You need to pay a supplier ₹18 lakh today. RTGS looks like the obvious choice—but your banking app stops you at ₹10 lakh.
That does not mean RTGS itself has a ₹10 lakh maximum.
The Reserve Bank of India sets a ₹2 lakh minimum for RTGS and no upper ceiling. Any lower cap you see usually comes from your bank, account type, or channel.
That does not mean RTGS itself has a ₹10 lakh maximum.
The Reserve Bank of India sets a ₹2 lakh minimum for RTGS and no upper ceiling. Any lower cap you see usually comes from your bank, account type, or channel.
TL;DR
- The minimum RTGS amount is ₹2 lakh per transaction.
- RBI sets no maximum RTGS limit, but banks can impose their own online, mobile, account-level, or daily limits.
- RTGS is available 24×7×365, and beneficiary banks must normally credit the account within 30 minutes of receiving the transfer message.
- RTGS is a domestic INR payment system; it is not used for international transfers.
What is the RTGS limit per day?
There is no RBI-prescribed daily maximum for RTGS.
| RTGS rule | Current position |
|---|---|
| Minimum per transaction | ₹2,00,000 |
| RBI maximum per transaction | No upper ceiling |
| RBI daily maximum | No upper ceiling |
| Bank/channel limit | Can vary |
| Availability | 24×7×365 |
| Future-dated RTGS | Not supported |
So if your bank shows a ₹10 lakh, ₹20 lakh, or another ceiling, that is generally a bank or channel limit, not the RTGS system maximum.
What is the minimum RTGS limit?
The minimum amount for an RTGS transfer is ₹2 lakh.
You cannot use RTGS for ₹1.99 lakh. For amounts below ₹2 lakh, consider another eligible payment rail such as NEFT or IMPS.
Is there a maximum RTGS limit?
RBI does not prescribe a maximum amount for RTGS.
However, banks can impose their own:
- per-transaction limits
- daily transfer limits
- internet-banking limits
- mobile-app limits
- beneficiary or cooling-period limits
- corporate-user approval limits
This is why the maximum shown in your app may be much lower than the amount RTGS itself can carry.
Online vs branch RTGS limits
Branch and digital limits can differ.
Before a large payment, check the live limit for your bank + account type + channel rather than relying on a generic bank-limit table.
How can you increase your RTGS limit?
If your banking limit is too low:
- Check your transfer settings: Look for third-party transfer, transaction, or beneficiary limits.
- Request a higher limit: Your bank may allow this through internet banking, mobile banking, or a branch.
- Check cooling periods: A newly added beneficiary may temporarily have a lower limit.
- Use the appropriate corporate workflow: Business accounts may support maker-checker approvals or higher configured limits.
- Contact the bank for very large payments: Additional verification or documentation may apply.
What are the RTGS charges?
RBI stopped charging banks its own RTGS processing charges from 1 July 2019, but that does not mean every outward RTGS transaction must be free to every customer.
RBI's current customer-charge framework is:
| RTGS transaction | Maximum charge |
|---|---|
| Inward RTGS | Free |
| ₹2 lakh to ₹5 lakh outward | Up to ₹25 + applicable tax |
| Above ₹5 lakh outward | Up to ₹50 + applicable tax |
Banks can charge less, and many offer zero-charge digital RTGS for eligible accounts.
How long does an RTGS transfer take?
RTGS settlement happens in real time at the system level.
Under normal circumstances:
- the beneficiary bank receives the funds in real time
- it must credit the beneficiary account within 30 minutes of receiving the RTGS message
- the remitting bank receives a positive confirmation after credit
RTGS has been available 24×7×365 since 14 December 2020.
There is no RBI-prescribed daily 11:30 PM–12:30 AM shutdown. Individual banks may have temporary maintenance windows for their own digital channels.
What should you check before sending RTGS?
RTGS payments are final and irrevocable once settled in RBI's books, so accuracy matters.
Check:
- beneficiary account number
- beneficiary name
- bank and branch
- IFSC
- amount
- account being debited
RBI has also directed banks to provide beneficiary account-name lookup for RTGS and NEFT, including through internet banking, mobile banking, and branches.
Use that verification where available before approving a high-value transfer.
What happens if an RTGS payment fails?
If the beneficiary bank cannot credit the payment, it must return the funds to the originating bank within one hour of receiving the payment at the Payment Interface or before the end of the RTGS Business Day, whichever is earlier.
The original debit should then be reversed.
Every RTGS transaction also has a 22-character UTR, or Unique Transaction Reference, which your bank can use when investigating a delayed or disputed transfer.
Do large RTGS payments need an LEI?
For single NEFT or RTGS payments of ₹50 crore and above by non-individual entities, RBI requires remitter and beneficiary Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) information.
Individual customer transactions are generally outside this requirement.
RTGS vs NEFT vs IMPS
| Feature | RTGS | NEFT | IMPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | High-value transfers | Broad bank transfers | Instant retail transfers |
| RTGS minimum | ₹2 lakh | No RTGS-style ₹2 lakh minimum | Bank/provider limits apply |
| Processing | Real-time, transaction-by-transaction | Batch-based | Immediate |
| Availability | 24×7×365 | 24×7×365 | 24×7 |
For a payment above ₹2 lakh where real-time settlement matters, RTGS is often a natural fit. For smaller transfers, NEFT or IMPS may be more suitable.
Can RTGS be used for international payments?
No. RTGS is an Indian domestic payment system for transfers between RTGS-enabled bank branches.
If you need to collect from international customers, you need a cross-border payment route instead.
PayGlocal's Multi-Currency Accounts support collections in 130+ global currencies from 180+ countries, with local collection rails, INR settlement, payment tracking, automated FIRA, and applicable EDPMS/e-BRC support for exporters.
