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+{{htmlmetatags>metatag-description=(PFRDA has revised NPS CRA charges from 1 July 2026: Tier-II AMC aligned to Tier-I, no AMC if Tier-II balance is Rs 1000 or less, dormant accounts pay 10 percent.)&metatag-keywords=(NPS CRA charges 2026, PFRDA NPS charges, NPS AMC Tier II, NPS dormant account charge, APY NPS Lite nil balance)&metatag-robots=(index,follow)&metatag-og:title=(NPS Charges Cut From July 2026: New CRA Fee Rules)&metatag-og:description=(PFRDA has revised NPS CRA charges from 1 July 2026: Tier-II AMC aligned to Tier-I, no AMC if Tier-II balance is Rs 1000 or less, dormant accounts pay 10 percent.)&metatag-og:type=(article)}}
+====== NPS Charges Cut From July 2026: New CRA Fee Rules ======
+{{ :social:auto:nps-account-keeping-charges-reduced-2026.png?direct&1200 |NPS Charges Cut From July 2026: New CRA Fee Rules — RTI Wiki}}
+<WRAP center round info 95%>
+**Quick Reply:** PFRDA has revised NPS CRA charges from 1 July 2026: Tier-II AMC aligned to Tier-I, no AMC if Tier-II balance is Rs 1000 or less, dormant accounts pay 10 percent.
+</WRAP>
+From 1 July 2026, the account-keeping charges on your National Pension System account get lighter. PFRDA has revised the CRA (Central Recordkeeping Agency) charge structure so that the Tier-II annual maintenance charge is aligned with Tier-I, no annual charge applies if your Tier-II quarter-end balance is Rs 1000 or less, dormant accounts pay only 10 percent of the usual charge, nil-balance APY and NPS-Lite accounts pay nothing, and the PRAN opening fee is charged only once. This is a structural change to recordkeeping fees, not a change to your pension contributions or returns.
+===== Before vs after: the main CRA charges =====
+The table below sets out the NPS CRA charges 2026 position: how the key Central Recordkeeping Agency charges worked earlier compared with the revised structure that PFRDA has notified, effective 1 July 2026. PFRDA has not published new rupee amounts in this revision, so the table describes the structure rather than asserting fee figures that are not confirmed.
+^ CRA charge ^ Before ^ From 1 July 2026 ^
+| Tier-II annual maintenance charge (AMC) | Levied separately for Tier-II | Aligned with the Tier-I AMC for the same sector (Government or Private) |
+| Tier-II with low balance | AMC applied regardless of balance | No AMC if the Tier-II balance is Rs 1000 or less at the end of the quarter |
+| Dormant account | Full applicable AMC continued | Only 10 percent of the applicable AMC until the account is reactivated |
+| APY and NPS-Lite, nil balance | AMC could still apply | Nil AMC on accounts with nil balance |
+| PRAN opening fee | Charged at PRAN generation | Charged only once, at initial PRAN generation; no fee to activate further Tier-I or Tier-II accounts under the same PRAN |
+A dormant account here means one where no contribution has been received for four consecutive quarters. Such an account is charged at the reduced 10 percent rate until you start contributing again. Each pension scheme held under a single PRAN is treated as a separate account, so the AMC is worked out scheme by scheme.
+===== Who benefits from the new CRA charges =====
+  * **Small Tier-II savers.** If you parked a small amount in Tier-II and left it, the Rs 1000 quarter-end threshold means a low balance no longer keeps draining through annual charges.
+  * **People with an idle account.** If you stopped contributing for a year or more, your account is flagged dormant and the maintenance charge drops to 10 percent of the usual amount instead of the full charge.
+  * **APY and NPS-Lite holders with nil balance.** Accounts under Atal Pension Yojana and NPS-Lite that show a nil balance attract no AMC at all.
+  * **Anyone opening extra accounts.** Once your PRAN exists, activating an additional Tier-I or Tier-II account under it does not attract a fresh opening fee. The opening charge is a one-time event tied to first PRAN generation.
+  * **Tier-II users generally.** Aligning the Tier-II AMC with the Tier-I rate for the same sector removes a separate, often heavier, Tier-II line of charges.
+These are recordkeeping charges levied by the CRA. They are distinct from the fund management charges and the annuity you receive, and the revision does not touch your invested corpus.
+===== How to check your own NPS charges =====
+You do not have to wait for a notice to see what you are being charged. The charges show up as small unit deductions or as an invoice, depending on your account type.
+  - Log in to the CRA portal for your account (the NSDL or KFintech CRA, whichever maintains your PRAN) using your PRAN and password.
