HIGHLIGHTS
- UPI transaction IDs containing special characters will no longer be valid starting February 1st, 2025.
- NPCI’s new rule mandates that all UPI transaction IDs must be strictly alphanumeric.
- Any transaction ID with special characters will be automatically rejected.
Starting February 1st, 2025, some Unified Payments Interface (UPI) users in India may experience issues while making payments. This is due to a new regulation introduced by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which aims to standardize transaction IDs across the UPI system.
New UPI Transaction ID Guidelines
The NPCI, which oversees India’s retail payments and settlement systems, has announced that UPI transaction IDs can no longer include special characters.
From February 1, 2025, transaction IDs must be strictly alphanumeric, meaning they can only contain letters and numbers. Any ID that includes special characters will be automatically rejected. This update was communicated through an official NPCI circular.
How to Fix and Avoid UPI Transaction Failures
To prevent payment disruptions, users should ensure that their UPI apps are updated to the latest version, as updates often include compliance adjustments and security enhancements.
Checking for any alerts or messages within the UPI app regarding NPCI’s new rules is also important. Before making a payment, verifying that the transaction ID adheres to the new alphanumeric format can help avoid issues.
