SBI ATM Rules 2026: New Free Transaction Limit, Charges & What Customers Should Know
The State Bank of India (SBI) has revised the number of free monthly ATM transactions available to its Salary Package Account holders when they use their SBI debit cards at ATMs and Automated Deposit-cum-Withdrawal Machines (ADWMs) operated by other banks.
The revised rule is effective from October 1, 2026. The free transaction limit at other banks' ATMs has been reduced from 10 transactions to five transactions per month for SBI Salary Package Account holders. The five-transaction limit covers both financial and non-financial transactions.
What Has Changed in SBI ATM Rules From October 1, 2026?
The key change applies to SBI Salary Package Account holders using their SBI debit cards at other banks' ATMs and ADWMs.
| Particular | Earlier | From October 1, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Free transactions at other-bank ATMs | 10/month | 5/month |
| Financial transactions after free limit | ₹23 + GST | ₹23 + GST |
| Non-financial transactions after free limit | ₹11 + GST | ₹11 + GST |
| Financial + non-financial transactions counted | Yes | Yes |
SBI's official service-charge page confirms that the number of free monthly transactions at other-bank ATMs/ADWMs for Salary Package Account holders was revised with effect from October 1, 2026.
Who Is Affected by the New SBI ATM Rule?
The change specifically concerns SBI Salary Package Account holders using their SBI debit cards at other banks' ATMs and ADWMs.
It applies across the different variants of SBI Salary Package Accounts and across centres. Both financial and non-financial transactions are counted within the five free transactions.
For example, transactions such as:
- Cash withdrawals
- Balance enquiries
- Mini statements
can count toward the applicable free transaction limit when performed at other banks' ATMs/ADWMs.
SBI ATM Charges After the Free Transaction Limit
Once the five free monthly transactions at other banks' ATMs/ADWMs have been exhausted, charges apply.
Financial transactions
A financial transaction, including a cash withdrawal, costs:
₹23 + GST per transaction
Non-financial transactions
A non-financial transaction costs:
₹11 + GST per transaction
These charges are based on SBI's revised ATM/ADWM service-charge schedule. SBI's December 2025 revision had already set the charges at ₹23 + GST for cash withdrawals and ₹11 + GST for non-financial transactions; the October 2026 change reduces the Salary Package Account free-transaction allowance from 10 to five.
Do SBI ATM Rules Apply to All SBI Customers?
No.
The October 1 revision specifically concerns the free monthly transaction limit for Salary Package Account holders at other banks' ATMs and ADWMs.
Regular SBI savings-account customers have separate ATM transaction rules and charges. Therefore, customers should check the rules applicable to their particular SBI account type rather than assuming that the five-transaction limit applies to every SBI customer.
What About Using an SBI ATM?
The October 2026 change is specifically about SBI Salary Package Account holders using other banks' ATMs/ADWMs.
SBI's ATM services page separately sets out the applicable free transaction limits and charges for SBI ATMs/ADWMs and other domestic-bank ATMs. Customers should therefore distinguish between transactions made at SBI machines and those made at other banks' machines.
For this reason, it is better not to assume that the new five-transaction limit means you can make only five ATM transactions of every kind across the entire SBI network.
How Can SBI Salary Account Customers Avoid ATM Charges?
Customers who frequently use other banks' ATMs can reduce the possibility of additional charges by:
- Using SBI ATMs where convenient.
- Combining cash withdrawals instead of making several small withdrawals.
- Checking their monthly ATM transaction count.
- Using UPI or SBI digital banking for transactions that do not require cash.
- Avoiding unnecessary balance enquiries and mini-statement requests at other-bank ATMs when digital alternatives are available.
Remember that non-financial transactions can also count toward the applicable free limit at other-bank ATMs for Salary Package Account holders.
Why Has SBI Reduced the Free ATM Limit?
The immediate change announced by SBI is a revision in the number of free monthly transactions for Salary Package Account holders at other-bank ATMs/ADWMs.
SBI's official service-charge page confirms the revision but does not, on the page reviewed, provide a detailed consumer-facing explanation for why the limit was reduced. Therefore, it is better not to attribute the change to a particular reason without an official SBI statement.
SBI ATM Rules 2026: Example
Suppose an SBI Salary Package Account holder makes the following transactions at other banks' ATMs during one month:
- 1st transaction — cash withdrawal
- 2nd transaction — cash withdrawal
- 3rd transaction — balance enquiry
- 4th transaction — cash withdrawal
- 5th transaction — mini statement
These five transactions fall within the revised monthly free limit.
If the customer then makes another financial transaction at an eligible other-bank ATM, the applicable charge would be ₹23 + GST.
A further non-financial transaction after the free limit would attract ₹11 + GST.
SBI ATM Rules 2026: Key Points
- The revised rule took effect on October 1, 2026.
- It applies to SBI Salary Package Account holders using SBI debit cards.
- The change concerns other banks' ATMs and ADWMs.
- The free monthly limit has been reduced from 10 to 5 transactions.
- Both financial and non-financial transactions count.
- Cash withdrawal after the free limit: ₹23 + GST.
- Non-financial transaction after the free limit: ₹11 + GST.
- The change does not mean that every SBI account holder now has a five-transaction limit.
SBI ATM Rules 2026 FAQs
How many free ATM transactions does an SBI salary account holder get at other banks' ATMs?
From October 1, 2026, SBI Salary Package Account holders get five free transactions per month at other banks' ATMs/ADWMs.
What is the SBI ATM charge after five free transactions?
For an eligible financial transaction after the free limit, the charge is ₹23 + GST. For a non-financial transaction, it is ₹11 + GST.
Do balance enquiries count as ATM transactions?
Yes. For the applicable Salary Package Account limit at other-bank ATMs, financial and non-financial transactions are counted. This can include services such as balance enquiries and mini statements.
Does the new SBI ATM rule apply to every SBI customer?
No. The October 2026 revision specifically concerns Salary Package Account holders using SBI debit cards at other banks' ATMs/ADWMs. Other SBI account types have their own applicable rules.
When did the new SBI ATM rule take effect?
The revised free-transaction limit came into effect on October 1, 2026.
How can I avoid SBI ATM charges?
Customers can reduce charges by planning cash withdrawals, keeping track of their monthly transactions, using SBI ATMs where convenient and using digital payment options such as UPI for transactions that do not require cash.
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