+  - Open your **Transaction Statement** or **Statement of Holdings** and look for the recordkeeping or AMC deduction lines, usually posted at the end of each quarter.
+  - Check whether your Tier-II quarter-end balance is at or below Rs 1000. If it is, no AMC should be levied from 1 July 2026.
+  - If your account has had no contribution for four consecutive quarters, confirm that only the reduced dormant rate (10 percent of AMC) is being applied.
+  - For an APY or NPS-Lite account with nil balance, verify that no AMC is being deducted.
+  - If a charge looks wrong, raise it with your CRA or Point of Presence first. If you do not get a clear answer, you can file an RTI with PFRDA using the [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/tools/ai-rti-draft-app.html|AI RTI Drafter]] to ask for the applicable charge schedule and the basis of the deduction.
+For the wider scheme rules, see the RTI Wiki guides on the [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/yojana/nps-pension|National Pension System]] and on [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/yojana/atal-pension-yojana|Atal Pension Yojana]]. If a charge dispute or a pension delay is not resolved, [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/book|The RTI Playbook]] walks you through escalating it.
+===== Frequently asked questions =====
+==== When does the new NPS CRA charge structure take effect? ====
+The revised Central Recordkeeping Agency charge structure applies from 1 July 2026. PFRDA has notified the change for NPS, Atal Pension Yojana and NPS-Lite accounts. It affects only the recordkeeping charges, not your contributions, your investment choice, or your eventual pension.
+==== Will I pay an AMC on a small Tier-II balance? ====
+No. From 1 July 2026, if your Tier-II account balance is Rs 1000 or less at the end of the quarter, no annual maintenance charge is levied on that account for that quarter. Above Rs 1000, the Tier-II AMC is aligned with the Tier-I rate for your sector, Government or Private.
+==== What happens to charges on a dormant NPS account? ====
+A dormant account is one with no contribution for four consecutive quarters. Instead of the full AMC, only 10 percent of the applicable charge is levied on a dormant account until you reactivate it by contributing again. This reduces the cost of leaving an account idle.
+==== Do APY and NPS-Lite accounts still pay an AMC? ====
+If an Atal Pension Yojana or NPS-Lite account has a nil balance, the AMC is nil. There is no maintenance charge on a nil-balance APY or NPS-Lite account under the revised structure.
+==== Is the PRAN opening fee charged every time I open an account? ====
+No. The PRAN opening charge applies only once, at the time your PRAN is first generated. Activating an additional Tier-I or Tier-II account under your existing PRAN does not attract a fresh opening fee.
+===== Sources =====
+  * PFRDA, revised CRA charge structure for NPS, APY and NPS-Lite, effective 1 July 2026 (as reported by Angel One): https://www.angelone.in/news/personal-finance/pfrda-clarifies-cra-charges-for-nps-apy-and-nps-lite-accounts
+  * Upstox, NPS charge structure effective from 1 July 2026: https://upstox.com/news/personal-finance/latest-updates/national-pension-system-pfrda-clarifies-nps-charge-structure-effective-from-1-july-2026/article-193003/
+  * TaxGuru, PFRDA clarifies CRA charges for uniform AMC structure across NPS accounts: https://taxguru.in/corporate-law/pfrda-clarifies-cra-charges-due-uniform-amc-structure-nps-accounts.html
+  * NPS CRA portals: https://npscra.nsdl.co.in and https://www.kfintech.com
+//Reviewed for RTI Wiki by Dr. Shrawan Kumar Pathak.//
+===== Related on RTI Wiki =====
+  * [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/nps-multiple-scheme-framework-msf-one-pran-2025|NPS Multiple Scheme Framework and its charges]]
+===== NPS account keeping charges reduced 2026: New PFRDA fee structure and how to verify =====
+NPS (National Pension System) account keeping charges reduced in 2026 — complete guide on the new fee structure and how to verify:
+  - **Step 1: What changed in 2026?** (a) PFRDA (the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority) reduced the NPS account keeping charges in 2026 — the new fee structure lowers the custodian charges and the recordkeeping charges — to make NPS more attractive and affordable — especially for private sector subscribers, (b) the old charges: (i) custodian charges: 0.0009% per annum (on assets under management — payable to the custodian), (ii) recordkeeping charges: Rs 29.75 per year (per subscriber — payable to the CRA — Central Recordkeeping Agency), (iii) POP charges: 0.01% of the contribution (payable to the Point of Presence — the bank or the distributor — subject to a minimum and maximum), (iv) NPS Trust fee: 0.01% of the AUM (payable to the NPS Trust), (c) the new charges (2026): (i) custodian charges: reduced (the exact new rate — as per the PFRDA circular — check the PFRDA website — pfrda.org.in — for the latest circular), (ii) recordkeeping charges: reduced (the CRA charges have been lowered — to make NPS more competitive — with other pension products), (iii) the POP charges and the NPS Trust fee — may also be revised — check the PFRDA circular.
