The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) sets detailed conduct rules for credit card issuers. On 28 November 2025 it consolidated them into the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Credit Cards and Debit Cards: Issuance and Conduct) Directions, 2025, and issued a parallel set for card-issuing non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) that contains the same core rules on closing cards, minimum dues, late payment charges, activation and unsolicited cards. This guide summarises the rights these rules give you, as set out in the commercial bank directions.
No card, upgrade or higher limit without your consent. Your consent to a card, and to any product sold with it, must be explicit, not implied. Issuing unsolicited cards or upgrades is prohibited: if an unsolicited card or upgrade is activated without your explicit consent and you are billed for it, the issuer must reverse the charges immediately and pay you a penalty of twice the amount reversed. Any loss from misuse of an unsolicited card is the issuer's responsibility, not yours. Issuers must not upgrade your card or raise your credit limit unilaterally, and must take your explicit consent whenever the terms and conditions change. Spending beyond your limit also needs your prior explicit consent.
Closing your card. You must be able to ask for closure through several channels, such as a helpline, a dedicated email address, an automated phone line (IVR), a clearly visible link on the website, internet banking or the mobile app. Once your dues are paid, the issuer must close the card within seven working days. If it doesn't, it must pay you ₹500 for every calendar day of delay until the account is closed, provided nothing is outstanding (as of September 2026). Any credit balance left in the account after closure must be transferred to your bank account. If a card has not been used for more than a year, the issuer can start closing it after informing you; if you don't reply within 30 days, it closes the account, subject to dues being paid, and updates the credit information companies within 30 days.
Bills and statements. Issuers must send bills without delay and give you at least a fortnight to pay before interest is charged. If you dispute a bill, the issuer must give you an explanation, and documentary evidence where applicable, within 30 days of your complaint. You can change your billing cycle at least once, choosing any date for the cycle to start or end. Refunds and reversed transactions credited before the due date must be adjusted against what you owe immediately.
Your information. Issuers must not share information collected when you open the account or receive the card with anyone else without your explicit consent covering the purpose and the organisations involved. A co-branding partner must not be given access to your account details in a way that breaks the issuer's secrecy obligations.
Debt collection. Issuers and their recovery agents must follow the Fair Practices Code for lenders. They must not intimidate or harass anyone, verbally or physically, humiliate you in public, intrude on the privacy of your family, referees or friends, make threatening or anonymous calls, or make false and misleading statements. Every communication from a recovery agent must carry the name and contact details of a senior officer of the issuer, and issuers must use random checks and mystery shopping to make sure their agents are trained, including on calling hours and the privacy of customer information.
Complaints. Each issuer must run a grievance redressal mechanism and print the name and contact details of its grievance redressal officer on bills and statements. Complaints must be acknowledged with a complaint or docket number, even when made by phone. Issuers must compensate you for lost time, expenses, financial loss, harassment and mental anguish caused by their fault or by a grievance not redressed in time. If the issuer does not respond within 30 days, rejects your complaint or leaves you unsatisfied, you can complain to the RBI Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in. Under the Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026, which took effect on 1 July 2026, filing is free and a complaint must be made within 90 days of the issuer's timeline expiring or its last reply, whichever is later. Our guide to card fraud, disputes and complaints covers the Ombudsman process in more detail.