What does the word “us” refer to?
It refers to the institution’s side of the transaction, not the customer’s location or the shop’s ownership. A customer standing in a familiar shop can still be involved in a transaction spanning different institutions.
RBI’s ATM and white-label ATM FAQ provides a straightforward example. A card issued by Bank A used at Bank A’s ATM is on-us. The same card used at another bank’s ATM or a white-label ATM is off-us.
This is a useful starting definition. For another payment product, read the relevant provider’s terminology rather than assume the ATM example establishes every technical or fee rule.
Card issuer and ATM operator
The card issuer provides the customer’s card/account relationship. The ATM operator supplies the machine or service point used for the transaction. They may be the same bank, but they do not have to be.
| Example | Classification in RBI’s ATM explanation |
|---|---|
| Bank A card at Bank A ATM | On-us |
| Bank A card at Bank B ATM | Off-us |
| Bank A card at a white-label ATM | Off-us |
The customer’s card does not become another bank’s card merely because it is used at that bank’s ATM. Keep the issuing institution’s role separate when explaining which bank holds the account.
Do these labels determine the fee?
They can be relevant to the applicable tariff or transaction entitlement, but the words alone are not a complete price list. Account type, location, transaction category and the bank’s current terms may matter.
Check the actual issuing bank’s published conditions and the applicable RBI framework before quoting a charge. Do not give every customer one universal “off-us fee” based on a remembered amount.
Also distinguish the classification from the result. An off-us withdrawal can succeed or fail. An on-us transaction can also need investigation. Neither label guarantees that cash was dispensed or the account was correctly updated.
What about a Mini ATM or AEPS counter?
Counter products involve their own acquiring-bank and provider arrangements. The on-us/off-us distinction may help explain the relationship, but it does not prove which devices or transaction types a particular shop is authorised to offer.
Our Mini ATM explanation asks readers to identify the actual bank and device capabilities. Our AEPS guide separates the account bank, acquiring bank and authentication roles.
Use the terminology in the bank’s own programme documents when explaining a counter transaction. Do not apply a card-ATM fee table automatically to every biometric withdrawal.
An example involving a bank charge
Illustrative example: A customer uses a card at an ATM displaying a different bank’s name and later asks a retailer why a fee appeared.
The retailer can explain that the interaction is off-us in RBI’s ATM terminology. To establish the fee, however, the customer needs their issuing bank’s account terms and the actual transaction record.
If the customer also says no cash was dispensed, that is a separate outcome dispute. Calling the transaction off-us does not resolve whether the debit was correct. The customer should use the bank’s official complaint process with the relevant transaction details.
Questions about on-us and off-us
Does off-us mean an unauthorised transaction?
No. It describes the institutional relationship in the applicable system. It is not a fraud label.
Does on-us mean the transaction is always free?
No universal fee conclusion follows from the label alone. Read the account and service conditions.
Are these two separate services I need to register for?
They are transaction classifications. Whether a particular service is available depends on the actual bank, account and provider arrangement.