Check if your UPI ID follows the correct username@bankhandle format before you pay — instantly, free, and 100% private.
Free online UPI ID format checker that validates your Virtual Payment Address (VPA) against NPCI's official structure rules — checks the @ symbol, username characters, length limits, and recognised bank/app handles. Runs entirely in your browser with no data stored or sent to any server.
Format validation only: This tool checks if your UPI ID follows the correct format structure. It does not verify if the account exists, is active, or verify any account details. Always confirm with the account holder before sending money.
UPI ID Format Checker Related Tools
A UPI ID format checker is the fastest way to confirm your UPI address is entered correctly before you send or request money. Also known as a Virtual Payment Address (VPA), a UPI ID follows a strict username@bankhandle pattern set by NPCI — and even one wrong character, an uppercase letter, or a stray space can cause an instant payment failure. This free UPI ID format checker validates your UPI address against the official NPCI structure rules in real time, right in your browser, so you can catch formatting mistakes before they cost you a failed transaction.
A UPI ID — also called a Virtual Payment Address (VPA) — is a unique payment handle used in India to send
or receive money without sharing bank details. It follows the pattern username@bankhandle,
for example rahul@ybl
or 9876543210@paytm.
Apps like Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, BHIM, and Amazon Pay all use UPI IDs to process payments
over India's NPCI-managed UPI network.
This tool checks only the format — it does not verify whether the account is active or exists.
Even a small typo in a UPI address can cause payment failure, so verifying the format first is a smart habit.
A wrong format is one of the most common reasons a UPI payment gets rejected instantly.
Missing the @ symbol,
adding a space, or using an unrecognised bank handle can all cause a transaction to fail before
it even reaches the bank. Catching these errors early — before you tap "Pay" — saves time and confusion.
| Part | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Username | Chosen by the user. Can be a name, mobile number, or custom identifier. Max 60 characters. Allowed characters: a–z, 0–9, dot, hyphen, underscore. | rahul123, amit.kumar, 9876543210 |
| @ Symbol | Separator between username and bank handle. Exactly one @ must be present — no more, no less. | @ |
| Bank / App Handle | Identifies the PSP (Payment Service Provider) managing the account. Assigned by NPCI. Must be lowercase. | ybl, paytm, okhdfcbank, oksbi, axl |
rahul@ybl9876543210@paytmamit.kumar@okhdfcbankshop-name@upiuser_123@icicibankpriya@oksbirahul@YBL — uppercase handlerahul ybl@paytm — space not allowedrahul@@paytm — two @ symbols@paytm — username missingrahul!@paytm — invalid special charrahul@fakebank — unknown handleEach payment app or bank is assigned a specific handle by NPCI. Using the wrong handle is one of the most frequent format errors.
| App / Bank | UPI Handle | Example UPI ID |
|---|---|---|
| Google Pay | okaxis, okhdfcbank, oksbi, okicici | name@okaxis |
| PhonePe | ybl, axl, ibl | 9876543210@ybl |
| Paytm | paytm | name@paytm |
| Amazon Pay | apl | name@apl |
| BHIM / SBI | upi, sbi | 9876543210@upi |
| Airtel Payments Bank | airtel | name@airtel |
| Kotak Bank | kotak | name@kotak |
| ICICI Bank | icici | name@icici |
For the complete official list of PSP handles, refer to NPCI's UPI product page.
Format validation only. This tool does not connect to banks or the UPI network. It cannot confirm whether an account is active, whether a balance exists, or whether a payment will succeed.
rahul@YBL is invalid. Handles must always be lowercase: rahul@ybl.rahul@@paytm or rahul@paytm@upi are both invalid. Only one @ is allowed.@paytm is incomplete. A UPI ID needs a non-empty username before the @.!, #, $, *, and % are not permitted. Only dots, hyphens, and underscores are allowed alongside letters and numbers.A correctly formatted UPI ID is only one part of a successful transaction. Here are other reasons a payment might fail even when the ID looks right:
For official UPI transaction support or disputes, contact your bank or visit NPCI's consumer grievance page.
A UPI ID is a Virtual Payment Address (VPA) that lets you send and receive money without sharing your bank account number. It takes the form username@bankhandle and works across all UPI-enabled apps in India including Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm. You can learn more about how UPI works on the NPCI UPI product overview page.
What is the correct UPI ID format in India?A valid UPI ID follows the format username@bankhandle. The username can be 3 to 60 characters long and may contain letters (a–z), digits (0–9), dots, hyphens, and underscores. The bank handle (after @) is assigned by NPCI and must be in lowercase. Example: john.doe@okhdfcbank.
No. This tool checks format only. It does not connect to any bank or UPI network, so it cannot confirm whether a given UPI ID is linked to an active account. For that, you need to attempt a small test payment or contact the recipient directly.
Which characters are allowed in a UPI ID?Allowed characters in the username part: letters a–z, digits 0–9, dot (.), hyphen (-), and underscore (_). Spaces and special characters like !, @, #, $, %, *, &, and / are not allowed. The handle part (after @) must contain only lowercase letters and digits.
Is my UPI ID safe when I use this tool?Yes. The validation runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Nothing you type is sent to Toolisky's servers or any third party. See our Privacy Policy for full details.
Can I have multiple UPI IDs?Yes. You can link multiple UPI IDs to the same bank account, and you can have UPI IDs on different apps pointing to different accounts. NPCI allows this flexibility. Each app you register on creates its own UPI ID for you automatically.
Why is the bank handle (after @) unrecognised even though my ID works?NPCI periodically approves new PSP handles, and our list may not reflect the very latest additions. If your UPI ID works fine in your app but shows as "unknown handle" here, it's likely a newer handle not yet in our database. The payment will still work — format validation is advisory, not authoritative.
How do I find my UPI ID?Open your payment app (Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, etc.) and go to your profile or account settings. Your UPI ID is displayed there. In Google Pay it's shown under "UPI IDs" in the profile screen. In PhonePe it appears in the "My UPI IDs" section.
What does "VPA" mean in the context of UPI IDs?VPA stands for Virtual Payment Address. It is the technical term for what is commonly called a UPI ID. Both terms refer to the same thing: your username@bankhandle payment identifier on India's UPI network.
Yes. The tool is fully responsive and works on phones, tablets, and desktops across all major browsers.
This tool validates UPI ID format based on publicly available NPCI guidelines. It checks structure only and cannot verify account existence, balance, or payment eligibility. Results are for informational purposes. For official UPI transaction support, contact your bank or UPI service provider directly.
For informational purposes only. Results are estimates based on the inputs you provide and the rules in effect for the period shown, and are not tax, legal or financial advice. Verify figures against the relevant official source and consult a qualified professional before acting on them. Accuracy & limitations
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