If an Indian ATM shows a debit but gives you no cash, contact the bank that issued your card and ask it to register a failed ATM cash-withdrawal complaint. For a covered domestic ATM transaction, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) sets an outer limit of T + 5 calendar days for reversal, where T is the transaction date. If the debit is not reversed by then, the RBI framework provides ₹100 for each day of delay beyond T + 5, credited to your account. The bank should apply any compensation due automatically; you do not need to wait to make a separate compensation claim.

This guide covers a withdrawal that appears in your account but was not paid out, whether the ATM belongs to your bank or another bank. If the ATM dispensed some, but not all, of the requested cash, report the exact shortfall. The RBI table states the no-cash case expressly, so ask the bank to explain in writing how it treats a partial dispense rather than assuming the same calculation applies.

First, make a record and report the debit

Before leaving the ATM, if it is safe and practical:

  1. Note the date and approximate time, ATM address or identifier, bank or ATM operator shown on the machine, amount requested, amount actually received, and any screen message.
  2. Keep the ATM slip if one printed. Save the debit SMS or app entry and a screenshot or statement showing the transaction. Do not share your PIN, full card number, OTP, CVV, or banking password with anyone claiming to investigate.
  3. Contact the card-issuing bank using the number on your card, its official app, website, or statement. Ask for a complaint/reference number and written acknowledgement. State clearly: “ATM cash was not dispensed; my account was debited.” Identify the ATM and transaction and say whether you received no cash or only part of it.
  4. If the ATM displays a complaint number or operator contact, you may report it there too. Still file with your card-issuing bank: RBI consumer guidance directs customers to bring failed ATM transactions to that bank.
  5. Check the account over the next few days. A reversal can appear as a separate credit, not necessarily as deletion of the original debit. Save the date and amount of any credit.

You do not need to wait for the bank’s investigation before recording the complaint. The ₹100-per-day payment is tied to delay beyond the RBI timeline, and the circular says compensation must be credited automatically wherever it is payable.

How the deadline works

RBI defines T as the calendar date of the transaction, not the date you noticed the debit or filed a complaint. For “customer’s account debited but cash not dispensed” at an ATM, including a micro-ATM, reversal must be completed no later than T + 5 days. These are calendar days, so weekends and public holidays do not pause the count. The circular calls this an outer limit and says providers should resolve failures sooner.

Example transaction dateT + 5 outer limitWhat to check
10 October15 OctoberLook for the full debit amount to be credited by the deadline.
30 October4 NovemberIf still not credited after the deadline, ask the bank to check the reversal and any applicable delay compensation.

The circular sets compensation at ₹100 per day of delay beyond T + 5. The bank should credit it to the account without waiting for a separate claim. The rule does not say the ATM operator’s cash shortage excuses a late reversal; it defines a failed transaction to include reasons not attributable to the customer, expressly including ATM cash unavailability and communication failures.

This framework applies to domestic transactions where both parties are in India. If your withdrawal was at an overseas ATM or has a different fact pattern, this specific timeline may not apply; ask the card issuer to identify the applicable scheme and rule in writing.

What if the bank says the ATM paid the money?

Ask the issuer to register the dispute anyway and provide its findings in writing. Give the transaction date, amount, ATM location or ID if available, and the precise cash shortfall. Ask the bank to explain what records it reviewed and how it reached its decision.

If you received less than the requested amount, say how much actually came out and how much is disputed. Keep any partial cash separate from the missing amount in your records. The 2019 RBI table expressly says “cash not dispensed”; it does not spell out the calculation where the ATM dispenses only part of the requested amount. Ask the bank to explain its treatment and compensation calculation against the transaction record. Escalate an unresolved or unexplained decision through the bank’s grievance process and, if eligible, the RBI grievance route below.

If you see a debit you did not authorise, a second debit, or another suspicious transaction, tell the bank that this is also an unauthorised-transaction concern and report it immediately through official bank channels. That is a different issue from an authorised withdrawal that failed to dispense cash; do not wait for the T + 5 period to report suspected fraud.

