IRCTC Agent ID Requirements for Your Counter

Most people planning an IRCTC agent counter think about the papers first: Aadhaar, PAN, shop proof. That makes sense. But there’s a second list that people tend to find out about late, and it’s about the counter itself. What does the space need? Which phone? What goes on the wall?

The documents page covers the papers, and the registration page holds the eligibility table. This post covers the counter: what IRCTC’s documents say about it, and what they leave for your provider to answer.

What are the five asks at a glance?

Let’s take them one at a time.

What do the premises and internet rules mean?

IRCTC doesn’t register a new retail agent directly. A Principal Service Provider (PSP) registers the agent, and IRCTC issues the agent ID. So the premises test is written as an instruction to the PSP, not to you.

As of 17 October 2026, the rules document (PDF created 20 November 2020) says the PSP “should register their Outlets/Centres/counters/Agency who have basic minimum Infrastructure like Internet connection and own office with sufficient space for the customers to visit and book Reserved Rail E-tickets”. Three points come out of that wording.

• A working internet connection. IRCTC names it. It doesn’t name a speed or a provider.
• “Own office” and “sufficient space for the customers to visit”. Take these phrases to your provider if you work from home, a shared shop or a stall. SiOnline’s current registration page lists individuals working from home as eligible and office proof “where applicable”, while IRCTC’s wording says “own office”. Which one your ID is held to is for your provider to say.
• No hardware specification. The documents say nothing about screen size, processor, memory, browser or operating system. If a provider quotes numbers for those, they’re the provider’s own. On SiOnline’s current registration page, the equipment row reads: a computer with internet and a printer, and Windows 10 or later for digital signature certificate (DSC) dongle drivers. That’s SiOnline’s statement, not IRCTC’s.

What to ask your provider before you pay

Put these in writing:

• Which premises wording applies to my address?
• Which desktop and phone will be registered to my ID?
• Does my ID use OTP login, DSC login or both?
• What happens if my phone number or address changes?
• Can the held wallet balance be used for bookings?

On the address question, the rules document says IRCTC should be told immediately of an address change, together with the original certificate issued by the PSP.

Do you need a computer and a printer?

The documents don’t specify a computer, but they do register one. The IRCTC integration policy (2 September 2020) says the agent’s desktop “will be bind by Device ID for OTP login authentication”, and that the Machine ID (MAC ID) of the desktop and the IMEI number of the registered mobile phones “will be mandatory for registration of RSP”. The agent policy of 29 November 2019 likewise asked for the “machine ID of RSP” to be registered (both as of 17 October 2026).

What does that mean for you? Don’t treat the desktop as any old machine you can swap whenever. Ask which desktop and phone are registered, and what to do before you replace or move either.

On printing, the rules document says the electronic reservation slip (ERS) an agent issues must be in the form IRCTC prescribes, with the name and full address of the agent and the name of the PSP. So a printer is a practical need even though no document names a model. The rules document also asks the agent to issue an invoice on the agent’s own stationery, with the railway fare, IRCTC’s charges, the agent charge and the payment-gateway charge shown. Keep paper and ink in stock, and print a test page before your first customer walks in.

Why must the phone and email stay yours?

Because your login depends on them. The rules document says the agent is authenticated “for every login by sending OTP” to the registered mobile number, and asks each registration for a “Unique Mobile No. and Unique e-mail id & PAN No.”.

On SiOnline’s current registration page, the PAN, mobile number and email must not already be registered on an IRCTC account. So check yours before you pay.

Pick a number that will stay with the owner for the long run. The integration policy says agents may book “through their registered mobile number only”, that the IMEI number of the registered phone will be captured, and that the provider is responsible for making sure the agent books from the registered location with the given device ID or IMEI. If the number has to change later, ask your provider for the process first. And use an email address that only you read.

What goes on the wall and what goes in the drawer?

On the wall. The rules document says the PSP issues a Certificate of Authorisation to every agent, to be “prominently displayed” at the outlet. It also asks the agent to keep a sign board outside the agency. The board can carry IRCTC’s logo and should include the rules and regulations, IRCTC’s charges, the agent’s charges and the payment-gateway charges. The logo shouldn’t be used on visiting cards, letterheads or pamphlets unless IRCTC approves. The certificate page explains the letter itself.

