(1) Money order (MO) shall be an order issued by the Post Office for the payment of a sum of money to the person in whose name the money order is sent, by the remitter.
(2) The maximum amount for which a single money order may be issued shall not exceed ten thousand rupees and shall not include a fraction of a rupee.
(b) a certificate of payment on the request of the remitter, subject to such request being made within three months from the date of booking.
(1) The payment of a money order shall ordinarily be made at the address of the payee -
(2) If the payee of a money order is a minor or illiterate, or his physical or mental condition is such rendering him incapable of providing acquittance of having received the money, then the identity of the payee for the payment shall be verified in such manner as may be specified by administrative instructions by the Director General from time to time.
(1) A money order may be redirected to another address of payee, free of charge, if the payee makes a request, as specified by administrative instructions along with the proof of identity.
(2) No alteration in the name of payee shall be permitted in the money order.
(3) A money order may be stopped and returned to the remitter, free of charge, if the remitter makes a request, as may be specified by administrative instructions, until the delivery post office issues it to the postman for the delivery, and in such a case, the amount of the money order, excluding the commission thereof, shall be refunded to the remitter.
(4) In no case, the Post Office shall be responsible for inability or failure to stop payment of a money order as per remitter's request.
(5) If the payee of a money order refuses to take payment on its presentation to him, the amount of the money order shall be returned to the remitter excluding the commission thereof:
Provided that if the payee who is unable to take payment on its presentation to him, makes an application, as may be specified by administrative instructions for retention of the money order or the payee is not found at the address given on the money order, the money order shall be retained in the post office for a period not exceeding seven days from the date of its presentation to the payee, or from the date it is sent out for payment, as the case may be, and if the payee fails to take payment of the money order from the post office within the said period of seven days, the money order shall be returned to the remitter on the first working day immediately following the expiry of the said period of seven days.
(6) If the payee of money order is dead, the amount of the money order shall be returned to the remitter:
Provided that the remitter of money order is dead, the amount of money order shall be paid to the legal heir of the remitter, as may be specified by administrative instructions.
(1) The Post Office shall not be responsible for the wrong payment of a money order by incorrect or incomplete information given by the remitter as to the name and address of the payee.
(2) After a money order has been paid, to whosoever it is meant for payment, the Post Office shall not be liable to any further claim.
The undelivered money order shall be returned to the remitter and the amount of the money order shall be paid to the remitter excluding the commission thereof.
When, for any reason, a money order remains unpaid, either to the payee or the remitter, at the end of the second month following the month of its issue, it shall be treated as void by the office of issue.
The amount or value of money order unpaid beyond three years from the date of booking shall be forfeited and after expiry of the said period, such amount or value shall be treated as revenue to the Government of India.
The services of money orders by any particular post office, or group of post offices, in special circumstances, may be suspended by the Circle Head, by order in writing.
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Last reviewed and updated on
August 17, 2025
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