Clear your overdue EMI
Clear your overdue EMI today – stop penalties & fix your credit
*Overdue charges include penalty interest and bounce fees as applicable. T&C apply.
In Summary
Adjust EMI Amounts and Advance Payments
A partial payment means paying only part of the amount due on a loan or credit card. The balance stays payable from the original due date. A payment towards the principal, called a part-prepayment, is different, because it lowers the principal on which interest is charged.
- Make a partial payment of Rs. 8,000 on a Rs. 12,000 EMI, and Rs. 4,000 stays overdue from the due date.
- On a credit card, paying less than the minimum amount due makes the account past due. The card issuer reports it only after more than 3 days.
- From 1 January 2026, new floating-rate loans to individuals for non-business use carry no pre-payment charges, in part or in full.
Before you make a partial payment, find out whether it clears an overdue amount or prepays principal. Then plan how you will pay the remaining amount, and from which savings, before the due date.
What is partial payment?
Partial payment is any payment smaller than the full amount you owe at that time. On a loan, it can be part of a due EMI or an extra amount towards the principal. On a credit card, it is any amount below the total amount due.
What a payment does depends on its type, as the table shows.
| Payment type | What you pay | Effect on your account |
| Partial payment of dues | Less than the EMI or bill amount due | The unpaid part stays overdue from the due date |
| Part-prepayment | An extra amount towards the principal | The principal falls, so later interest falls |
| Regular EMI | The full scheduled instalment | The account stays regular |
| Foreclosure | The full outstanding loan amount | The loan closes early |
| Settlement | An agreed amount below the full dues | The credit record shows the account as settled |
People often confuse a partial payment of dues with a part-prepayment. The first only reduces an amount already due. The second reduces the loan itself. Settlement is subject to the lender's assessment, and the settled status stays on your credit record.
What happens if you make a partial payment on your EMI?
If you make a partial payment on your equated monthly instalment (EMI), the unpaid part stays overdue from the due date. Charges as applicable apply to that amount. The lender reports it to credit information companies.
Example: Ravi, 34, is a sales executive in Pune. He earns Rs. 6,00,000 a year and has a Credit Information Bureau (India) Limited (CIBIL) score of 735. His EMI of Rs. 12,000 falls due on 5 March, and he makes a partial payment of Rs. 8,000 that day.
Formula: Overdue amount = EMI due − amount paid. Rs. 12,000 − Rs. 8,000 = Rs. 4,000.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) treats an account as overdue when any amount is wholly or partly unpaid. Ravi's partial payment leaves his account overdue from 5 March until he pays the Rs. 4,000. After more than 30 days, it moves to a higher overdue category. After more than 90 days, it becomes a non-performing asset (NPA). An NPA returns to standard only when the entire arrears are paid. Paying the Rs. 4,000 before the next EMI date stops the overdue count.
How does partial payment work for loans and credit cards?
A partial payment on a loan leaves the unpaid part of the EMI overdue at once. On a credit card, the minimum amount due decides whether the account is past due.
| After a partial payment | On a loan | On a credit card |
| Amount that keeps you regular | The full EMI by its due date | The minimum amount due, by the due date |
| Interest on the unpaid amount | As applicable under your loan agreement | The interest-free period stops and card interest applies |
| Late or overdue charges | As applicable on the overdue amount | Only on the amount unpaid after the due date |
| Credit reporting | Overdue from day 1 of any unpaid amount | Past due only after more than 3 days from the due date |
A partial payment of at least the minimum amount due keeps a card account from being past due. It does not stop interest on the balance you leave unpaid. RBI rules set the minimum amount due so that the balance does not grow when you pay it. Pay the total amount due as soon as you can.
What are the benefits of partial payment?
The main benefit of a partial payment comes from part-prepayment, because it lowers the principal on which interest is charged. Paying part of a due amount only reduces the overdue amount.
Example: You owe Rs. 3,00,000 in principal at an illustrative 14% per annum and prepay Rs. 50,000. Formula: Monthly interest saved = Amount prepaid × annual rate ÷ 12. That is Rs. 50,000 × 14% ÷ 12 = Rs. 583 (rounded) in the first month.
After this partial payment, you choose 1 of 2 options, subject to your lender:
- Keep the same EMI: The tenure gets shorter, and you save more total interest.
- Reduce the EMI: The tenure stays the same, and you save less total interest.
Under RBI rules, floating-rate loans to individuals for non-business use carry no pre-payment charges if sanctioned or renewed on or after 1 January 2026. This covers part and full prepayment, with no lock-in period. For other loans, check the charges in your sanction letter and loan agreement. A partial payment towards principal does not suit you if it leaves too little for your next EMI.
