---
title: UPI Reserve Pay
slug: upi-reserve-pay
hidden: false
sidebar_order: 1
metadata:
robots: index
title: 'UPI Reserve Pay — Block Once, Debit Later | Pine Labs'
description: >-
Enable UPI Reserve Pay (SBMD): block funds upfront in a customer's UPI
account and debit later for recurring payments.
keywords: >-
UPI Reserve Pay, SBMD, Single Block Multi Debit, UPI mandate, block funds,
partial debits, Pine Labs UPI, recurring payments, UPI payment gateway
sidebar_label: Overview
excerpt: >-
Block funds once in a customer's bank account and debit multiple times with
UPI Reserve Pay (SBMD) — reserve up to ₹10,000 and collect partial payments
without repeated authorization.
---
UPI Reserve Pay allows merchants to block a specific amount in a customer's bank account once and collect multiple debits against that reserved amount over time.
Unlike a standard one-time mandate that supports a single debit, UPI Reserve Pay lets you execute multiple partial debits until the approved fund pool is fully utilized or the mandate expires.
Integration StepsFAQs
> 📘 Note:
>
> - NPCI renamed SBMD to **UPI Reserve Pay**.
> - Both terms refer to the same capability. Some APIs or references may still use the SBMD name.
Block funds once
The customer authorizes a maximum amount upfront. This amount is securely
blocked in their bank account, subject to the current maximum mandate limit
of `₹10,000`.
Debit multiple times
Merchants can initiate multiple smaller debit requests against the same
approved fund pool.
Track live limits
Retrieve the utilized amount and remaining balance in real time using the
Get Subscription API.
## Why use UPI Reserve Pay?
UPI Reserve Pay is designed for merchants who need the certainty of reserved funds along with the flexibility to collect payments in parts.
It is useful when the final payable amount may be consumed over time, split into multiple deductions, or collected based on customer usage.
Improved payment certainty
Since the approved amount is blocked upfront, future debits are less likely
to fail due to insufficient balance, as long as the mandate remains active
and the debit is within the available limit.
Flexible collection model
Collect partial payments as needed without asking the customer to authorize
each debit separately.
No pre-debit notification required
UPI Reserve Pay works as an extension of a one-time mandate where funds are
already blocked. A Pre-Debit Notification is not required for UPI Reserve Pay.
Real-time balance visibility
Check how much has already been used and how much is still available before
initiating a debit.
## How it works
When your customer approves a UPI Reserve Pay mandate, a maximum amount is reserved in their bank account. The merchant can then initiate multiple debit requests against this reserved amount.
The total value of all successful debits cannot exceed the amount approved by the customer.
1. **Funds are blocked** : The customer authorizes a maximum amount. This amount is held securely in the customer's bank account. At the moment, the maximum mandate limit is `₹10,000`, as set by NPCI.
2. **Merchant initiates debits** : The merchant can initiate multiple debit requests against the same reserved amount using the Create Presentation API.
3. **System tracks utilization** : The subscription tracks the total utilized amount and the remaining balance available for future debits.
4. **Mandate ends** : The mandate ends when the approved amount is fully utilized, the mandate expires, or the customer revokes it.
## UPI Reserve Pay vs UPI Autopay
Understanding the difference between UPI Reserve Pay and standard recurring subscriptions is important before integration.
| Capability | UPI Reserve Pay | UPI Autopay / Subscription |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Fund handling | Amount is blocked upfront in the customer's account | Amount is deducted from the available balance at the time of debit |
| Debit pattern | Multiple debits against one approved fund pool | Scheduled or recurring debits |
| Payment certainty | Higher certainty because funds are reserved upfront | Can fail if the customer has insufficient balance at debit time |
| Pre-debit notification | Not required for UPI Reserve Pay | Requires mandatory 24-hour pre-debit notification as per NPCI guidelines |
| Limit control | Total debits cannot exceed the approved reserved amount | Debit amount is governed by the recurring mandate configuration |
| Validity | Maximum validity is 90 days | Depends on the recurring mandate setup |
## Integration flow
Once the UPI Reserve Pay mandate reaches the `active` state, you can start debiting funds using the Create Presentation API.
> ⚠️ Warning:
>
> You cannot deduct more than the amount approved by the customer. Debit requests
are restricted by the remaining available balance on the mandate.
### 1. Create the subscription :
Call the Create UPI Reserve Pay Subscription API, also referred to as the Create SBMD Subscription API, to create the contract. Pass the required plan details:
- Validity period in days
- Blocked amount
- Plan description
- Customer ID
The API response returns a unique `order_id`.
### 2. Generate the authorization request :
Use the generated `order_id` to initiate a payment request through the Order Management System. Set the request type as `Create Mandate`, following the standard subscription authorization flow. This generates a unique challenge URL for customer authentication. The detailed API steps are listed in our [Integration Steps documentation](/upi-reserve-pay/integration-steps).
> 📘 Note: **Maximum mandate amount**
>
> - At the moment, the maximum mandate limit for UPI Reserve Pay is ₹10,000, as
set by NPCI.
### 3. Get customer approval:
Present the challenge URL to the customer. After the customer approves the mandate in their preferred UPI app:
- The order status moves to `processing`
- The subscription status moves to `active`
### 4. Execute fund deductions :
After the subscription becomes `active`, use the Create Presentation API to
debit funds synchronously against the reserved amount. The following limitations currently apply to UPI Reserve Pay, also referred to as SBMD. These restrictions are expected to ease as adoption progresses.
> 📘 Note:
>
> - Many banks currently allow only one active SBMD subscription for a customer
at a time.
> - The customer can reach out to the merchant to revoke the UPI Reserve Pay mandate.
> - SBMD mandates currently work only with ICICI Bank and Axis Bank savings
accounts.
> - If a customer already has an active SBMD mandate, issuer banks may not allow
another UPI Reserve Pay or SBMD mandate for the same customer.
## Checking available balance
Use the Get Subscription API to retrieve the live balance of an approved UPI Reserve Pay mandate.
The response helps you track:
Utilized amount
The total amount already debited by the merchant from the reserved fund pool.
Remaining balance
The amount still available for future debit requests.
The sum of the utilized amount and the remaining balance will always equal the total mandate amount originally approved by the customer.
```text
approved mandate amount = utilized amount + remaining balance
```
> 📘 Note:
>
> - Reach out to Account manager or support team for detailed integration walkthrough
---
## Resources
Use UPI Reserve Pay (SBMD)
Integrate Single Block Multi Debit (SBMD) mandates for recurring and merchant-initiated payment experiences in agentic commerce workflows.