An outlet found without the sign board or the displayed certificate counts as a minor irregularity. On the first instance the penalty is on the PSP, with a warning to the agent. On the second, the agent ID is permanently deactivated. Not issuing a money receipt is also a minor irregularity, so keep receipts for what you collect.

In the drawer. Keep the customer’s written or electronic request and a copy of the customer’s ID proof for six months, for both booking and cancellation. Set up the folder before the first booking, not after. A missing request or ID proof carries a penalty, and the rules say that when an agent commits an irregularity, action is taken against the PSP in addition to action against the agent, such as deactivation of the agent ID.

Do you need a DSC?

SiOnline’s standard registration is for OTP login, and the recurring charges are on the fees page.

A retail agent can log in with OTP, or with a DSC if one is purchased (IRCTC integration policy, 2 September 2020). A DSC is optional. If you do hold a token, ask your provider which driver it needs.

How much wallet float should you plan?

“Float” here just means the money you keep in your wallet so bookings can go through. As of 17 October 2026, SiOnline states these figures for the IRCTC wallet only.

SiOnline pays agents no commission and shares no payment-gateway charges; it charges the agent only ticket fare + PG charges + IRCTC charges. As of 17 October 2026, the ₹199 is held on the account and is the agent’s own money, not a fee. Monthly maintenance and renewal charges are on the fees page.

IRCTC’s documents give no recommended float, and neither do we. So work it out yourself, with arithmetic you can check. For the bookings you expect before your next top-up, add the railway fares, IRCTC’s charges and the payment-gateway charges (payment-gateway charges: being confirmed with IRCTC). Then add the held ₹199, and ask your provider whether any of it can be used for bookings. Your own count of bookings goes into the sum, not a number from this page.

Plan top-ups before the days you expect to be busy, not during them. The wallet guide covers how SiOnline wallet updates work.

A checklist before you pay

1. Check your address against the premises wording (“own office”, space for customers) and ask your provider which applies.
2. Make sure the PAN, mobile number and email aren’t already on an IRCTC account.
3. Ask which desktop and phone will be registered.
4. Decide on OTP login, DSC login or both, and ask what applies to your ID.
5. Get a printer and a folder or receipt book ready.
6. Ask who prepares the sign board and where the certificate will hang.
7. Check your provider on IRCTC’s list at the PSP list page.

Questions agents ask

What do I need before I pay for an IRCTC agent ID?

Premises with an internet connection, a mobile number and email that are unique to you, a PAN and Aadhaar for verification (IRCTC’s policy asks for both), and a plan for records and wallet float. IRCTC’s documents set no hardware specification, but the 2 September 2020 integration policy asks for a registered desktop and phone, so ask your provider which ones.

Do I need my own shop to become an IRCTC agent?

Possibly not. IRCTC’s rules document tells the PSP to register outlets with an “own office” and room for customers. Whether that covers a home or shared space isn’t stated, so ask your provider.

Is a printer compulsory?

IRCTC’s documents don’t name a printer. They do ask for an ERS in IRCTC’s prescribed form and an invoice on your own stationery, and SiOnline’s registration page lists a printer under equipment. Plan for one.

How much should I keep in the wallet?

As of 17 October 2026, the minimum is ₹199, a held balance and not a fee. Beyond that, your float depends on the fares and charges of the bookings you expect before the next top-up. Add them up from your own count.

Sources and checks

• IRCTC, Rules & Regulations for Reserved Rail e-Ticketing Service Providers, PDF created 20 November 2020, retrieved 17 October 2026.
• IRCTC, Policy for Integration of B2B & Internet Café Principal Service Providers for IRCTC Reserved Rail E-Ticketing Service, 2020, 2 September 2020, retrieved 17 October 2026.
• IRCTC, Norms for Internet Cafe Scheme, PDF created 14 June 2021, retrieved 17 October 2026.
• IRCTC, Revised Agent Policy for E-Ticketing Principal Service Providers, Internet Café & B2B Schemes, effective from 29 November 2019, retrieved 17 October 2026.

Facts on this page were last checked on 17 October 2026. Rules, charges and wallet terms change, so confirm them at the source before you act.