Recovery Agent Calling Hours: The RBI Rule
8 a.m. to 7 p.m., for calls and visits. The details are where agents slip up.
A recovery agent may call a borrower only between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. RBI set this rule for banks, NBFCs and other lenders in 2022, and from 1 January 2027 the same window covers visits too. It binds the lender's own staff as well as outside agents.
The window looks simple, but the exam and real complaints both turn on the details: what counts as a call, when the borrower can move the window, and how many calls become harassment.
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The Rule at a Glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Allowed hours | 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (08:00 to 19:00). |
| Covers | Phone calls and messages for recovery. From 1 January 2027, in-person visits too. |
| Earlier or later? | Only if the borrower or guarantor has expressly asked for it or authorised it (spelt out in the 2027 rules). |
| Borrower says 'not at this time' | From 2027, the request must be honoured in normal circumstances. |
| Who it binds | The lender's own recovery staff and every recovery agent it engages. |
| Records | The lender records recovery calls. From 2027 it must also log the time and number of calls and keep recordings for six months (longer if the matter is in court). |
Where the Rule Comes From
RBI's Fair Practices Code of 2003 already banned 'persistently bothering the borrowers at odd hours'. In August 2022, RBI made it exact: no recovery calls before 8 a.m. or after 7 p.m., and no persistent calling. The rule now sits in RBI's Responsible Business Conduct Directions, 2025, issued on 28 November 2025.
RBI's rewrite of the recovery rules, which applies from 1 January 2027, restates the same 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. window for both calls and visits, and adds the borrower's right to ask for calls to be avoided at a particular time.
Inside the Window Is Not a Free Pass
A call at 11 a.m. can still break the rules. RBI lists these as harsh practices at any hour:
- check_circleCalling or messaging excessively. RBI's 2022 circular gives 'calling repeatedly' as the example.
- check_circleThreatening calls, or anonymous calls where the caller hides who they are.
- check_circleInappropriate messages on mobile or social media.
- check_circleCalls or visits during a bereavement, a medical emergency, a wedding or a similar occasion.
- check_circleCalling relatives, friends or co-workers to shame or pressure the borrower.
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Telemarketing Rules Apply Too
RBI's 2027 rules also tell lenders to follow TRAI's rules on commercial communication, the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2018. A recovery call centre has to respect both sets of rules.
How the DRA Exam Tests This
This is a direct-recall fact, so expect it. A typical question gives four time windows and asks which one RBI allows. Wrong options are built on near-misses: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fix the pair 8 and 7 in your head.
A second type asks about the exception: the answer is that calls outside the window are allowed only at the borrower's own request or with their consent, never because the agent judges the case urgent.
Timing of the rule change: IIBF only tests RBI guidelines issued up to 31 December (for exams from March to August) or 30 June (for exams from September to February). The 2027 rules were issued on 6 August 2026, so they can first appear in exams held from March 2027. Until then, the calls-only rule of 2022 is the one tested.
FAQs
Can recovery agents call after 7 pm?expand_more
No, unless you have asked or agreed to be called then. RBI allows recovery calls only between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., and from 1 January 2027 the same window applies to visits.
What time can a recovery agent visit my house?expand_more
Under RBI's rules from 1 January 2027, between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., the same window that already applies to recovery calls. If you tell the lender a particular time doesn't suit you, that request should normally be respected.
Can recovery agents call me on Sunday?expand_more
RBI's rules don't set a separate rule for Sundays or holidays. The 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. window and the ban on excessive calling apply every day.
Can a recovery agent call my relatives or office?expand_more
Loan dues may be discussed only with the borrower or guarantor. Calling relatives, friends or co-workers to harass, shame or pressure the borrower is a banned practice at any hour.
How many times can a recovery agent call in a day?expand_more
RBI sets no fixed number. It bans excessive or repeated calling as harassment, and lenders must keep a record of the time and number of calls made to each borrower.
Next steps
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