To accept UPI in a shop, stall or service business, contact your bank or a merchant-payment provider and ask it to onboard you through an acquiring bank. The acquirer assigns your merchant category, creates or approves a merchant-specific QR or another UPI integration, and specifies where and when your money settles.
Your cost is not determined by a single universal UPI rate. It depends on whether the account is treated as P2PM (person-to-person merchant, generally a small merchant) or P2M (person-to-merchant), your monthly UPI receipts, transaction value and category, and the commercial terms of your provider. Get those terms in writing before displaying a QR.
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What a merchant UPI setup actually is
UPI acceptance is a merchant service, not simply a printed payment address. NPCI says a merchant enables UPI by partnering with an acquiring bank, which supplies the infrastructure and assigns the merchant category code. The bank or its payment partner links the merchant profile to a settlement destination and provides the approved acceptance method. See the NPCI UPI Frequently Asked Questions for the official merchant process.
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After the customer confirms payment, NPCI says the merchant receives the funds immediately into the merchant pool or bank account, according to the agreement with the acquiring provider. “Immediately” does not tell you which account is credited, whether a provider first holds the amount in a merchant pool, or whether a bank’s reconciliation batch changes the visible posting time. Confirm the destination and timing in your own contract.
How to start accepting UPI, step by step
1. Contact the acquiring route
Start with the bank where the business receives money or with a merchant-payment provider that will identify its acquiring bank. Ask for the name and contact channel of the acquiring bank because NPCI directs merchant transaction grievances to that bank. Do not put up a QR supplied informally by another shop or copied from a customer’s payment screen.
2. Submit business and settlement details
The provider will normally ask for the proprietor or company identity, business address, bank account, tax or registration information where applicable, and proof that the person requesting the account can operate the business. Requirements vary by provider and business type. Before signing, make sure the legal name, trading name, bank account and contact number on the application are correct; mismatches can complicate refunds and complaints.
3. Confirm your merchant classification
Ask which business category or merchant category code the acquirer will assign, whether the profile is P2PM or P2M, and how the provider will monitor monthly inward UPI credits. The classification controls which MDR treatment may apply. Ask for the written rule used to move the account between categories rather than relying on a verbal promise that all small shops are permanently zero-MDR.
4. Get settlement and support terms in writing
Your onboarding confirmation should state the settlement account, expected credit timing, reconciliation or reporting access, refund method, support hours, escalation contact and merchant grievance process. It should also list any onboarding, settlement, support, reporting, device purchase, rental or maintenance charges. Public policy documents do not establish that every QR or soundbox service is free, so the provider’s schedule is the controlling document for those commercial terms.
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5. Choose an acceptance mode
For a low-volume counter, a static provider-issued QR may be enough. A busy checkout may benefit from a dynamic QR that identifies each order, an app integration or a collect request. A soundbox can announce a received payment to staff, but it is optional and its hardware and service terms must be checked. Select the mode that matches checkout speed, staff count, connectivity and the provider’s support; NPCI’s list of modes does not make one mandatory for every merchant.
6. Display the approved merchant QR
Use the QR issued or approved for your merchant account, with the merchant name and UPI ID that customers should see. NPCI’s BHIM-UPI Guidelines, updated June 2026, specify information and dimensions for particular QR designs. For the sticker design described there, the QR should be at least 2 cm by 2 cm and include the required merchant-name and UPI-ID elements. Soundbox and dynamic-QR layouts have their own specifications, so do not assume the sticker dimensions apply to every format.
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Make a small test payment and verify three things independently: the customer’s successful status, the provider’s merchant transaction history and the destination account credit. Train staff not to accept a screenshot as proof because a screenshot can show an attempted or reversed payment. Record the provider’s transaction reference and the acquiring-bank complaint route where staff can find them.
How UPI charges are determined in 2026
The Department of Financial Services FAQ dated 15 September 2026 describes a framework scheduled to take effect on 15 October 2026. Because the schedule is time-sensitive, check the current Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services, RBI or NPCI notices when you sign up or renegotiate. The FAQ’s stated treatment is:
| Situation described in the FAQ | Stated MDR treatment | What the merchant must verify |
|---|---|---|
| Covered P2M UPI payment of ₹2,000 or less | The FAQ’s 0.4% rate is stated for payments above ₹2,000; it does not apply that rate to this band. | Whether the transaction and merchant category are within the covered framework. |
| Covered P2M UPI payment above ₹2,000 | 0.4% MDR. | Your assigned category and the provider’s written schedule. |
| Covered transaction of ₹75,000 or more | MDR capped at ₹300 per transaction. | How the cap is applied and shown on statements. |
| Eligible small P2PM merchant receiving up to ₹1 lakh per month through UPI QR | Zero MDR under the FAQ’s P2PM description. | Eligibility, measurement period and whether your receipts remain within the threshold. |
| P2PM merchant with inward UPI credits above ₹1 lakh per month for three consecutive months | The FAQ describes a transition from P2PM to P2M. | The provider’s notice, effective date and resulting schedule. |
The table is not a promise that every merchant pays 0.4% or that every QR payment is free. The framework is scoped by merchant and transaction category, and the FAQ also describes special treatment for specified categories of services. If your business is in a specially listed sector, ask the acquirer to identify the applicable category and cite the relevant rule in your agreement.
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For a qualifying P2PM merchant, one payment above ₹2,000 does not by itself create MDR; the account’s classification and monthly inward-credit rule matter. The FAQ also states that consumers do not pay a UPI transaction charge under this framework. That consumer statement does not eliminate a merchant’s possible contract, hardware or support charges.
