SBI Card has announced new charges for certain high-value fuel and transportation payments, effective December 1, 2026. If eligible fuel transactions exceed ₹50,000 in a billing cycle, customers will pay a 1% fee on their total eligible fuel spending. Separately, a 1% fee will apply to each eligible transportation transaction exceeding ₹30,000. The rules depend on merchant category codes assigned to transactions. Customers with substantial fuel expenses, fleet operators and people making large toll or transport payments should review the official notice and their card statements before the changes take effect.
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SBI Card will introduce a 1% fee on specified high-value fuel and transportation payments from December 1, 2026. The revised charges, announced in a notice dated October 27, will apply according to transaction values, total fuel spending during a billing cycle and the merchant category codes used to classify payments.
The two rules have different thresholds: fuel spending is assessed cumulatively over a billing cycle, while transportation payments are assessed individually
1. What Are the New SBI Card Charges?
Under the revised rules, a 1% fee will apply in the following circumstances:
- Fuel payments: If total eligible fuel transactions exceed ₹50,000 during a billing cycle, a 1% fee will be charged on the total eligible fuel spending.
- Transportation payments: A 1% fee will apply to each eligible transportation transaction exceeding ₹30,000.
These thresholds are calculated differently. For fuel, the issuer considers the combined eligible transactions in the billing cycle. For transportation, it considers the value of each individual transaction.
2. How Will the Fuel Fee Be Calculated?
SBI Card's notice states that when total eligible fuel spending in a billing cycle exceeds ₹50,000, the 1% fee will be charged on the total fuel expenditure—not just the amount above the threshold.
For example:
- Total eligible fuel spending of ₹45,000: No additional fee under this new threshold.
- Total eligible fuel spending of ₹50,000: The threshold has not been exceeded, so the new fee does not apply.
- Total eligible fuel spending of ₹60,000: A 1% fee of ₹600 applies.
The calculation is based on the billing cycle rather than simply the calendar month. Cardholders should therefore check the billing dates on their statements before estimating their total eligible spending.
3. Which Fuel Transactions Are Covered?
According to SBI Card's official notice, the fuel fee will be identified using these Merchant Category Codes (MCCs):
- MCC 5172
- MCC 5541
- MCC 5542
- MCC 5983
These codes are associated with specified fuel dealers, petrol stations, fuel dispensers and related fuel sales.
The applicable classification depends on the code assigned to a transaction. Customers should not assume that every transaction involving fuel will necessarily be treated identically.
4. How Will the Transportation Fee Work?
The transportation fee will apply to an individual eligible transaction exceeding ₹30,000. The 1% charge will be calculated on the transaction amount.
For example:
- A transaction of ₹25,000: No additional fee under this new threshold.
- A transaction of ₹30,000: The threshold has not been exceeded.
- A transaction of ₹35,000: A 1% fee of ₹350 applies.
Unlike the fuel rule, the transportation threshold is not based on the combined value of all transportation spending during the billing cycle.
5. Which Transportation Payments Are Covered?
SBI Card has specified the following Merchant Category Codes for the transportation fee:
- MCC 4111: Local and suburban commuter passenger transportation.
- MCC 4784: Tolls and bridge fees, including certain transactions associated with FASTag.
- MCC 4131: Bus transportation services.
The fee's applicability depends on the merchant category code recorded for the payment. Customers should not assume that every airline, railway or other travel-related payment is covered by this announcement. The official notice lists the specific codes above rather than all travel expenses.
6. Who Could Be Affected by the New Charges?
The changes may be particularly relevant to customers who make large or frequent eligible payments.
These include:
- Businesses and fleet operators with substantial fuel expenditure.
- Taxi and transport operators using SBI credit cards for eligible payments.
- Customers whose eligible fuel purchases exceed ₹50,000 in a billing cycle.
- Cardholders making individual eligible toll or transportation payments above ₹30,000.
Customers whose eligible fuel spending remains at or below ₹50,000 in a billing cycle will not incur this newly announced fuel fee. Likewise, eligible transportation transactions of ₹30,000 or less will not trigger the new transportation fee.
These statements concern the new thresholds only; other existing charges or terms may still apply.
7. Will Existing Fuel Surcharge Waivers Cancel the New Fee?
Customers should not automatically assume that an existing fuel surcharge waiver will offset the newly announced fee. The new charge is described separately in SBI Card's notice, and its interaction with individual card benefits should be confirmed with the issuer.
The notice also does not establish a universal exemption for every card variant. Cardholders should review the terms applicable to their specific card and ask SBI Card for clarification if necessary.
8. What Should SBI Cardholders Do Before December 1?
Customers can take a few practical steps before the revised charges take effect:
- Check the billing-cycle start and end dates on their SBI Card statements.
- Track eligible fuel expenditure across the complete billing cycle.
- Review the amount of each large transportation or toll payment.
- Check the merchant category assigned to transactions where the fee's applicability is unclear.
- Review the latest terms for their particular card and contact SBI Card about any product-specific conditions or applicable taxes.
The fee calculation examples in this article illustrate the announced 1% rate. The final amount charged may depend on applicable taxes and the issuer's terms.
