RBI master-direction RBI/DOR/2025-26/244 · 28 Nov 2025
Official title
Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks – Responsible Business Conduct) Directions, 2025 (Updated as on July 1, 2026)
Summary
Check the official recordThe Reserve Bank of India consolidates regulatory instructions on customer service and conduct for Local Area Banks (LABs). These directions mandate board-approved policies for customer service, safe deposit lockers, and lending practices. LABs must provide a Key Facts Statement for retail and MSME loans, ensure transparent auction procedures for gold collateral, and follow specific protocols for settling claims of deceased customers. The directions establish requirements for Basic Savings Bank Deposit Accounts, doorstep banking for senior citizens, and the management of inoperative accounts. LABs must implement these measures to ensure fair treatment, transparency, and effective grievance redressal. These directions replace previous instructions on responsible business conduct for LABs.
What you must do
Key dates
Who is affected
Thresholds
Exceptions
If you do not comply
RBI/DOR/2025-26/244 DOR.MCS.REC.No.163/01-01-035/2025-26 November 28, 2025
Previous Versions
Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks - Responsible Business Conduct) Directions, 2025 (Updated as on July 1, 2026)
Customer service holds great significance in the financial services sector. The Reserve Bank of India has, over the years, issued various instructions with a focus on enhancing the level of customer service and ensuring fair conduct towards customers by banks. These directions are issued with an aim to consolidate the various regulatory instructions on customer service and conduct aspects issued by the Reserve Bank of India to Local Area Banks at one place.
Accordingly, in exercise of the powers conferred by Sections 21, 35A, 45ZC(3) and 45ZE(4) of Banking Regulation Act, 1949, and all other provisions / laws enabling the Reserve Bank of India (hereinafter called the ‘Reserve Bank’) in this regard, the Reserve Bank being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient in the public interest so to do, hereby, issues the Directions hereinafter specified.
(1) ‘Accounts with survivorship clause’ means joint deposit accounts styled as ‘either or survivor’, or ‘anyone or survivor’, or ‘former or survivor’ or ‘latter or survivor’ or any other such clause.
(2) ‘Apostille’ means a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document (e.g., a birth, marriage or death certificate, a judgment, an extract of a register or a notarial attestation). Apostilles can only be issued for documents issued in one country party to the Hague Apostille Convention and that are to be used in another country which is also a party to the Convention. In India, such attestations are done by Ministry of External Affairs.
(3) Annual Percentage Rate (APR) means the annual cost of credit to the borrower which includes interest rate and all other charges associated with the credit facility.
(4) Bank induced Transaction means a transaction in the account initiated by the LAB as per its extant policy such as charges, fees, interest payments, penalties, taxes.
Note: Illustrative list of bank induced transactions is as under: (i) All types of charges levied by LABs including taxes deducted. (ii) Interest paid on savings bank account balances.
(5) Bank Rate means the rate published by Reserve Bank in terms of Section 49 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
(6) Benchmark Prime Lending Rate (BPLR) shall have the same meaning as defined in the Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks - Interest Rates on Advances) Directions, 2025.
(7) Consumer Credit refers to the loans given to individuals, which consists of (i) loans for consumer durables, (ii) credit card receivables, (iii) auto loans (other than loans for commercial use), (iv) personal loans secured by gold, gold jewellery, immovable property, term deposits (including FCNR(B)), shares and bonds, etc., (other than for business / commercial purposes), (v) personal loans to professionals (excluding loans for business purposes), and (vi) loans given for other consumptions purposes (e.g., social ceremonies, etc.). However, it excludes (a) education loans, (b) loans given for creation / enhancement of immovable assets (e.g., housing, etc.), (c) loans given for investment in financial assets (shares, debentures, etc.), and (d) consumption loans given to farmers under KCC.
(8) Current Account shall have the same meaning as defined in the Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks - Interest Rate on Deposits) Directions, 2025.
(9) Customer shall mean a user or a potential user of banking services and may include: (i) a person or entity that maintains an account and/or has a business relationship with the bank; (ii) one on whose behalf the account is maintained (i.e., the beneficial owner); (iii) beneficiaries of transactions conducted by professional intermediaries, such as Stock Brokers, Chartered Accountants, Solicitors, etc., as permitted under the law, and (iv) any person or entity connected with a financial transaction which can pose significant reputational or other risks to the bank, say, a wire transfer or issue of a high value demand draft as a single transaction.
(10) Customer induced transaction means the transaction in an account which is in the nature of: (i) a financial transaction initiated by or done at the behest of the account holder by the bank/ third party or; (ii) a non-financial transaction, or; (iii) KYC updation done in face-to-face physical mode or through digital channels such as internet banking or mobile banking application of the bank.
Note: Illustrative list of financial transactions is as under: (a) ATM/ Cash withdrawal/deposit (b) RTGS / NEFT/ IMPS /UPI/ AePS/ ABPS Transactions (c) Internet Banking Transactions (d) Debit Card Transactions (e) Transfer of funds from / to the linked CBDC(e-Rupee) account (f) Cheque Clearing (g) Remittance of funds by way of demand drafts (h) Cash withdrawal by third party through cheque (i) Standing Instructions issued by the customer (j) NACH Debit / Credits (k) Term Deposit Interest / proceeds (l) Dividend on shares / Interest on Debentures or any other investment proceeds (m) Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) credits (n) Refunds such as related to e-commerce payments, Income Tax Returns, etc. (o) National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) debits
(10a)¹ Digital Payment Transaction shall have the same meaning as “Electronic Funds Transfer” defined in section 2(c) of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
(11) Equated Periodic Instalment (EPI) is an equated or fixed amount of repayment, consisting of both the principal and interest component, to be paid by a borrower towards repayment of a loan at periodic intervals for a fixed number of such intervals; and which result in complete amortisation of the loan. EPIs at monthly intervals are called EMIs.
(12) Equivalent e-document shall have the same meaning as defined in the Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025.
(13) Eligible Collateral shall have the same meaning as defined in the Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks – Credit Facilities) Directions, 2025.
