Everything You Need to Know About a UTR Number
23 Nov 2020

Everything You Need to Know About a UTR Number

Open an NRI Savings Account

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Key Takeaways: Every fund transfer transaction in India has a UTR number. Let us read more about the importance of a UTR Number, what it entails and its usefulness.


When you send money to India for supporting your parents or your other family members, they need to have easy access to it. You can use local funds transfer options in India like NEFT, IMPS or RTGS to transfer funds from your NRE or NRO account to resident Indian savings accounts in India.[1] However, you have to keep in mind FEMA guidelines for these transactions. You can read more about the differences between RTGS and NEFT in another article.

If an NEFT transfer is taking a little longer than expected, you might need to check the UTR number to get the status of the transaction. So, what does a UTR number mean in banking?

What is a UTR number?

A UTR or Unique Transaction Reference number is a reference number for identifying an NEFT, IMPS or RTGS transaction. Every bank in India uses UTR numbers for all local modes of money transfer and they are beneficial for recipients in case there has been no recent update or credit corresponding to your transaction.

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How to find a UTR number?

The quickest way to get a transaction's UTR number is from your NRI savings account statement. You can view or download this statement from your bank's mobile app or through internet banking. It is the 16 or 22 character number next to the transaction date.

Uses and importance of a UTR number

In case your NRI account is debited, but the beneficiary hasn't received the funds, you can use the UTR and reach out to the bank customer support team for them to trace the transaction. All banks in India have the customer service information updated on their websites. In the case of premium banking propositions, you can reach out to your dedicated Relationship Manager to enquire about the transaction. You will have to keep the UTR number handy to communicate it to your bank representative.


Final Note: You need not memorise the UTR number for your transactions because banks rarely delay funds transfers. In case your payment does not reach your loved ones, most banks automatically refund the amount in case the same was debited. You then have the flexibility to re-initiate the transfer.

References: 1

Open an NRI Savings Account