most banks | Zero balance while salary is credited each month |
Source: CitizenNest, 20 Jun 2026. Some websites claim a blanket RBI rule from April 2026 abolishing minimum balance everywhere. We could not find that in RBI material, and the RBI Governor said in August 2025 that minimum balance is for banks to decide, so treat that claim as unverified.
How to Lower Debit Card Charges India Customers Pay
Choose a variant with a nil annual fee when you open the account, or ask the bank to downgrade a premium card you do not use for lounge access or rewards. Use your own bank’s ATMs and stay inside the free monthly limit. Prefer UPI and card swipes over repeated small cash withdrawals. For foreign trips, avoid debit cards with a 3.5% markup. If you are comparing accounts, see our savings account interest rate comparison, the guide to credit card vs debit card, and card fraud protection tips.
Hidden Costs Behind Debit Card Charges India Customers Miss
Most debit card charges India banks levy are deducted automatically from the linked account, usually in the card anniversary month, so they rarely feel like a decision. A fee of Rs 200 plus GST is Rs 236 a year, and a family with four cards can lose close to Rs 1,000 annually without ever noticing. The first year is often free, which is why the charge appears only after you have stopped paying attention to the account.
Replacement, PIN and SMS charges
Besides the annual fee, a replacement card for loss, theft or damage can cost anywhere from nothing to Rs 300 depending on the variant, and some banks add separate fees for duplicate PIN generation or paper statements. SMS alert charges have largely moved into the account package, but they can still appear on older accounts. Check the schedule of charges once a year and drop any add-on you do not use.
When a premium debit card is worth it
Premium debit cards carry airport lounge access, higher withdrawal limits, cashback and insurance cover. A Rs 500 to Rs 1,500 annual fee only makes sense if you use lounge visits or reward categories enough to recover the cost. For most salaried customers with modest spending, an entry-level or nil-fee variant is cheaper, and the savings are better spent on a card you will actually use,.
Debit card versus UPI for everyday payments
For small payments, UPI carries no fee for the customer and is accepted almost everywhere, so a debit card is mainly useful for ATM withdrawals, offline retail and international use. Keeping a nil-fee debit card for those purposes and paying everything else by UPI is the cheapest combination.
What This Comparison Does Not Cover
This page is not exhaustive. Annual fees are itemised for eight banks and Axis Bank is shown variant by variant. PNB, Bank of Baroda, Canara, Bank of India, Central Bank, UCO, Punjab and Sind Bank, Kotak, Yes Bank, IDFC FIRST and small finance banks are not covered because no dated source was available. Minimum balance figures for public sector banks and small finance banks are also missing. Premium and corporate variants differ widely, and bank fee schedules change, so always read the bank’s schedule of charges for your account.
FAQs on Debit Card Charges India
What are the main debit card charges India banks levy?
The main debit card charges India banks apply are the annual maintenance charge, joining or issuance fee, replacement fee, ATM withdrawal fee beyond the free limit, foreign transaction markup and 18% GST on these fees.
Which bank has no debit card annual fee?
ICICI Bank does not charge an annual fee on most debit cards (Coral is the exception at Rs 499), and Axis Bank charges nil on Mastercard Debit, Burgundy and Priority variants, according to the sources above.
How many free ATM withdrawals do I get every month?
Usually five free transactions at other banks’ ATMs in non-metro locations and three in the six metro cities, plus your own bank’s free limit. Beyond that, banks can charge up to Rs 23 plus GST per withdrawal.
Is there a penalty for not keeping a minimum balance?
It depends on the bank and account. Private banks charge up to about Rs 500 to Rs 600 a month plus GST on regular savings accounts, while basic, Jan Dhan, Kotak 811 and salary accounts have none.
Does RBI require zero minimum balance on every account?
No. The RBI Governor has said banks decide minimum balance requirements. Only basic savings (BSBDA) and Jan Dhan accounts are zero-balance by design.
Related Resources
Also read the best credit cards in India and the credit card billing cycle guide.
Compare: forex markup India 2026: credit card and forex card charges compared for foreign transaction fees on debit cards.
Related guide: Read our guide on how to close a bank account in India.