Is money deducted with UPI error U38?

NPCI's list doesn't say at which step this code is raised. Most failed UPI payments are not debited; check your statement. If you were debited and the payment failed, the money is due back by T+1 for a transfer to a person, or T+5 for a payment to a merchant.

UPI error codes / U38

UPI response code

UPI error U38: Response already sent

Official NPCI descriptionRESPONSE IS ALREADY BEEN SENT TECHNICAL

Raised by: NPCI UPI switch. Source: NPCI, UPI Error and Response Codes v2.9, section 4.4, errors from the UPI service layer.

What it means

NPCI's switch had already sent a response for this transaction.

Was money deducted?

NPCI's list doesn't say at which step this code is raised. Most failed UPI payments are not debited; check your statement.

When does the money come back?

If you were debited and the payment failed, the money is due back by T+1 for a transfer to a person, or T+5 for a payment to a merchant.

Which side caused it?

NPCI's UPI switch.

Type of decline

Technical: a system didn't respond or failed.

If money left your account. Under RBI's turnaround-time rules (circular DPSS.CO.PD No.629/02.01.014/2019-20, 20 September 2019), if your account is debited but the payment fails, the money must come back by the next working day (T+1) for a transfer to a person, or within T+5 days for a payment to a merchant. After that the bank owes you ₹100 for every day of delay.

What you should do

Wait a few minutes and try again, or use another UPI app. Check your statement first in case money left your account.

If you are a merchant, bank or PSP

This is an integration or message-level error. Log the full request and response, compare them with NPCI's API specification, and fix before retrying.

UPI error U38 kya hai?

U38 ka matlab hai is transaction ka jawab pehle hi bheja ja chuka tha.

If it still isn't sorted

Raise a complaint inside your UPI app. Every UPI app has a help or dispute option on the transaction, and it goes into NPCI's online dispute system. Keep the UPI transaction ID or RRN handy.
If the app doesn't resolve it, contact your bank's grievance desk with the same reference.
If your bank hasn't replied within 30 days, or you're not happy with the reply, complain to the RBI Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in. It's free.

Technical or business decline?

NPCI splits declines into two kinds. A technical decline means a system didn't respond or failed: a bank offline, a timeout, a switch error. A business decline means the systems worked and said no, for a reason about the account or the payment: wrong PIN, not enough money, a limit, a risk check. Retrying helps with some technical declines and almost never with business ones.

See all 216 UPI error codes →