The minimum CIBIL score for personal loan approval is usually 700–750 at banks and 650–700 at NBFCs. But no bank publishes one hard cutoff, and plenty of people with a 760 still get rejected. If that has happened to you, the score probably wasn’t the problem.
This guide gives you the score ranges by lender type and by bank. Then it covers what actually decides your application once the score clears: FOIR, job tenure, recent inquiries, which credit bureau the lender checked, and your rights if you’re turned down. Figures come from lender guides and lending resources checked in September 2026, so treat them as guidance, not guarantees. Not sure where you stand? Start with our Credit Card Eligibility Calculator.
| Lender type | Typical minimum score | Typical rate* | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public sector banks (SBI, Bank of Baroda, PNB) | 700–720+ | ~10.25–11% | Lowest rates, strict income documents, 2–5 working days |
| Private banks (HDFC, ICICI, Axis, Kotak) | 680–750, depending on the bank | ~10.5–14% | Faster approval; better odds if you hold a salary account there |
| NBFCs (Bajaj Finance, Tata Capital) | 650–700 | ~14–20% | Easier approval, higher cost |
| Digital lending apps | 600–650, or income-based scoring | ~18–36% | Fastest and most expensive |
*Rate ranges are third-party estimates for illustration. Your actual quote depends on your full profile.
| Bank | What’s reported | Source type |
|---|---|---|
| Axis Bank | 720+ unlocks better rates and approval odds; says most lenders prefer 720–750 | Axis Bank’s own guide |
| SBI | Around 700–720 in practice, with tighter income documentation | Lending guides |
| HDFC Bank | Roughly 720–740; existing salary-account holders may get through at slightly lower scores | Lending guides |
| ICICI Bank | Roughly 720–740 | Lending guides |
| Bajaj Finance | 650–700, sometimes lower, at higher rates | Lending guides |
Only Axis states a number in its own guide. For the rest, read these as what applicants commonly report, not as official cutoffs. Banks keep their exact thresholds internal, and the automated check also looks at your income and existing EMIs.
The score is the first gate, not the only one. After it, your application goes through more checks, and any one of them can stop it. IDFC FIRST Bank’s own guidance lists the usual culprits:
Say you earn ₹60,000 a month and already pay ₹20,000 in EMIs. You apply for a loan with a ₹12,000 EMI. Your FOIR becomes (₹20,000 + ₹12,000) ÷ ₹60,000 = 53%. That is over the comfort line whatever your score is. Ask for a smaller amount or a longer tenure so the new EMI drops to ₹8,000, and FOIR falls to about 47%. Or clear your smallest existing loan first. Our guide on how much EMI is safe for your salary shows how to work out your own limit.
Approval is one thing. The score also sets your rate, and the gap is bigger than most people expect. Here is the same ₹5 lakh personal loan over 3 years at three illustrative rates:
| Interest rate | Monthly EMI | Total interest paid |
|---|---|---|
| 10.75% | ₹16,310 | ₹87,168 |
| 14% | ₹17,089 | ₹1,15,197 |
| 18% | ₹18,076 | ₹1,50,743 |
The same loan costs about ₹63,600 more in interest at 18% than at 10.75%. These rates are examples, not quotes, but the gap between bank and NBFC pricing is real. You can test your own numbers in our EMI calculator.
On home loans the gaps look small but add up. On a ₹50 lakh, 20-year loan, a rate just 0.30 percentage points higher (8.55% instead of 8.25%) adds ₹946 to the monthly EMI and about ₹2.27 lakh over the loan. At 8.75%, the extra is ₹1,582 a month and about ₹3.8 lakh. Most banks price home loans by score band, so moving up a band before you apply can be worth lakhs.
A home loan is secured by the property, so banks are usually more flexible on approval than for a personal loan. Lending guides commonly put the practical floor around 650–700 at banks, and SBI is reported to lend down to 650 for many products. The best rates go to 750 and above, and to 800+ at some lenders. Below 650 you may face rejection or a steep rate.
Home loans also fail for reasons that have nothing to do with your score: a legal dispute on the property, unapproved construction, a bank valuation that comes in below the purchase price, or a co-borrower with a weak credit record. Already paying a high rate? Once your score improves, a balance transfer can help. See how to reduce your home loan EMI.
There is no RBI-mandated minimum. HDFC Bank’s own guide says there is no fixed minimum for card approval, though 750+ gets better offers. ICICI Bank’s guide names 750 as the minimum for its cards, and adds that higher income and lower existing debt can offset a weaker score.
In practice, 700–750 is the working range, and premium cards want 750+. Below 650, or with no credit history, the standard route is a secured card against a fixed deposit, typically starting at ₹10,000–20,000. See our guide to credit cards for first-time users, and use the Credit Card Limit Calculator to estimate the limit you would actually get.
India has four credit bureaus: TransUnion CIBIL, Experian, Equifax and CRIF High Mark. Your lender may report to one, some or all of them, and it can check whichever it prefers. So the 750 you saw on a free app may not be the number the bank saw. If you were rejected despite a good score, pull your report from all four. Each bureau is required to give you one free full report per calendar year, and a wrong entry can sit in one bureau without showing up in the others.
Then resist the urge to reapply at once. Each formal application adds a hard inquiry, and lending guides suggest waiting 3–6 months between attempts. Use an eligibility check first, which does not hit your score. Our guide to improving your CIBIL score fast walks through the dispute process step by step.
What is the minimum CIBIL score for personal loan approval?
Most banks look for 700–750 and NBFCs for 650–700. No bank publishes a single hard cutoff, and Axis Bank says 720+ improves your odds and rates.
Can I get a personal loan with a 650 CIBIL score?
Sometimes, through NBFCs and lending apps, usually at 14% or more. Most banks will decline at that score.
Why was my loan rejected with a 750+ score?
Common reasons are a high FOIR, unstable employment, several recent inquiries, mismatched documents, or lender-specific rules. Ask for the reason in writing.
Does checking my own CIBIL score lower it?
No. Checking your own score is a soft inquiry with no impact. Only a lender’s hard inquiry from a real application counts.
How long should I wait before reapplying after a rejection?
Lending guides suggest 3–6 months, using that time to fix the specific reason you were given.
Is the minimum score different for home loans and credit cards?
Yes. Home loans are secured, so approval is often possible from about 650–700, while unsecured credit cards generally want 700–750.
Sources: lender guides from Axis Bank, IDFC FIRST Bank, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, RBI directions on credit reporting and complaint handling, and lending resources, checked September 2026. Lender policies and rates change often, so confirm with the lender before you apply. This is general information, not financial advice.
