What is the RTI fee in India?

When you file an RTI, the fee is the small payment that activates your request. It is not a barrier — at ₹10 for central RTIs, it is cheaper than a cup of tea. The fee exists mainly as an administrative filter to distinguish genuine requests from casual ones.

Example: Nadia files an RTI to the Ministry of Railways about her EPF claim. She pays ₹10 on rtionline.gov.in via UPI. Done. For a state RTI, she would check her state's fee — her state charges ₹20, payable by IPO.

If the PIO asks for a higher fee than the statutory rate, that is illegal — a §18 Complaint to the CIC/SIC.

• Copies §7(3)(a): ₹2 per A4 page (some states ₹5). After the first 50 pages of a large request, additional copies are at ₹2/page.
• Inspection §7(9): ₹5-10 per 15 minutes after the first free hour.
• Electronic format §7(3)(b): At actual cost of the media (CD/USB).
• No fee for: First Appeal (§19), Second Appeal (§19), Complaints (§18).

• BPL exemption is fully-effective — attach your BPL card or ration card showing BPL category. No fee at all.
• Overpaying the fee is a common mistake. Some applicants send ₹50 for a central RTI — only ₹10 is required. Excess is refunded but creates processing delays.
• IPO is the safest payment mode for postal RTIs. An Indian Postal Order is issued at any post office, does not expire, and is the government-recognised payment instrument. Keep the counterfoil.
• Additional fee notices. If the PIO calculates additional copy/inspection fees, they must inform you within 7 working days under §7(3). You can appeal the fee calculation.

• §6(1) — fee payment as part of filing.
• §7(3) — additional copy/inspection fees.
• §7(5) — BPL exemption.
• §18(1)© — complaint route if PIO charges excess fee.
• RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005 — prescribes ₹10 for central.

• RTI Fee Calculator — exact fee for any state in India.
• AI RTI Drafter — auto-calculates fee mode and includes correct payment instruction.
• BPL fee waiver — full guide.

Depends on the state. Some states allow cash payment at the PIO's counter. Central RTI (rtionline.gov.in) does not accept cash — only online payment. For postal RTI to central authorities, use an IPO.

An IPO is a government-issued payment instrument available at any post office in India, in denominations of ₹1, ₹2, ₹5, ₹10, ₹20, ₹50 etc. Buy a ₹10 IPO, fill in the “payable to” field as the name of the public authority, and attach it to your RTI letter.

No. There is absolutely no statutory fee for a First Appeal (§19(1)), Second Appeal (§19(3)), or Complaint (§18). Any demand for fee at the appeal stage is illegal.

• Right to Information (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005
• Right to Information Act, 2005 — §§6(1), 7(3), 7(5), 18(1)©
• State RTI fee rules (state-specific notifications)

Last reviewed: May 2026. Part of the RTI Wiki definitions series.