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Kotak Mahindra Bank To Levy SMS Alert Fee From December; Waiver For Select Accounts & Balances
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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:
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Private Banking Program
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Solitaire Program
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811 Super Savings Account
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Floating Rate Linked Savings Scheme
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Privy League Program (Neon, Platinum, Black)
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Kotak Easy Savings Account
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Non Resident Accounts
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Salary Account for Uniformed Services
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Pragathi Deposits
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Retail Banking RERA Savings Account
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Kotak Government Business Savings Account
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FCRA Utility Account
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Kotak Retail Institutional Savings Account
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Salary Account for Public Services
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BSBDA for BSS Microfinance
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Institutional Savings Account
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Corporate Salary Tax Refund Account
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SPENDZ
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Retail Banking Self Maintaining RERA SB A/C
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ESCROW Saving Account
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Kotak FCRA Savings Account
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Financial Inclusion Savings Accounts
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Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account (Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana)
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Xpress Limited KYC Saving Account
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
November 11, 2025, 19:36 IST
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