How does partial payment affect your CIBIL score?
Paying part of what you owe does not improve your CIBIL score on its own. Your score reflects whether each amount was paid in full and on time. An EMI that is partly unpaid is still reported as overdue. Repayment history is one of the main factors in your score. So the date you clear the full overdue amount matters more than the size of any partial payment. Other factors include your credit limit use, total debt and length of credit history.
A part-prepayment made on top of on-time EMIs lowers your total debt without creating a missed payment. It does not remove an earlier late payment from the report. On a credit card, paying the minimum amount due keeps the account regular. The unpaid balance still raises the share of your card limit in use, and a high share can lower your score. Check your credit report on cibil.com after the partial payment is recorded. If it shows a wrong overdue amount, raise a dispute on cibil.com.
How can you make a partial payment towards your loan?
You can make a partial payment towards your loan through My Account on the Bajaj Finance website or the Bajaj Finance App. First decide whether you are paying part of an overdue amount or prepaying principal.
- Sign in: Use your registered mobile number and the one-time password (OTP).
- Choose the loan: Open the loan under My Relations or Your Relations.
- Check the amount due: See whether it is a missed EMI, other overdue amounts or an eligible part-prepayment.
- Check the terms: Confirm the payment method, the charges as applicable and how the lender applies the partial payment.
- Pay: Choose one of the payment options shown.
- Keep the proof: Save the receipt and check the new balance on the loan account.
If you cannot pay the full overdue amount, contact Bajaj Finance through an official channel before the due date to ask about your options. A partial payment does not change your EMI, due date or tenure unless the lender confirms the change in writing. Keep paying each EMI on its due date until then.
Next steps
- Sign in to My Account or the Bajaj Finance App today and note the exact overdue amount and due date on your loan.
- Pay the full overdue amount before your next EMI date, so the overdue days stop adding up and further charges as applicable stop.
- Before a part-prepayment, read the pre-payment terms in your sanction letter, loan agreement and Key Facts Statement (KFS).
Not your nearest branch?
Frequently Asked Questions
Before you pay
After you pay
Effect on your loan
Is there a limit on how much I can pay as a partial payment?
The limit on a partial payment depends on your lender, the type of loan and your loan agreement. Some loans set a minimum amount or a maximum number of part-prepayments in a year. Check your loan agreement and repayment schedule first. If the terms are not clear, ask through an official channel before you pay.
What should I check before making a partial payment?
Read your loan agreement, your repayment schedule and your KFS. Check the permitted payment methods, the charges as applicable and any limits on amount or frequency. Also check the order in which the lender applies a partial payment to charges, interest and principal. That order decides how much your outstanding balance actually falls.
Should I make a partial payment or keep the money for my next EMI?
Keep enough money for your next EMI first, because a missed EMI is reported as overdue on your credit record. If you already have an overdue amount, clear it in full before you make a part-prepayment. Prepay principal only from savings you will not need for EMIs, household bills or emergencies in the coming months.
How do I confirm that my partial payment has been received?
Check your bank statement for the debit, then check your loan account in My Account or the Bajaj Finance App. The partial payment should appear in your payment history with a lower balance. Keep the transaction reference and receipt until the amount shows correctly. Raise any mismatch through an official channel with that reference.
What should I do if my partial payment does not show in my loan account?
First confirm with your bank that the amount was debited, and note the transaction reference. Then contact Bajaj Finance through an official channel and share the reference and the payment date. Do not pay the same amount again until the lender confirms the status. A second payment can leave you short for your next EMI.
Do repeated partial payments reduce my loan faster?
Repeated partial payments reduce your loan faster only if the lender applies them to the principal as part-prepayments. A payment that covers only part of a due EMI leaves the loan unchanged and the unpaid part overdue. Check your loan agreement for limits and charges as applicable on repeated part-prepayments before you plan them.
Does a partial payment change my loan closure date?
Paying only part of a due EMI does not change your loan closure date. A part-prepayment can bring the closure date forward if you keep paying the same EMI and the lender shortens the tenure. Ask the lender for a revised repayment schedule in writing. The new schedule shows your revised closure date.
More Articles
Disclaimer
While care is taken to update the information, products, and services included in or available on our website and related platforms/websites, there may be inadvertent inaccuracies or typographical errors or delays in updating the information. The material contained in this site, and on associated web pages, is for reference and general information purpose and the details mentioned in the respective product/service document shall prevail in case of any inconsistency. Subscribers and users should seek professional advice before acting on the basis of the information contained herein. Please take an informed decision with respect to any product or service after going through the relevant product/service document and applicable terms and conditions. In case any inconsistencies observed, please click on reach us.
*Terms and conditions apply.