Sharing your UPI PIN with a family member is not a safe way to let them make payments from your bank account. UPI Circle is designed to provide a more controlled alternative: a primary UPI user can authorise a trusted secondary user to make payments under defined permissions.
BHIM supports UPI Circle Full Delegation. The BHIM terms specify a maximum ₹15,000 monthly limit and ₹5,000 per transaction for Full Delegation, along with other conditions. Here is what the feature means and what to check before enabling it.
What is UPI Circle?
UPI Circle is a delegation feature within the UPI ecosystem. It links a primary user with a secondary user, allowing the secondary user to initiate permitted UPI payments without being given the primary user's UPI PIN.
- Primary user: The account holder who creates and manages the delegation.
- Secondary user: The trusted person authorised to make payments under the chosen permission.
- Full Delegation: The primary user sets a spending limit within which the secondary user can make payments without asking for approval for each individual payment.
- Partial Delegation: The secondary user initiates a payment request, but the primary user must approve it before it is completed.
Availability and exact steps can vary by UPI app and bank. This guide focuses on BHIM's published terms.
BHIM Full Delegation: published limits
BHIM's UPI Circle terms list the following conditions for Full Delegation:
- Monthly spending limit: Up to ₹15,000.
- Maximum per transaction: ₹5,000.
- Secondary users: Up to 5 users can be linked.
- Minimum authorisation term: 1 month.
- Maximum authorisation term: 5 years.
- Cooling period after linking: 30 minutes before a transaction can be initiated.
These are maximums in the published terms, not a recommendation to authorise the maximum amount. Set a lower limit if the secondary user only needs a small allowance.
Read the BHIM UPI Circle terms and conditions.
Full vs Partial Delegation
- Full Delegation: The secondary user can pay within the authorised limit. This may suit a trusted family member with routine, predictable spending.
- Partial Delegation: The primary user approves each payment request. This is more suitable when the primary user wants to review every transaction.
- Primary user's role: Under either arrangement, the primary user should verify the secondary user, monitor activity and revoke access when it is no longer required.
If you want to give a child or dependent a small routine spending allowance, Full Delegation may be convenient. If you want to review every payment before money leaves the account, Partial Delegation is the more controlled arrangement.
How to think about setting it up on BHIM
App screens can change with updates, so use the current UPI Circle option shown in BHIM rather than relying on old screenshots. In general, the primary user should:
1. Update the BHIM app and sign in using their own registered account.
2. Open the UPI Circle option if it is available in the app.
3. Add the intended secondary user using the app's linking process.
4. Verify the secondary user's identity and UPI details carefully before authorising.
5. Select Full or Partial Delegation, then set an appropriate limit and authorisation period where offered.
6. Ask the secondary user to accept the invitation/linking request using their own device and app.
7. Wait for the cooling period to finish before expecting transactions to work.
8. Review the transaction history regularly and revoke access when it is no longer needed.
The exact menu labels and linking sequence may change. Follow the instructions displayed in the official BHIM app.
Important safety points
Never share your UPI PIN or OTP
UPI Circle is intended to let a secondary user transact through their own authorised access. Do not disclose your UPI PIN, OTP, screen lock or banking password to make delegation work.
The primary user remains responsible
BHIM's terms say the primary user is responsible for verifying the secondary user and for transactions and actions performed by the authorised secondary user. Delegation is not the same as opening a separate bank account or transferring ownership of the funds.
Monitor transactions and revoke access when needed
The primary user can view transactions made under UPI Circle and can modify or revoke authorisation. Check the history and remove access promptly if a phone is lost, a relationship changes or the permission is no longer required.
Start with a small limit
Do not automatically assign the maximum ₹15,000 monthly limit. Choose an amount that matches the person's real spending needs and review it after a few weeks.
Be alert to impersonation
Do not approve an unexpected UPI Circle request. Verify the person through a separate trusted channel before linking them. Never follow a caller's instructions to share an OTP or PIN.
Frequently asked questions
Can a family member use UPI Circle without knowing my UPI PIN?
The purpose of delegation is to let the secondary user make authorised payments through their own linked access, rather than using the primary user's UPI PIN. Never share the primary PIN.
What is the maximum BHIM UPI Circle Full Delegation limit?
BHIM's published terms state up to ₹15,000 per month and ₹5,000 per transaction for Full Delegation. The app and bank may apply additional controls.
How many secondary users can be linked?
BHIM's terms state that up to five members/users can be linked. Each can be assigned Full or Partial Delegation.
Can I stop a family member's access?
The primary user can modify or revoke the authorisation. The secondary user can also de-link their UPI ID, subject to the app's process.
Is the primary user responsible for payments made by a secondary user?
BHIM's terms place responsibility on the primary user for verifying the secondary user and for actions and transactions performed by the authorised secondary user. Read the terms before enabling the feature.
Is UPI Circle available in every UPI app?
UPI Circle is an NPCI feature, but app support and available options can differ. Check the current feature list in the UPI app you use.
The BP verdict
UPI Circle can be a safer and more structured alternative to sharing a UPI PIN when a trusted family member needs payment access. Full Delegation offers convenience within a defined limit; Partial Delegation keeps the primary user involved in every payment. Start with the smallest practical limit, monitor activity and revoke access when it is no longer needed.
Official references:
This article is general consumer information, not banking advice. Feature availability and limits can change. Confirm current terms in the BHIM app and official BHIM/NPCI publications before authorising another user.
