SBI Savings Account Minimum Balance: How Much To Maintain, Charges And Other Details

SBI (State Bank of India) charges customers of its savings bank account service for non-maintenance of minimum balance. From October 1, 2017, SBI has revised its Monthly Average Balance or MAB criteria applicable to savings bank accounts, according to its website - sbi.co.in. A penalty amount ranging from Rs 20 to Rs 50 (both amounts exclusive of GST or goods and services tax) is chargeable for non-maintenance of sufficient balance as per the bank's Minimum Average Balance rules, according to its website. This amount is determined on the basis of type of branch where the account is held and the degree of shortfall, between the balance maintained and the MAB required.

SBI branch type vs required MAB

SBI determines the required minimum average balance amount for its customers on the basis of four types of branches. These are metro, urban, semi-urban and rural. Effective October 1, 2017, SBI customers holding savings bank accounts in metro and urban branches are required to maintain a monthly average balance of Rs 3,000, according to the SBI website. (Also read: How to link SBI account with Aadhaar)

Customers in semi-urban SBI branches are required to maintain a monthly average of Rs 2,000. This is unchanged from the last revision.

Those holding SBI savings bank account in rural branches are required to keep a minimum monthly balance of Rs 1,000. This amount is also kept unchanged from previously applicable rates.

SBI penalty charges for non-maintenance of MAB in metro, urban branches

(SBI has revised its penalty charges for non-maintenance of minimum average balance in savings accounts)

SBI customers holding a savings bank account with a metro or urban branch - who are required to maintain a monthly average balance of Rs 3,000 - are charged a penalty of Rs 30-50 plus GST for non-compliance with its MAB rules.

According to the bank's website, those with a shortfall of up to 50 per cent (monthly average balance of Rs 1,500-3,000) will be charged a penalty of Rs 30 plus GST. In the SBI metro and urban branches, savings bank accounts with a shortfall between 50 per cent and 75 per cent will attract a charge of Rs 40 plus GST, according to the SBI website. Those with a shortfall of more than 75 per cent will attract a charge of Rs 50 plus GST, it noted.

SBI penalty charges for non-maintenance of MAB in rural, semi urban branches

Holders of SBI savings bank accounts at semi-urban and rural branches are required to maintain a monthly average balance of Rs 2,000 and Rs 1,000 respectively. In these categories, SBI will charge a penalty of Rs 20 plus GST for a shortfall of up to 50 per cent as per monthly average balance rules, according to its website. Accounts with a 50-75 per cent shortfall of minimum average balance will attract a penalty of Rs 30 while those with that of more than 75 per cent will be charged Rs 40 plus GST, the SBI website noted.