RTI payment failed but no registration number received — what to do

Every week hundreds of citizens complete the rtionline.gov.in form, see the payment page, pay via UPI or netbanking — and then stare at a blank screen instead of a registration number. Your money is gone, your RTI is in limbo. This is one of the most common portal complaints, and it has a clear fix.

“Kindly wait for 24 to 48 working hours as registration number will be generated after reconciliation.” — rtionline.gov.in FAQ Q13

The RTI Online Portal uses SBI Payment Gateway for all transactions. After you click “Pay”, the bank debits your account and sends a confirmation scroll to SBI. SBI then reconciles that scroll with the portal before triggering the registration number. This reconciliation batch runs on working hours — delays over weekends, public holidays, or high-traffic periods extend the wait.

The portal itself has no real-time hook into your bank's debit. It only knows a payment succeeded once SBI reconciles. This is why your bank shows a debit but the portal shows nothing.

If the reconciliation fails permanently (rare), your application is never created. You need to either trigger reconciliation manually or get a refund from your bank.

1. Wait 48 working hours first. Do not re-file. A second payment creates a duplicate and you will be billed twice.
2. Log into rtionline.gov.in and look for the “Payment Reconciliation” link (under the main menu or under your View History).
3. Enter your transaction ID (from your bank SMS or netbanking statement) and submit. The portal will attempt to match it and generate your registration number.
4. If reconciliation fails, email [email protected] with: full name, date of payment, transaction ID, bank name, amount deducted, and the public authority you tried to file against.
5. Track the email ticket: responses usually come within 3–5 working days. Keep a copy of your bank statement as proof.
6. If no response in 7 days, contact your bank and raise a chargeback/dispute for the deducted amount. The ₹10 RTI fee is small but you are entitled to a refund if the service was not delivered.

UPI (Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, BHIM): UPI payments must be approved within 2–3 minutes or the session expires. If you closed the app mid-approval, the debit may still hit your bank while the portal records a failure. Same reconciliation process applies — wait 48 hours, then use Payment Reconciliation.

Netbanking (SBI or other banks): After approving in your bank portal, you are redirected back to rtionline.gov.in. If your internet dropped during redirect, the portal never received the callback. Your bank has the debit but the portal has nothing. Payment Reconciliation is the same fix.

Debit/Credit Card: Card payments go through the same SBI gateway. “Insufficient funds” errors never debit your account. A gateway timeout may debit but not register — again, 48-hour wait then reconciliation.

Wait at least 48 working hours before refiling. If you refile and the original payment later reconciles, you will have two identical RTIs and will have paid twice. Use Payment Reconciliation first.

Yes — if reconciliation permanently fails, no RTI application exists in the system. You will need to refile after getting confirmation from [email protected] that the original will not be processed.

BPL (Below Poverty Line) applicants pay no fee (RTI Act 2005, §7(5)). They skip the payment step entirely and get a registration number directly. This payment failure issue does not affect them.

No. Filing a first appeal on rtionline.gov.in carries no fee under RTI Act 2005, §19(1). There is no payment step, so no payment failure is possible.

• AI RTI Drafter — draft your RTI application before filing
• First Appeal Builder — generate first appeal if your RTI goes unanswered
• PIO Reply Checker — assess if your CPIO reply is adequate
• All RTI Online Portal FAQs — full index of portal-related questions
• RTI Online Portal — file your application or track status