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Typical sting: up to ~β‚Ή1,300 per miss

⏰ Late payment fee

Short answer

A late payment fee is charged when your payment reaches the bank after the due date β€” slab-based on the outstanding amount, commonly up to around β‚Ή1,300 per miss (indicative, as of 2026). The bigger cost is the credit report: a sufficiently late payment is reported to the bureaus and dents your score.

What it is

A flat fee, set in slabs by the size of your outstanding balance, charged whenever the payment lands after the due date. GST applies on top.

Why it exists

It is a penalty for breaking the payment schedule, and a deterrent. The fee itself is usually smaller than the interest that accompanies it β€” because a late payment almost always means the bill was not cleared in full, which triggers finance charges too.

How much it is (indicative, as of 2026)

Fees are slab-based, rising with the outstanding amount, and commonly reach up to around β‚Ή1,300 for large balances. Small balances attract much smaller fees, and some issuers charge nothing below a threshold. Your card's exact slabs are in its schedule of charges.

The cost you cannot see on the statement

Once a payment crosses the reporting threshold your lender uses β€” typically 30 days past due β€” it appears on your credit report. Payment history is roughly 35% of a bureau score, which makes this the most expensive β‚Ή1,300 on the list by a wide margin.

How to make it β‚Ή0

Two independent layers: Set autopay for the Total Amount Due, and keep a repeating phone reminder three days before the due date. Autopay handles it; the reminder catches the month autopay fails because of a lapsed mandate or an empty account.

Three more practical notes:

  • Do not pay on the due date at 11pm. Transfers can take time to reflect. Treat the due date as the last possible day, not the plan.
  • Check what your autopay is set to. Many default to "minimum due", which prevents the late fee but leaves the balance accruing interest.
  • If your due date sits badly against your salary date, ask the bank to change the billing cycle. Most will.

If you have already missed one

Pay immediately β€” the amount reported to the bureau depends on how many days late you end up being. Then call and ask for a one-time reversal of the fee. Issuers often agree for a customer with an otherwise clean record, and there is no penalty for asking.

All figures on this page are indicative and dated. Rates and fees differ by bank and change over time. Always verify with your bank's official schedule of charges.

Frequently asked questions

Will one late payment hurt my credit score?

A payment a day or two late usually attracts the fee but is not necessarily reported, since lenders typically report at 30+ days past due. Once it crosses that threshold it does appear on your report, and payment history is roughly 35% of the score.

Can a late payment fee be waived?

Often yes for a first occurrence. Call the bank, explain, and ask for a one-time reversal β€” issuers frequently agree for customers with a clean history. It is a goodwill gesture, not a right, so do not build a plan around it.

Sources

The regulation and official pages this page is checked against. If one of them disagrees with us, it wins.

  1. Master Direction β€” Credit Card and Debit Card (Issuance and Conduct) Directions, 2022 β€” Reserve Bank of India
  2. FAQs on the Credit Card and Debit Card Master Direction β€” Reserve Bank of India
  3. FAQs β€” Understand Your Credit Score and Report β€” TransUnion CIBIL

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Written and checked by the CardSamajh editorial desk Β· Last reviewed: Β· How we check this

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