SBI Card Fuel and Transport Fees Change in December

SBI Card will add a 1% fee to certain high-value fuel and transport transactions from 1 December 2026. The two charges use different thresholds, according to the card issuer's notice.

Two thresholds, two calculations

For fuel transactions identified under merchant category codes 5172, 5541, 5542 and 5983, the issuer says a 1% fee applies to total fuel spend when eligible purchases exceed Rs 50,000 in a billing cycle. The threshold is cumulative, and the fee is calculated on the total eligible fuel spend, not only the amount above the threshold.

For transportation transactions under codes 4111, 4784 and 4131, the issuer says the 1% fee applies to every individual eligible transaction exceeding Rs 30,000. It is a per-transaction threshold, rather than a combined billing-cycle threshold. The notice is dated 27 October 2026.

A merchant category code, or MCC, identifies a type of merchant for card processing. The fee depends on the code assigned to a transaction and the issuer's terms; a description on a receipt alone may not settle whether the payment qualifies.

Who may notice the change?

Cardholders with large fuel bills or high-value eligible transport payments are most likely to encounter the fee. Someone whose eligible fuel spending stays at or below Rs 50,000 in a billing cycle will not cross the stated fuel threshold. An eligible transport payment of Rs 30,000 does not exceed the stated per-transaction threshold.

For illustration, Rs 60,000 of eligible fuel purchases in a billing cycle would produce a Rs 600 fee before applicable taxes, using the stated 1% rate. Upstox reports that applicable taxes are additional. This example does not estimate other card charges or rewards.

What to Check

• Review the SBI Card customer notice for the effective date, threshold and included MCCs.
• Check your statement for the billing-cycle dates and total fuel purchases; ask the issuer how disputed or unclear merchant categories are treated.
• Review the card's current fee schedule and ask the issuer about applicable taxes and other fuel-related charges.

How do you track category-based card charges across a billing cycle? Share a practical tip in the attached discussion.

Sources

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• Important Notices for SBI Credit Cardholders notice dated 27 October 2026, SBI Card.
• SBI Card changes from December 1, 2026: New 1% fee on large fuel and transportation spends; check details published on 28 October 2026 in Upstox.