P2PM versus P2M: the classification question to ask first
P2PM is the category relevant to the FAQ’s small-merchant zero-MDR description. The threshold is expressed as total inward UPI credits through QR in a month, not as the value of one unusually large sale. If the provider says your account will change after three consecutive months above ₹1 lakh, ask how it calculates the months, which credits are included, when the change starts and whether you receive advance notice.
P2M is the merchant category to which the described 0.4% treatment for covered payments above ₹2,000 applies. A merchant’s category code and business type are therefore as important as the size of an individual sale. Keep the provider’s classification confirmation with your accounts records so you can challenge an unexpected deduction.
What can still cost money besides MDR
MDR is a network or policy charge; it is not necessarily the complete cost of running acceptance. Your provider agreement may separately address:
- onboarding or verification fees;
- settlement, reconciliation, reporting or premium support fees;
- soundbox purchase, rental, replacement or maintenance;
- dynamic-QR or software integration charges;
- refund handling or other service charges.
The public NPCI and government materials do not set a single commercial price for these items. Compare written schedules, not advertising claims that a QR is simply “free.” A provider that has no MDR for your current category can still charge for optional hardware, while a provider with a device fee may offer reporting features your staff actually needs.
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Choosing between a QR, soundbox and dynamic setup
Static QR
A static QR is practical when staff can match the customer’s amount and verify the payment in the provider app or account history. Keep it under a clear protective stand or counter holder, away from glare and damage, and make sure customers can read the merchant name before paying. A holder is an accessory for displaying your own approved QR, not a substitute for obtaining one.
Soundbox
A soundbox can give an audible confirmation in a noisy or busy counter where staff cannot watch a phone continuously. Check its connectivity, battery, replacement policy, rental or purchase cost and what happens if the device is offline. Continue checking the provider transaction history; an announcement alone should not be your accounting record.
Dynamic QR or software integration
Dynamic QR and application-based flows can attach an order or invoice reference to each payment and reduce amount-entry mistakes. They require a compatible provider and may involve setup or support charges. They are usually more useful when the business has many transactions, several tills or a billing system than when one person serves a few customers per day.
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Set a routine that matches each payment confirmation to the provider’s transaction history and the bank credit. At closing, record the day’s UPI total, refunds and unresolved references separately from cash. If the provider shows a merchant-pool balance before bank settlement, reconcile both stages rather than assuming the pool balance is already spendable.
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- Display the merchant name and UPI ID where staff can compare them with the customer’s confirmation.
- Record the transaction reference for refunds, reversals and disputes.
- Check for duplicate, pending or reversed entries before treating the day as settled.
- Restrict QR replacement or account-detail changes to an authorised person.
- Keep monthly inward-credit totals so you can see whether the P2PM threshold may be approached.
If a customer says money was debited but your system shows nothing, do not ask for a second payment immediately. Check the merchant history and settlement account, note the reference, and use the acquiring bank’s merchant support route.
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Refunds, disputes and complaints
Ask during onboarding whether staff can initiate a refund, whether the refund returns to the original UPI account, how long the provider estimates, and which reference must be retained. For a missing or disputed transaction, first collect the date, amount, customer’s UPI reference and your merchant reference. Then raise the case with the acquiring bank; NPCI identifies it as the merchant channel for transaction grievances. Keep the complaint number and escalation deadline in your records.
Why older UPI cost claims can mislead
UPI policy has changed over time. A 30 August 2019 NPCI release quoted then-Managing Director and CEO Dilip Asbe saying that zero MDR up to ₹100 and a higher P2PM limit would help move payments from cash to digital. That statement is historical and does not describe the 2026 thresholds.
Government incentive figures also describe ecosystem support, not money paid directly to an individual shop. A Ministry of Finance release reports total incentive payouts of ₹1,389 crore, including ₹957 crore for BHIM-UPI, in FY 2021-22; ₹2,210 crore, including ₹1,802 crore for BHIM-UPI, in FY 2022-23; and ₹3,631 crore, including ₹3,268 crore for BHIM-UPI, in FY 2023-24. Those figures should not be treated as a merchant rebate or as proof that your provider has no charges. The figures are reported in the 19 March 2025 PIB release.
A written-cost checklist before you put up the QR
- What is the acquiring bank’s legal name and merchant-support contact?
- What merchant category code and business classification will appear on my account?
- Am I currently P2PM or P2M, and what monthly inward-credit rule could change that?
- For my category, which transactions attract MDR, and how is the ₹300 cap handled where applicable?
- Where will funds settle, on what schedule, and what does “immediate” mean operationally?
- Are onboarding, reporting, settlement, support, refund, soundbox, dynamic-QR or maintenance charges recurring or one-time?
- How do I download transaction history and reconcile a pending or reversed payment?
- What is the exact complaint and escalation process for a merchant transaction?
Keep the answers, fee schedule and approved QR artwork together. If a salesperson’s explanation differs from the signed schedule, rely on the written agreement and ask the acquiring bank to clarify before accepting customer payments.
Bottom line for a small shop
Use an acquiring bank or its merchant-payment partner, obtain a merchant-specific QR or integration, and confirm settlement in writing. Treat the 15 September 2026 Department of Financial Services FAQ as the source for the framework scheduled from 15 October 2026: eligible P2PM merchants up to ₹1 lakh a month through QR are described as zero-MDR, while covered P2M payments above ₹2,000 are described at 0.4%, capped at ₹300 from ₹75,000. Your actual all-in cost still depends on classification, category and the provider contract, so verify those details before you print the QR or buy a device.
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