ESAF Small Finance Bank uses a Green PIN system that allows debit cardholders to create their own ATM PIN without depending on a physical PIN mailer. The service is available round the clock through ESAF ATMs, Mobile Banking and Internet Banking, and the bank also provides an SMS route for requesting the Green PIN OTP.
For a newly issued card, activation and PIN setup involve two related steps. ESAF’s debit-card terms state that the cardholder should activate the card by using it at a RuPay-enabled ATM after receiving the card and PIN. Where Green PIN is used for setting or resetting the PIN, the bank’s terms specifically refer to ESAF ATMs.
ESAF also provides debit-card management and e-lock facilities through Mobile Banking and Internet Banking. Customers can control ATM, POS and e-commerce transactions and modify the permitted limits according to their requirements.
What Do You Need to Activate an ESAF Small Finance Bank Debit Card?
Keep the following ready:
- ESAF Small Finance Bank debit card
- Mobile number registered with ESAF Bank
- Access to the registered mobile for receiving OTP
- Last four digits of the linked account number
- Last four digits of the debit card number
- Mobile Banking access if using the app
- Internet Banking credentials if using the online facility
The registered mobile number is essential for the Green PIN process because the OTP is sent to the mobile number linked with the bank account. ESAF defines Green PIN as an OTP that can be used for generating or updating the debit-card PIN.
How to Activate a New ESAF Small Finance Bank Debit Card
ESAF’s debit-card terms provide a straightforward activation process.
- Generate or obtain the debit-card PIN.
- Visit a RuPay-enabled ATM.
- Insert the ESAF debit card.
- Enter the PIN.
- Complete an eligible ATM transaction.
- Once the card has been successfully used, it is activated for normal permitted usage.
ESAF advises customers to change an initially supplied PIN to a number of their own choice after activation. If you are using Green PIN to set or reset the debit-card PIN, the bank states that this should be done through an ESAF ATM.
ESAF Debit Card Green PIN Generation Through SMS and ATM
ESAF’s official debit-card PIN-generation guide provides a clear SMS-based Green PIN process.
Step 1: Request the Green PIN OTP
Send an SMS from your registered mobile number to:
8086077575 or 9990016467
Use this format:
EPIN [space] Last 4 digits of Account Number [space] Last 4 digits of Debit Card Number
For example: EPIN 1234 5678
ESAF will send a six-digit OTP to your registered mobile number. The official guide states that this OTP is valid for 24 hours.
Step 2: Set the Permanent Debit Card PIN
After receiving the OTP:
- Visit an ESAF Small Finance Bank ATM.
- Insert the debit card.
- Select the Green PIN/PIN Reset facility displayed on the ATM.
- Enter the OTP received on your registered mobile number.
- Follow the ATM instructions.
- Create the new debit-card PIN.
- Confirm the PIN.
- Complete the request.
You will receive confirmation after the PIN has been successfully generated. ESAF also confirms that Green PIN is an OTP sent to the registered mobile number and can be used to generate or update the debit-card PIN.
ESAF Debit Card PIN Generation Through Mobile Banking
ESAF Small Finance Bank’s current Mobile Banking platform includes both Debit Card Management and PIN Generation Services.
The Mobile Banking process involves:
- Log in to ESAF Mobile Banking.
- Open the debit-card/card-management services.
- Select the required debit card.
- Choose the available PIN-generation service.
- Complete the authentication displayed by the app.
- Create the new debit-card PIN.
- Confirm and submit the request.
ESAF does not currently publish a detailed public screen-by-screen PIN-generation menu for the latest version of its Mobile Banking app. Therefore, customers should follow the live options shown in the application rather than relying on an older menu sequence. The bank separately confirms that Mobile Banking supports emergency services such as ATM PIN generation and debit-card hotlisting.
ESAF Debit Card PIN Generation Through Internet Banking
ESAF Retail Internet Banking also provides Debit Card PIN Generation and Debit Card Management & e-Lock facilities.
To generate the PIN online:
- Log in to ESAF Retail Internet Banking.
- Open the debit-card management/service-request section.
- Select the debit card.
- Choose Debit Card PIN Generation.
- Complete the required verification.
- Enter the new PIN.
- Confirm the PIN.
- Complete OTP or other authentication requested by ESAF.
- Submit the request.
As with Mobile Banking, ESAF’s current public website confirms the facility but does not provide the complete current menu-by-menu PIN-generation sequence. Follow the options displayed after login.
ESAF Debit Card PIN Regeneration Through SMS Banking
Customers who need to regenerate their debit-card PIN can also use ESAF SMS Banking. The official SMS Banking service lists EPIN – Debit Card PIN Regeneration as one of the available services.