+  - **Step 2: How to verify the charges deducted.** (a) check the NPS account statement (on the CRA website — nsdl.com — or karvy.com — the statement shows: (i) the contribution, (ii) the charges deducted — custodian, recordkeeping, POP, NPS Trust, (iii) the investment — and the NAV), (b) check the transaction statement (which shows each transaction — and the charges deducted — for each contribution), (c) compare with the PFRDA circular (to verify that the charges are as per the new structure — and not the old structure), (d) check the POP charges (the bank or the distributor may charge more than the prescribed POP charges — verify with the PFRDA circular — and the POP agreement), (e) check the GST (the GST is charged on the charges — verify that the GST is at the correct rate — 18% — and is not double-charged).
+  - **Step 3: Common overcharging issues.** (a) old charges continue (the CRA or the custodian continues to deduct the old charges — even after the new charges are effective — because the system is not updated — or the CRA delays the update), (b) POP charges higher than prescribed (the bank or the distributor charges a higher POP charge — than the PFRDA-prescribed rate — citing "transaction charges" or "platform charges" — which is not permitted), (c) double charging (the CRA and the POP both charge for the same service — e.g., the CRA charges for recordkeeping — and the POP charges for "account maintenance" — which is the same service), (d) GST on exempt charges (the GST is charged on charges that are exempt — or at a higher rate — 28% instead of 18%), (e) the charges are not disclosed (the charges are deducted — but not shown in the statement — or shown as "other charges" — without a breakdown).
+  - **Step 4: File RTI.** File RTI with PFRDA (or the CRA — through PFRDA) asking for: (a) the latest PFRDA circular on NPS charges (the custodian charges — the recordkeeping charges — the POP charges — the NPS Trust fee — and the effective date — for 2026), (b) the charges deducted from the subscriber's account (PRAN number [number] — for the period [date] to [date] — the custodian charges — the recordkeeping charges — the POP charges — the NPS Trust fee — and the GST), (c) the total charges collected by the CRA (from all subscribers — for the financial year [year] — and the breakup — and the comparison with the previous year), (d) the compliance status (whether the CRAs and the POPs are complying with the new charge structure — and the action taken against non-compliant entities), (e) the number of complaints (received by PFRDA — regarding overcharging — from [date] to [date] — and the resolution status).
+  - **Step 5: File a complaint.** (a) file a complaint with PFRDA (on the PFRDA grievance portal — pfrda.org.in — with the PRAN number — and the details of the overcharging), (b) file a complaint with the CRA (on the CRA's grievance portal — nsdl.com — or karvy.com — with the PRAN number — and the transaction details), (c) file a complaint with the POP (the bank or the distributor — with the PRAN number — and the excess charges), (d) file a consumer complaint (in the consumer court — for deficiency of service — and overcharging — demanding refund of the excess charges — with interest — and compensation), (e) Example: An NPS subscriber noticed that the CRA was deducting the old recordkeeping charges — even after the new charges were effective — the subscriber filed RTI with PFRDA — got the circular — showing the new charges — filed a complaint with PFRDA — and the CRA — PFRDA ordered the CRA to refund the excess charges — Rs 2,400 — to the subscriber — and to update the system.
+  - **Step 6: NPS tax benefits.** (a) Section 80CCD(1): deduction up to Rs 1.5 lakh (for the subscriber's own contribution — within the overall Section 80C limit of Rs 1.5 lakh), (b) Section 80CCD(1B): additional deduction of Rs 50,000 (for the subscriber's own contribution — over and above the Section 80C limit — the "NPS benefit"), (c) Section 80CCD(2): employer's contribution (up to 10% of the salary — for private sector employees — and up to 14% for government employees — is deductible — over and above the Section 80C and 80CCD(1B) limits), (d) the tax benefits make NPS attractive (especially for high-income earners — who can save up to Rs 2 lakh under Section 80CCD — plus the employer's contribution), (e) verify the tax deduction (in the Form 16 — and in the ITR — to ensure that the NPS contribution is claimed correctly).
+See [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/nps-account-keeping-charges-reduced-2026|NPS Charges 2026]] and [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/guide/find-pio-2026|Find PIO]].
+{{tag>nps account keeping charges reduced 2026 pfrda cra custodian recordkeeping pop charges rti overcharging tax benefits 2026}}