Cheque Clearance New Rule : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced a major change in cheque clearing rules, effective from October 4, 2025. Initially, this new system will be implemented in major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai, under their respective clearing grids, and later it will be rolled out across the entire country. Let’s understand the complete details below.
Cheque Clearance New Rule : RBI’s Major Decision
Currently, cheque clearance usually takes one to two days. However, starting October 4, 2025, the RBI will introduce a Fast Cheque Clearing System under which the cheque amount will be credited to the account on the same day it is deposited — eliminating the waiting time.
Under the new system, all cheques deposited between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM will have their images and details scanned and sent immediately to the clearing house. Banks must confirm these cheques by 7:00 PM.
If a bank fails to respond within this time, the cheque will be automatically cleared.
Cheque Clearance New Rule : Implementation in Two Phases
Phase 1:
From October 4, 2025, to January 2, 2026, banks will have time until 7:00 PM to confirm cheque clearances.
Phase 2:
From January 3, 2026, banks will get only three hours to confirm a cheque. For example, if a cheque is sent at 10:00 AM, it must be cleared by 2:00 PM.
This will make the cheque clearing process even faster and more efficient.
Initially, this system will apply to major cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai) and later expand nationwide. This will improve banking infrastructure quality and provide a smoother cheque payment experience for customers.
Appeal to Customers
RBI has also made the Positive Pay System mandatory for high-value cheques. In this system, customers must share key cheque details with their bank in advance, helping reduce the risk of fraud and preventing unauthorized or incorrect cheques from being cleared automatically.
This change will benefit both customers and businesses — ensuring faster payments, reducing transaction uncertainty, and improving cash flow management.
It will also enhance the efficiency and reliability of the banking system.
RBI’s Advice to Customers
RBI has advised customers to:
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Fill out cheques carefully.
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Ensure all details are accurate.
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Maintain sufficient balance in their accounts.
This will help reduce cheque rejection and make the overall process smoother.