Inactive SIM Deactivation Rules in India

• TRAI rules provide a minimum 90-day non-usage period for prepaid mobile connections.
• Operators may provide longer non-usage periods, subject to applicable regulatory safeguards.
• Check your operator status before assuming an inactive SIM has already been deactivated.

An inactive SIM does not automatically mean that the mobile number has already been deactivated. For prepaid mobile connections, TRAI’s current regulatory framework provides a minimum 90-day non-usage period before deactivation, while an operator can provide a longer period.

Plan or recharge validity and non-usage deactivation are separate matters. If you have not used a prepaid number for a long period, check its current status with the operator instead of relying on a fixed recharge or expiry assumption.

Inactive SIM Deactivation Rules in India

TRAI’s regulatory framework provides a minimum 90-day non-usage period for prepaid mobile connections before deactivation. An operator may prescribe a longer non-usage period, subject to the applicable safeguards.

Where the applicable prepaid account balance exceeds ₹20, or a lower threshold set by the provider, the operator is required to retain the connection by deducting an amount not exceeding ₹20 and extending the period by 30 days. This retention can be repeated while the connection remains eligible and the required balance is available.

After deactivation for non-usage, the applicable rules provide at least 15 days for reactivation, with a reactivation fee not exceeding ₹20 or a lower fee set by the operator.

What Counts as Usage?

For the non-usage provisions, activity can include outgoing or incoming voice calls, outgoing SMS, data usage and use of value-added services (VAS). These are the types of activity specified in the regulatory framework.

Incoming SMS by itself is not listed as a usage activity in the same definition. Therefore, do not assume that simply receiving bank OTPs or other incoming SMS messages will keep an otherwise unused SIM active.

If keeping a secondary number active is important, confirm the operator’s current treatment of usage rather than relying on an isolated incoming SMS or an assumption about how the number is classified.

Plan Validity and Non-Usage Are Different

Plan or recharge validity and non-usage deactivation are related to a mobile connection but are not the same rule. A recharge plan can have a stated validity or expiry date, while the regulatory non-usage provisions deal with prolonged lack of activity on the connection.

Therefore, do not treat a plan’s expiry date as a universal 90-day deadline for SIM deactivation. Similarly, do not assume that reaching the end of a plan’s validity means the number is immediately deactivated.

Operator Status Checks

Operator	What to check	Important point
Jio	Current plan/account status in MyJio or through customer care	Confirm the actual number status rather than relying only on recharge validity.
Airtel	Current account status in the Airtel app or through customer care	Operator-specific customer rules can be different from the regulatory minimum.
Vi	Current account status in the Vi app or through customer care	Check the number’s actual status before assuming deactivation.
BSNL	Current account status through BSNL’s available customer-care or self-care channels	Circle-specific information may apply, so confirm the current position.

The regulatory minimum does not mean every operator uses the same customer-facing process. If your number matters for banking, UPI, messaging or account recovery, confirm its status directly with the provider.

How to Check Whether Your Number Is Active

1. ⚙️ Check the operator app: Look for the current account, plan, validity or service-status information shown for the number.
2. ⚙️ Check network registration: Insert the SIM into a compatible phone and see whether it registers on the operator’s network. Lack of service alone does not prove permanent deactivation.
3. ⚙️ Contact customer care: If the status is unclear, use the operator’s official helpline from another number and ask whether the connection is active, restricted, deactivated or within a reactivation period.
4. ⚙️ Visit an operator store: If remote support cannot establish the status, take the required identification documents to an authorised store and ask whether the number can still be reactivated.

What to Do If Your Number Is Deactivated

Contact the operator as soon as you discover the deactivation. Ask whether the number is still within the applicable reactivation period and whether you are eligible to restore it. The regulatory framework provides at least 15 days for reactivation after non-usage deactivation, subject to the applicable conditions.

If reactivation is available, the applicable fee cannot exceed ₹20 under the regulatory provision, or the operator may charge less. Follow the provider’s current reactivation process rather than assuming that a recharge alone will restore the service.

If the number can no longer be restored, update the mobile number linked to important services as soon as possible. This can include bank accounts, UPI, email recovery, messaging services, government services and other accounts where the old number is still registered.

How to Protect a Secondary Number

• Check the number’s current status periodically if it is used for important account recovery.
• Do not rely on incoming OTPs or other incoming SMS as proof that the number remains protected from non-usage deactivation.
• Keep the operator’s current validity, balance and non-usage information available before deciding how to maintain the number.
• Set a calendar reminder to review the number before an important account or service depends on it.
• If you no longer need the number, update important accounts before allowing the connection to lapse.

If you decide to move your number to another operator, our mobile number portability guide explains the MNP process and the steps involved.

Conclusion

An inactive SIM is not automatically deactivated as soon as a recharge or plan expires. The regulatory framework provides a minimum 90-day non-usage period, possible balance-based extensions in eligible cases, and a reactivation window after non-usage deactivation.

Because operator policies and customer-facing processes can vary, check the actual status of your number with the provider. If the number is important for banking, UPI or account recovery, keep its status under review and update linked accounts before giving it up.

Frequently Asked Questions