eKYC India Guide 2026

eKYC India: Complete Guide to Digital KYC Compliance (2026)

Everything India businesses need to know about eKYC — RBI/UIDAI compliance, 5 verification methods, industry use cases, API integration, and pricing from ₹10/check.

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eKYCNow Team — Message Central

Updated March 2026 · 12 min read

eKYC India

Digital KYC

RBI Compliance

🕜 Quick Answer
What is eKYC in India?
eKYC (Electronic Know Your Customer) is the UIDAI and RBI-compliant digital method to verify a customer's identity in India — using Aadhaar OTP, Offline XML, Video KYC, DigiLocker, or PAN — without paper documents or branch visits. eKYCNow processes verifications in under 1 second from ₹10/check.

What Is eKYC in India?

eKYC stands for Electronic Know Your Customer — the digital-first method of verifying a customer's identity mandated by UIDAI and the RBI KYC Master Direction. Instead of physical document submission, eKYC uses authenticated digital sources — Aadhaar's biometric/OTP database, NSDL's PAN records, and UIDAI's DigiLocker — to confirm identity in seconds.

eKYC is not just a convenience — for banks, NBFCs, payment banks, and fintechs operating in India, it is the primary means of meeting mandatory KYC obligations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and RBI regulations. As of May 2025, UIDAI has processed over 150 billion authentication transactions, making India's eKYC infrastructure the world's largest digital identity system.

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Key distinction: eKYC is the process. CKYC (Central KYC) is the portable record stored in CERSAI, reusable across financial institutions. eKYCNow handles both — verifying the customer and uploading the CKYC record automatically.

The 5 Types of eKYC in India

RBI and UIDAI recognise five distinct eKYC methods, each with different regulatory status, transaction limits, and use cases:

Method	How it works	RBI classification	Txn limit	Price
Aadhaar OTP eKYC	Customer enters Aadhaar number + OTP sent to registered mobile. UIDAI authenticates in real-time.	Non-face-to-face	₹1L/year	₹10/check
Offline Aadhaar eKYC	Customer downloads digitally-signed Aadhaar XML from UIDAI portal. No OTP to UIDAI — same ₹1L cap applies.	Non-face-to-face	₹1L/year	₹10/check
Video KYC (V-CIP)	Live video session with trained bank official + face match + OVD verification. RBI Para 19.	Face-to-face equivalent	No cap	₹18/check
DigiLocker eKYC	Customer grants consent to fetch govt-verified documents (Aadhaar, PAN, DL, passport) from DigiLocker.	OVD — Standard CDD	Varies	₹10/check
PAN-based KYC	Real-time verification against NSDL/ITD PAN database. Name, DOB, PAN status check.	Supplementary	N/A	₹10/check

How eKYC Works in India — Step by Step

A typical eKYC onboarding flow using eKYCNow's API takes under 90 seconds end-to-end:

Customer initiates

User enters Aadhaar/PAN number or uploads Aadhaar XML on your onboarding form.

API call to eKYCNow

Your backend sends a single REST API call to eKYCNow with the user's identifier.

UIDAI/NSDL auth

eKYCNow queries UIDAI or NSDL in real-time. OTP sent to customer's registered mobile.

Customer verifies

Customer enters OTP. Identity data returned: name, DOB, address, photo, mobile status.

Risk scoring + AML

eKYCNow optionally runs PEP/sanctions screening and fraud risk scoring.

CKYC upload

Record automatically uploaded to CERSAI registry within RBI's 3-working-day window.

✅ RBI Compliance Note

The complete RBI KYC Master Direction (2016, amended August 2025) governs all eKYC methods for regulated entities. OTP eKYC is non-face-to-face (₹1L/year cap). Video KYC V-CIP is face-to-face equivalent — no transaction cap.

RBI eKYC Rules and Transaction Limits

The most commercially important distinction in Indian eKYC regulations is the transaction cap that applies to OTP-based methods:

OTP eKYC accounts: Classified as non-face-to-face. Maximum aggregate credit of ₹1 lakh per year. EDD (Enhanced Due Diligence) classification for risk purposes.
Video KYC (V-CIP) accounts: Face-to-face equivalent under RBI Para 19. No transaction cap. Standard CDD applies. Required for lending, wealth management, and insurance products above ₹1L.
CKYC mandate: All KYC records must be uploaded to CERSAI within 3 working days. Failure attracts ₹1L/day penalties under PMLA.
Periodic KYC: High-risk customers every 2 years, medium-risk 8 years, low-risk 10 years. Since June 2025, re-KYC can be done digitally.

For the complete regulatory framework, see the RBI KYC Compliance India guide →

eKYC Use Cases by Industry in India

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Banks & NBFCs

Account opening, loan origination, credit card issuance. V-CIP mandatory for high-value accounts.

