SBI ATM Charges: SBI Ends Unlimited Free Transactions for Salary Accounts? Check New Rules
SBI ATM Charges: Significant news has emerged for millions of customers of the country’s largest public sector lender, State Bank of India (SBI). If you are an SBI customer who frequently uses an ATM card for withdrawals, this update is crucial for your financial planning. Starting December 1, 2025, major changes regarding ATM usage rules and charges are implemented.
The revised charges will primarily apply to the usage of other banks’ ATMs, officially known as Non-SBI ATMs. The bank has cited the increase in interchange fees—the cost banks pay each other for network usage—as the primary reason for this hike.
New Charges for ATM Withdrawals
For regular savings account holders, a specific number of transactions remain free of cost. However, once you exhaust this free limit and use a Non-SBI ATM, you will now have to shell out more money than before.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the revised charges announced by SBI:
- For Cash Withdrawals: After exhausting the free limit, withdrawing cash from a non-SBI ATM will cost ₹23 plus GST per transaction. Previously, this charge was ₹21 plus GST.
- For Non-Financial Transactions: Services such as balance enquiries or mini statements at non-SBI ATMs will now incur a charge of ₹11 plus GST per transaction, up from the earlier ₹10 plus GST.
To understand the changes better, refer to the table below:
| Transaction Type | Old Charge (Non-SBI ATM) | New Charge (From Dec 1, 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Withdrawal | ₹21 + GST | ₹23 + GST |
| Non-Financial (Balance Check etc.) | ₹10 + GST | ₹11 + GST |
Major Setback for Salary Accounts
Perhaps the most significant change affects Salary Package Savings Accounts. Until now, SBI salary account holders enjoyed the privilege of unlimited free transactions at other banks’ ATMs. However, effective December 1, 2025, this benefit is being curtailed.
Under the new rules, Salary Package account holders will be capped at 10 free transactions per month at non-SBI ATMs. Any usage beyond this limit will attract charges similar to regular accounts. This is certainly unwelcome news for salaried employees who rely on the convenience of nearby ATMs.
Who Remains Unaffected?
There is some relief as the rules for certain account types remain unchanged:
- Regular Savings Accounts: The limit remains the same. Customers will continue to get 5 free transactions per month (financial and non-financial combined) at non-SBI ATMs. The higher charges apply only after crossing this limit.
- BSBD and KCC Accounts: Basic Savings Bank Deposit (BSBD) accounts and Kisan Credit Card (KCC) accounts are exempt from these revisions. Their charges and rules remain exactly as they were.
Reason Behind the Revision
When a customer uses an ATM belonging to a bank other than their own, the issuing bank pays an ‘interchange fee’ to the bank that owns the ATM. Due to a recent hike in these interchange fees across the industry, SBI has decided to pass on a portion of this cost to customers for transactions exceeding the free limit.
