What Bharat Connect (formerly BBPS) is
A BBPS retailer ID on Payonclick lets your shop take bill payments for customers through Bharat Connect. Bharat Connect is the current name of the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), the bill payment network run by NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd (NBBL). As a bill payment service for shops, it works simply: the customer pays at your counter, and you confirm the payment in the Payonclick app or portal.
RBI's rules still use the older name. The RBI Master Direction on the Bharat Bill Payment System, dated 29 February 2024, defines a bill as any notice for payment raised by a biller, and includes a notice for recharge of prepaid services. So prepaid services such as Mobile Prepaid and DTH also count as bills, and both appear in the category list below.
For your customer, the value is a standard record. Every payment carries a Bharat Connect transaction reference. The same RBI directions require NBBL to run a central dispute management system, in which complaints are tracked using that reference. For more background, read our guide Bharat Connect (BBPS) explained.
The 30 bill categories your counter can accept
The Payonclick app offers 30 Bharat Connect categories:
| Group | Categories |
|---|---|
| Home utilities | Electricity, Water, Gas, LPG Gas, Prepaid Meter |
| Phone, internet and TV | Mobile Postpaid, Mobile Prepaid, Broadband Postpaid, Landline Postpaid, DTH, Cable TV |
| Cards, loans and savings | Credit Card, Loan Repayment, Insurance, Recurring Deposit, NPS |
| Vehicles and travel | FASTag, NCMC, eChallan, Fleet Card, EV Recharge |
| Housing, local body and education | Housing Society, Rental, Municipal Taxes, Municipal Services, Education Fees |
| Other payments | Subscription, Donation, Clubs & Associations, Agent Collection |
NCMC is the National Common Mobility Card, and NPS is the National Pension System. A few categories need extra care at the counter:
- Credit card bills. The amount can be edited, so the customer can pay the minimum due or a part payment.
- Mobile Prepaid and DTH. Payonclick also offers a separate mobile and DTH recharge service, which needs no TPIN. Postpaid mobile, broadband and landline bills always come here.
- A biller you cannot find. Do not take the customer's cash. Raise a support ticket with our team first.
How a bill payment works at your counter
Choose the biller
Pick the category, such as Electricity, then choose the customer's biller.
Enter the customer's details
Type the ID the biller asks for, such as a consumer number, exactly as it appears on the customer's bill.
Fetch the bill
Where the biller supports it, fetch the current bill and check the details with the customer before you take any money.
Confirm the amount
Agree the amount with the customer. For a credit card bill you can edit it. From ₹50,000 upward, enter the customer's PAN.
Enter your TPIN
Your TPIN (transaction PIN) confirms the payment. Only one payment can be in progress on your account at a time.
Give the receipt
Hand over the receipt, which carries Bharat Connect branding and the Bharat Connect transaction reference.
A payment goes to the consumer number you enter, so one wrong digit can pay someone else's bill. Check the number against the customer's paper bill or message, and check the details shown after the fetch, before you enter your TPIN.
Because only one payment can be in progress on your account at a time, finish the current customer's payment before you start the next one.
Receipts, status and complaints
Receipts. Every receipt carries Bharat Connect branding and the Bharat Connect transaction reference. Ask the customer to keep it, because a complaint is tracked with that reference.
Status. Do not take a second payment for the same bill until you know what happened to the first one. If you are unsure, raise a support ticket with the biller, consumer number, amount and time before you try again.
Complaints. A complaint can be raised through Bharat Connect for a successful payment. Customers can also raise one themselves on the Bharat Connect complaint page. It asks for the 20-character Bharat Connect transaction reference ID, the transaction date and amount, and a screenshot of the transaction.
If you need help, raise a support ticket in the portal or app. You can also call or WhatsApp +91 99926 88080, Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM IST.
Limits and the PAN rule from ₹50,000
| Item | In the Payonclick app |
|---|---|
| Amount per payment | ₹1 to ₹2,00,000 |
| Customer's PAN | Required from ₹50,000 upward |
| Confirmation | Your TPIN, for every payment |
| Payments in progress | One at a time per account |
| Credit card bills | Amount can be edited for the minimum due or a part payment |
| Wrong TPIN | Locks for 15 minutes after 5 wrong attempts |
The PAN rule is about the customer, not the shop. For a payment from ₹50,000 upward, enter the PAN of the customer who is paying. If the customer cannot give a PAN, a payment of that size cannot go ahead, so tell them before you take the cash. Never split one bill into smaller payments to avoid the PAN step.
The limits for every service are listed on our rules and limits page.
Payonclick's role: a technology partner, not a BBPOU
RBI's BBPS directions set out who does what:
- NBBL is the BBPCU (Bharat Bill Pay Central Unit). It operates the system and sets its operational, technical and business standards.
- A BBPOU (Bharat Bill Payment Operating Unit) is a system participant. A Biller Operating Unit onboards billers. A Customer Operating Unit gives customers a way to pay, directly or through agent institutions.
- An agent institution is an entity certified by NBBL that provides a customer interface for bill payments.
Payonclick India is a technology and service provider. It is not a BBPOU, and it is not a bank. Bill payments made in the Payonclick app go through an authorised operating-unit partner.
Many people search for a "Bharat Connect agent" ID. A Payonclick retailer ID is an account on our platform. It is not an NBBL certificate and not a licence, so do not describe your shop to customers as a licensed Bharat Connect outlet.
For businesses that want an API
This page is for shop counters. If you run a fintech app, an agent app or business software and want your own users to pay bills inside it, use our BBPS bill payment API instead. That page covers integration, security and going live.
How to get a BBPS retailer ID
Register
Sign up on payonclick.in or in the Payonclick app with your name, gender, mobile number (verified by OTP), email and password.
Complete KYC
Share Aadhaar and PAN through DigiLocker, or fill the KYC form with Aadhaar, PAN, bank account details and photos.
Sign the agreement
Once your KYC is approved, sign the retailer agreement by eSign.
Activate bill payments
Service activation charges apply per service, and our team shares them.
Keep your TPIN private
You enter it for every bill payment. Payonclick staff never ask for it, or for your OTP or password.
Bill payments do not need AEPS merchant onboarding. You can join directly or through your distributor; see our Distributor Program if you want to build a network yourself. Charges and commission for bill payments are shared by our team on request.