If the bank does not resolve it

Use this sequence and keep copies of each acknowledgement and response:

  1. Card-issuing bank: File the grievance in writing or through an official channel and retain the complaint number. State the withdrawal date, debit, cash received (zero or partial), ATM details, and the reversal or compensation you seek under RBI/2019-20/67.
  2. Bank’s grievance escalation: If the first response does not resolve the issue, use the bank’s published grievance escalation or nodal-officer route. Include the original complaint number and attach the account entry, ATM slip if available, and earlier replies. Ask for the bank’s transaction investigation result and its calculation of any amount due.
  3. RBI Ombudsman under the current scheme: First approach the bank and retain proof. The Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026 has been in force since 1 July 2026. It replaced the 2021 scheme for complaints received from that date. Complaints received before 1 July 2026, appeals arising from decisions under the 2021 scheme, and execution of awards under that scheme remain governed by the 2021 scheme and related instructions. Under RBI’s current FAQ, you may approach the Ombudsman if you are dissatisfied with the bank’s reply or resolution, or if it has not replied within 30 days (or a longer timeline specified by RBI, NPCI, or a card network, where applicable). A complaint generally must be filed within 90 days of the applicable waiting period expiring or the bank’s last communication, whichever is later. Your original complaint to the bank must also be within the Limitation Act period. Check the current FAQ and Scheme for eligibility and exclusions before filing.

The RBI Complaint Management System accepts eligible complaints. RBI’s FAQ also lists filing by email to crpc@rbi.org.in and physical submission to the Centralised Receipt and Processing Centre, RBI, Central Vista, Sector 17, Chandigarh – 160017. RBI’s contact centre at 14448 can guide you on filing and status; it does not itself accept the complaint. The Ombudsman process has maintainability conditions. A complaint to RBI is not a substitute for first complaining to the bank.

Keep this evidence together

  • Bank statement or app evidence showing the debit and any later reversal.
  • ATM receipt, if issued; otherwise your own note of the time, location, ATM identifier, and screen message.
  • Requested amount and exact amount actually received.
  • Bank complaint number, date filed, and copies of follow-ups and replies.
  • Your calculation: transaction date (T), T + 5 deadline, reversal date, and days of delay after that deadline.
  • If the bank disputes the cash shortfall, its written investigation result and the specific basis for denying or adjusting your request.

Share account and card evidence only through official, secure bank or RBI channels. Redact card or account digits and unrelated transactions from documents submitted to a public forum or anyone who does not need them.

Quick checklist

  • I recorded the transaction date, ATM location or ID, amount requested, and cash actually received.
  • I reported the failed withdrawal to my card-issuing bank and saved the complaint number.
  • I checked whether the debit was reversed by T + 5 calendar days.
  • If reversal was late, I asked the bank to confirm any ₹100-per-day compensation credited automatically under RBI/2019-20/67.
  • If unresolved, I escalated with the bank and checked the current RBI Ombudsman Scheme 2026 filing window and eligibility.

Official sources

Sources checked on 30 October 2026. The applicable RBI directions and Scheme govern; the summary here does not determine an individual complaint.

A debit you did not authorise follows different reporting and liability rules; see the unauthorised bank transaction guide. A payment you approved but sent to the wrong recipient has a different dispute route; see the wrong UPI transfer guide. For other unresolved purchases or services, read the consumer complaint guide.

If the bank has restricted access to your account, the frozen bank account guide explains the separate records and questions to check.

Questions

What should I do if an ATM debits my account but gives no cash?

Contact the bank that issued your card through an official channel, report that the ATM did not dispense cash, and keep the complaint number, transaction details, and account evidence.

How long does an Indian bank have to reverse a failed ATM withdrawal?

For a covered domestic transaction where the account was debited but cash was not dispensed, RBI's failed-transaction framework sets an outer limit of T + 5 calendar days, where T is the transaction date.

What compensation applies if the ATM debit is reversed late?

The RBI framework provides ₹100 for each day of delay beyond T + 5 for the covered ATM failure. The bank should credit applicable compensation automatically; ask it to confirm the reversal and calculation.

Can I approach the RBI Ombudsman if my bank does not resolve the complaint?

The RBI's 2026 Integrated Ombudsman Scheme has prior-complaint, waiting-period, limitation, eligibility, and other maintainability requirements. Check the current Scheme and FAQ after first approaching your bank.

General information only, not legal or financial advice. The applicable timeline and complaint route depend on the transaction facts, issuer, and current official directions. Confirm your case with the card-issuing bank and check the current RBI scheme before filing a complaint.
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