Kotak Mahindra Bank To Levy SMS Alert Fee From December; Waiver For Select Accounts & Balances | Banking and Finance News

Last Updated:November 11, 2025, 19:36 IST

Kotak Mahindra Bank will charge Rs 0.15 per SMS alert for Savings and Salary accounts from December 2025, with 30 free alerts monthly and waivers for higher balances.

Kotak Bank to Charge Rs 0.15 per SMS Beyond Free Limit Starting December

Starting December 2025, Kotak Mahindra Bank will begin levying nominal charges for SMS alerts related to transactions on Savings and Salary accounts. According to the bank, customers will be charged Rs 0.15 per SMS, with the first 30 alerts each month remaining free. The charges will apply once the free limit is exceeded.

These SMS alerts typically notify customers about key account activities, including UPI, NEFT, RTGS, and IMPS transfers, ATM withdrawals, cash deposits, cheque clearances, and debit or credit card transactions.

However, there is a waiver for accounts maintaining balances of Rs 10,000 (Rs 5,000 for 811 accounts).

While Kotak Mahindra Bank has clarified that the fee is nominal, the decision could impact users who rely heavily on text-based alerts rather than mobile app notifications.

It is important to note that Kotak Mahindra Bank isn’t the only bank that charges users for SMS alerts. Several other banks have also begun revising their SMS notification policies in recent months, citing operational costs and a gradual shift toward app-based and email notifications.

These types of accounts are excluded from charges: 

Varun Yadav

Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst…Read More

Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst… Read More

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