Positive Pay is a cheque verification system in which the issuer gives the bank key details of a cheque so they can be checked against the cheque presented for payment. The amount at which it becomes mandatory depends on your bank's rules, account type and payment mode. The Rs 50,000 figure often seen in searches describes the RBI framework for making the facility available, not one universal compulsory threshold for every cheque.
The distinction is visible in current bank notices. Central Bank of India's official Positive Pay notice sets out revised cash and transfer thresholds effective 7 January 2026. Its clearing threshold is separately stated. This guide checks that notice alongside RBI's Positive Pay circular and SBI's service explanation, as read on 4 November 2026 at 21:50 IST.
What is Positive Pay for cheques?
Positive Pay adds a comparison between the details you supplied and the cheque received for processing. Typical fields include the account number, cheque number, cheque date, amount and payee name. SBI also lists the instrument type, the two digit number at the bottom right of the MICR band.
The aim is to help identify tampering or alteration. Registering the facility and lodging an individual cheque are separate steps where the bank uses account registration. A customer who has registered an account should still check whether the particular cheque's details have been supplied and accepted.
In its original 25 September 2020 circular, RBI required banks to enable the facility for account holders issuing cheques of Rs 50,000 and above. The circular allowed banks to consider making it mandatory for cheques of Rs 5 lakh and above. The practical requirement for an account must therefore be checked against the bank's own applicable instructions.
Positive Pay cheque limit: a current bank example
The following table concerns Central Bank of India only. Its notice says the revised limits took effect on 7 January 2026. The cash and transfer changes apply when someone other than the account holder presents the cheque, subject to the exemptions described in the notice.
| Account type | CTS clearing | Cash mode, revised | Transfer mode, revised |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savings bank | Rs 5 lakh and above | Rs 2 lakh and above | Rs 2 lakh and above |
| Current account, cash credit or overdraft | Rs 5 lakh and above | Rs 5 lakh and above | Rs 5 lakh and above |
These figures explain why payment mode matters. Under that bank's published table, a hypothetical Rs 3 lakh savings account cheque presented by another person in cash mode reaches the revised mandatory threshold. The same amount is below its stated Rs 5 lakh CTS clearing threshold. That example should not be used as the rule for another bank.
The bank also retains an exemption for cheques up to Rs 4,99,999 presented by the account holder personally, or by authorised signatories for non-personal accounts. Identify who will present the cheque before applying the table. An account label and an amount alone may not settle whether the requirement applies.
Can you choose a lower Positive Pay threshold?
Central Bank of India's notice provides a customer defined threshold for cash and transfer modes. Customers can approach a branch to set a limit from Rs 50,000 up to below the mandatory threshold applicable to their account type. The chosen limit can subsequently be modified.
The notice says the option to fix or change that threshold through digital channels is under development and will be communicated separately when live. That is different from submitting cheque details through existing channels. Do not assume that because online cheque lodgement is available, online threshold changes must also be available.
How do you submit Positive Pay details?
Use the official procedure for the bank on which the cheque is drawn. Central Bank of India lists submission at any branch regardless of account location, its Cent eeZ application, WhatsApp Banking, SMS and internet banking. The service notice also provides a submission format and a threshold request form.
SBI describes a two stage process: account registration followed by cheque lodgement. It lists branch and alternate banking channels for registration, and several channels for individual cheque details. Its page also uses future language for some proposed mandatory thresholds, so those proposals should not be presented as confirmed operational rules without a later effective notice.
When lodging details, copy the cheque number, date, amount and payee carefully from the issued cheque. Retain the acknowledgement or reference. Giving details for one cheque is not a blanket authorisation for every leaf in the cheque book. If an instruction is rejected or entered incorrectly, check the bank's correction procedure before relying on it.
Does Positive Pay guarantee cheque payment?
It is a verification safeguard, not a promise that a cheque will clear. It does not establish the account balance or settle every other condition for payment. Treat a matching submission as one part of the bank's cheque processing requirements.
For related account rules, see our guides to bank statement descriptions, bank nomination and deposit insurance. For a Positive Pay decision, the key record remains the issuing bank's current notice for your account and the way the cheque will be presented.
