What does UPI error Z5 mean?

The receiver's bank says the beneficiary credentials sent with the request are invalid. NPCI doesn't define which beneficiary credentials are checked.

Is money deducted with UPI error Z5?

Possibly. UPI debits the payer first and credits the receiver second, so a failure on the receiver's side can leave a debit that has to be reversed. If you were debited, the reversal is automatic and due by T+1 for a transfer to a person, or T+5 for a payment to a merchant. After that the bank owes you ₹100 a day.

UPI error codes / Z5

UPI response code

UPI error Z5: Invalid beneficiary credentials

Official NPCI descriptionINVALID BENEFICIARY CREDENTIALS BUSINESS

Raised by: Receiver's bank. Source: NPCI, UPI Error and Response Codes v2.9, section 3.1, codes populated by banks and PSPs.

What it means

The receiver's bank says the beneficiary credentials sent with the request are invalid.

Not fully documented: NPCI doesn't define which beneficiary credentials are checked.

Was money deducted?

Possibly. UPI debits the payer first and credits the receiver second, so a failure on the receiver's side can leave a debit that has to be reversed.

When does the money come back?

If you were debited, the reversal is automatic and due by T+1 for a transfer to a person, or T+5 for a payment to a merchant. After that the bank owes you ₹100 a day.

Which side caused it?

Receiver's bank.

Type of decline

Business: the systems worked and declined the payment.

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

Check the receiver's details and try again. If you were debited, it will be reversed.

If you are a merchant, bank or PSP

Check what beneficiary credentials your flow sends.

UPI error Z5 kya hai?

Z5 ka matlab hai receiver ki credentials galat hain.

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 →