ATM Rules Change: A major overhaul in ATM usage rules is on the horizon for bank customers. If you frequently withdraw cash from automated teller machines, staying informed about these updated guidelines is highly essential. Three major banks in the country have already announced new regulations regarding cash withdrawals and transaction limits, which will come into effect from April 1, 2026. These financial institutions include HDFC Bank, Punjab National Bank, and Bandhan Bank.
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New Withdrawal Limits for Punjab National Bank
Customers of Punjab National Bank (PNB) will need to be more cautious regarding high-value cash withdrawals. The bank has drastically reduced the daily transaction limit for several premium and regular debit cards. Previously, customers could withdraw up to Rs 1,00,000 per day, but under the new rules, this limit has been slashed to Rs 50,000. This restriction will apply to multiple debit cards, including RuPay Platinum, MasterCard Platinum, and VISA Gold variants.
Free Transaction Rules for HDFC and Bandhan Bank
Strict measures are also being introduced concerning free ATM usage limits.
HDFC Bank: Nowadays, many individuals withdraw cash from ATMs using UPI. HDFC Bank has stated that such UPI-based cash withdrawals will now be counted within the customer’s monthly free transaction quota. Exceeding this set limit will attract additional penalty charges.
Bandhan Bank: This bank is revising its free transaction rules for debit cardholders. Customers will be allowed a maximum of 5 free financial transactions per month at their own bank’s ATMs. However, there are no restrictions on non-financial transactions like balance checks. When using other bank ATMs, customers in metro cities will get 3 free transactions, while those in non-metro cities will enjoy 5 free transactions per month.
How This Impacts the General Public
Once these new regulations are implemented, customers will need to modify their daily banking habits. To avoid extra penalty charges, it would be wise to plan monthly cash transactions in advance. Since these rules will be enforced from April 2026, customers have a considerable amount of time to properly adapt to the upcoming changes.