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Fintech & Neobanks

Paperless onboarding via mobile. 85%+ auto-approval rates with eKYCNow AI.

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Lending & BNPL

Credit underwriting + KYC in one API call. PAN-linked income verification.

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Insurance (IRDAI)

Policy issuance, claim verification. DigiLocker for premium document fetch.

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Crypto & Web3

FIU-IND and PMLA compliance. AML screening bundled with eKYC in one call.

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Gig & Mobility

Driver/partner onboarding at scale. Driving licence verification via DigiLocker.

eKYC vs Physical KYC — India Comparison

Factor	Physical KYC	eKYC (eKYCNow)
Time to verify	2–5 days	Under 1 second
Cost per check	₹200–₹800	₹10–₹18
Drop-off rate	35–60%	8–15%
Fraud risk	High (document forgery)	Low (UIDAI-authenticated)
CKYC upload	Manual (days)	Automated (minutes)
RBI compliance	✓ Full	✓ Full (V-CIP removes ₹1L cap)
Scalability	Linear (headcount)	Unlimited (API)

eKYCNow API Integration

eKYCNow provides a single REST API that covers all 5 eKYC methods. One integration, full coverage:

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Single API call example: POST https://api.ekyc.messagecentral.com/v1/verify with method, aadhaar_number, and consent parameters. Response includes name, DOB, address, photo URL, mobile status, and risk score — all in one call. See India API docs →

All plans include: 5 free checks on signup, 85%+ auto-approval AI, 99.9% uptime SLA, SOC2/ISO 27001 certification. Full India pricing →

₹10/verification · 5 free checks — no credit card

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is eKYC in India?

eKYC (Electronic Know Your Customer) is the digital process of verifying a customer's identity using Aadhaar-linked authentication, without paper documents or a branch visit. In India it is governed by UIDAI (for Aadhaar-based methods) and the RBI KYC Master Direction (for regulated financial entities). eKYC enables customer onboarding in under 60 seconds at ₹10–₹18 per check.

What are the 5 types of eKYC in India?

The 5 main eKYC types in India are: (1) Aadhaar OTP eKYC — real-time UIDAI authentication via OTP; (2) Offline Aadhaar eKYC — XML with digital signature; (3) Video KYC (V-CIP) — live video session, RBI Para 19; (4) DigiLocker eKYC — verified government documents; (5) PAN-based KYC — income tax database verification.

What is the QI lakh transaction cap on eKYC?

OTP-based Aadhaar eKYC is classified as non-face-to-face by RBI and carries a ₹1 lakh per year transaction limit for financial accounts. To remove this cap, regulated entities must use Video KYC (V-CIP), which is treated as face-to-face equivalent under RBI Para 19. Offline Aadhaar XML eKYC has the same cap unless combined with V-CIP.

Is eKYC legally valid in India?

Yes. eKYC is fully legally valid in India under the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, UIDAI regulations, and the RBI KYC Master Direction. eKYC-onboarded accounts are treated identically to branch KYC accounts (with the V-CIP method removing the ₹1L cap). See the full RBI KYC Compliance India guide →

How much does eKYC cost in India?

eKYCNow charges ₹10/verification for standard eKYC (Aadhaar OTP, Offline XML, PAN, DigiLocker) and ₹18/verification for premium methods (Video KYC V-CIP, face liveness + AML bundle). See full India pricing → Comparison: other providers charge ₹15–₹40/check, with setup fees of ₹50K–₹2L. eKYCNow has no setup fee and offers 5 free checks.

Which industries must use eKYC in India?

RBI-regulated entities (banks, NBFCs, payment banks, small finance banks) are legally required to perform KYC — and eKYC is the accepted digital method. Beyond regulation, eKYC is widely adopted by fintechs, crypto platforms (SEBI/FIU-IND), lending apps, insurance companies (IRDAI), and gig-economy platforms for fraud prevention. See industry guides: NBFC eKYC, Fintech eKYC.

How long does eKYC take in India?

eKYCNow processes Aadhaar OTP eKYC and Offline XML in under 1 second (99th percentile). PAN verification is typically under 2 seconds. Video KYC (V-CIP) sessions average 4–6 minutes end-to-end. DigiLocker document fetch takes 2–4 seconds after the user grants consent.

What documents are required for eKYC in India?

The primary eKYC document is your Aadhaar number (linked mobile for OTP, or Aadhaar XML file for offline). Additionally: PAN card (mandatory for financial transactions above ₹50,000), and optionally a secondary OVD (Officially Valid Document) such as passport, voter ID, or driving licence for EDD. DigiLocker eKYC fetches these documents digitally.