YES Bank has announced new charges and fee adjustments for its Smart Salary account holders, effective from October 1, 2025. These updates will affect various services, including debit card fees, ATM withdrawal allowances, cheque penalties, and cash handling charges.
Major Changes Affecting Account Holders
YES Bank Smart Salary accounts—covering the Advantage, Exclusive, Platinum, and Platinum Pro variants—remain zero-balance provided regular salary credits continue. However, if a salary is not credited, account holders must maintain an average monthly balance (AMB) to avoid extra fees.
Debit Card Fees
- The Smart Salary Advantage Account issues a RuPay Debit Card with a Rs 199 setup fee.
- For the Exclusive, Platinum, and Platinum Pro variants, the joining and renewal fees are waived as long as salary credits of at least Rs 10,000 occur in one of three consecutive months, or if the required AMB is maintained. Otherwise, standard card charges apply: RuPay Debit Card for Rs 199, Element Card for Rs 329, Engage Card for Rs 399, and Explore Card for Rs 599.
ATM Usage Charges
- Both the Smart Salary Advantage and Exclusive accounts offer up to three free monthly ATM transactions at metro ATMs, and up to five at non-metro ATMs. Transactions exceeding this are charged at Rs 23 for financial and Rs 10 for non-financial activities.
- International ATM withdrawals cost Rs 150 per use, while balance inquiries abroad are Rs 20 each.
- Failed transactions, either at ATMs or POS due to insufficient funds, cost Rs 25 per decline.
- Cross-currency mark-up fees stand at 3%, and replacing a lost or stolen card costs Rs 199.
Cheque Returns, Cash Limits, and Other Key Details
- At branches, account holders are allowed free cash transactions up to Rs 1 lakh or two deposits/withdrawals each month. Any amount or instance beyond this is billed at Rs 4.5 per Rs 1,000—with a minimum fee of Rs 150.
- Non-maintenance charges are only levied if salary credits or AMB requirements are not met over three months, with charges ranging from 5% to 10% of the shortfall, capped at Rs 750.
- Cheque return due to insufficient funds attracts a Rs 500 fee for the first case and Rs 750 for repeat occurrences. Technical returns are charged at Rs 50 each, and outward cheque returns will now be billed at Rs 350 per event.
- Electronic clearing service (ECS) returns cost Rs 550 initially and Rs 600 subsequently.
- Additional branch services, such as stop payment of cheques or obtaining a paper statement, are chargeable at Rs 100 per request.
These revised charges are designed to encourage routine account activity while introducing higher costs for exceeding the specified limits or failing to meet set criteria. Understanding these updates can help account holders manage their finances and avoid unnecessary fees.