ESAF SMS Banking number: 8086077575
The detailed PIN guide further allows the EPIN request to be sent to 9990016467 and uses the last-four-digits-of-account plus last-four-digits-of-card format described above.
How to Enable or Disable ESAF Debit Card Transactions
ESAF provides an e-Lock facility that lets customers control different debit-card transaction channels.
Customers can enable, disable or set limits for:
- ATM transactions
- POS transactions
- E-commerce transactions
Through Internet Banking
Official route: Internet Banking -> My Services -> E-Lock Debit Card -> Select Debit Card -> Enable/Disable/Set Limit
Complete OTP authentication and submit the request.
Through Mobile Banking
Official route: Mobile Banking -> Services -> Cards -> Select Debit Card -> E-Lock Card -> Enable/Disable/Set Limit
Authenticate using the required TPIN and submit the request.
ESAF also confirms that customers can change their POS, e-commerce and ATM transaction limits through the E-Lock facility, up to the maximum limit permitted for each channel.
International Usage Depends on the ESAF Debit Card Variant
Do not assume that every ESAF debit card has the same international capability.
For example, ESAF’s Classic RuPay Debit Card is listed for domestic usage only and is not for international use.
The Platinum RuPay Debit Card information states that POS transactions are supported on both domestic and international machines, while e-commerce usage on that product page is listed for domestic websites.
Therefore, check the features of your particular card variant before attempting an international ATM, POS or online transaction.
How to Temporarily Control or Permanently Block an ESAF Debit Card
ESAF’s e-Lock service can be useful when you want to restrict transactions without permanently cancelling the card. For a lost or compromised card, use the hotlisting facility instead.
Through Internet Banking: My Services -> Debit Card Hot Listing -> Select Debit Card -> Submit
Through Mobile Banking: Services -> Cards -> Select Debit Card -> Hotlist Card -> Authenticate with TPIN -> Submit
You can also call ESAF immediately to block the card:
1800 103 3723
NRI/paid line: 080 4552 0100
What Should You Do After Generating the ESAF Debit Card PIN?
Once the PIN has been successfully created, use the card at a RuPay-enabled ATM to complete the activation process described by ESAF.
You should also:
- Memorise the PIN.
- Avoid writing the PIN on the debit card.
- Never disclose the PIN to another person.
- Never share an OTP.
- Keep Mobile Banking and Internet Banking passwords confidential.
- Check ATM, POS and e-commerce limits before using those channels.
- Use e-Lock to disable transaction channels you do not need.
ESAF advises against using easy-to-guess PINs based on dates of birth, sequential numbers, repeated digits, telephone numbers or other readily available personal information.
What If ESAF Debit Card PIN Generation Fails?
If the Green PIN process does not work, check whether:
- You sent the EPIN SMS from the mobile number registered with ESAF.
- The last four digits of the account number are correct.
- The last four digits of the debit card are correct.
- You are using the latest six-digit OTP.
- The OTP is still within its 24-hour validity period.
- The debit card has not been blocked or hotlisted.
- Mobile Banking or Internet Banking authentication is working correctly.
If you have forgotten the PIN, contact the nearest branch or Customer Care for PIN regeneration if required.
For assistance, contact:
- 1800 103 3723 – Toll-free Customer Care
- 080 4552 0100 – NRI/paid line
- customercare@esafbank.com – Customer Care e-mail
FAQs
Q1. How long is the ESAF Green PIN OTP valid?
ESAF’s official debit-card PIN guide states that the six-digit OTP generated through the EPIN facility is valid for 24 hours. If you do not create the debit-card PIN within that period, request a fresh Green PIN OTP.
Q2. Is ESAF debit-card PIN regeneration free?
Not necessarily. ESAF’s current Schedule of Charges, effective August 1, 2025, lists PIN regeneration at ₹50. Bank charges can be revised, so customers should check the latest schedule when requesting regeneration.
Q3. Can I generate the ESAF Green PIN at any bank’s ATM?
ESAF’s debit-card terms specifically state that where the Green PIN facility is used to set or reset the debit-card PIN, it has to be done at an ESAF Bank ATM. After the card has been activated, it can be used at eligible RuPay network ATMs according to the normal card rules.
Q4. What should I do if my ESAF debit card is lost?
Block the card immediately instead of waiting to see whether it is misused. ESAF allows customers to hotlist the debit card through Internet Banking or Mobile Banking, and the bank provides 1800 103 3723 and 080 4552 0100 for immediate assistance.
