UPI Circle full delegation allows spending of up to Rs 15,000 a month, with a maximum of Rs 5,000 for a single payment, under the official BHIM terms. The money comes from the primary user's linked bank account. The primary user authorises a secondary user to spend within an assigned limit, so this is permission to use funds, not a transfer into a separate account.
The limits below were checked against BHIM's UPI Circle terms on 27 October 2026 at 21:42 IST. Those terms distinguish full delegation from partial delegation. Understanding that choice matters more than simply adding someone to a Circle, because it determines whether each payment needs the account holder's approval.
| BHIM UPI Circle rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Full delegation monthly ceiling | Rs 15,000 |
| Full delegation payment ceiling | Rs 5,000 per transaction |
| Members linked | Up to five secondary users |
| Primary users for one secondary user | Only one |
| Cooling period after linking | 30 minutes with no transaction initiation |
UPI Circle full delegation vs partial delegation
As the official BHIM feature page explains, with full delegation the secondary user can initiate and finish payments within the spending limit authorised by the primary user. The account holder does not have to approve each purchase separately. The primary user can assign a lower allowance than the maximum permitted ceiling.
Partial delegation works differently. The secondary user initiates the payment, but the primary user must authorise that transaction using their UPI PIN. A household that wants someone else to start purchases while retaining approval over each debit should understand this distinction before selecting the delegation type.
For example, suppose a primary user assigns a monthly allowance of Rs 4,000. That is the permission given to the secondary user, even though the published full delegation ceiling is higher. Conversely, a Rs 6,000 purchase cannot be completed as one full delegation payment under the Rs 5,000 transaction ceiling. Monthly permission and the single payment cap answer different questions.
How many people can join UPI Circle?
BHIM's terms permit up to five members or secondary users. Each can be assigned full or partial delegation. A person linked as a secondary user can have only one primary user, so they cannot simultaneously attach that secondary role to several account holders.
For full delegation, the terms specify an authorisation period of at least one month and at most five years. They also provide for a 30 minute cooling period after successful authorisation and linking. That means a newly linked member should not expect to initiate a payment immediately.
Can the primary user stop UPI Circle payments?
The primary user can modify or revoke the authorisation and can see transactions made by the secondary user. The secondary user can also unlink at any time. These controls make the arrangement different from handing over a sum of cash and losing visibility of how it is spent.
The account holder must verify the secondary user's identity, UPI ID and registered number before linking. BHIM places responsibility for the linked user's transactions on the primary user. The approval arrangement is therefore a financial permission that deserves a careful identity check, even when the person is a relative.
The terms also require users to protect their UPI PIN. Partial delegation asks the primary user to approve a transaction; it does not call for giving that PIN to the secondary user. Review the selected account, recipient and amount whenever approval is requested.
For related payment and money explainers, read our report on digital school fee payments, the home loan EMI formula and what a mutual fund NAV measures.
