Best Credit Cards for Government Payments

Taxes and government payments by card. Few cards reward these at all: many pay nothing on income tax and other government payments, and banks change this often, so only cards whose terms state a rate here are listed. Check the bank's current terms before you pay a large tax bill by card. Ranked by what each card pays back on ₹5,000 a month, never by what a bank pays us.

10Cards ranked
3%Top rate

1
HSBC Premier World Mastercard
3% on government payments, up to ₹3,000 a month
On ₹5,000 a month
₹150 back
A year
₹1,800
Annual fee
₹23,600 incl. GST
Apply Worth it for me?
2
LIC Select Credit Card
1% on government payments, up to ₹150 a month
On ₹5,000 a month
₹50 back
A year
₹600
Annual fee
Lifetime free
Apply Worth it for me?
3
IndusInd Bank Pioneer Legacy Credit Card
0.7% on government payments
On ₹5,000 a month
₹35 back
A year
₹420
Annual fee
Lifetime free
Apply Worth it for me?
4
IndusInd Bank Pioneer Heritage Credit Card
0.7% on government payments
On ₹5,000 a month
₹35 back
A year
₹420
Annual fee
₹29,500 incl. GST
Apply Worth it for me?
5
IndusInd Bank Pioneer Private Credit Card
0.7% on government payments
On ₹5,000 a month
₹35 back
A year
₹420
Annual fee
₹29,500 incl. GST
Apply Worth it for me?
6
LIC Classic Credit Card
0.6% on government payments, up to ₹75 a month
On ₹5,000 a month
₹30 back
A year
₹360
Annual fee
Lifetime free
Apply Worth it for me?
7
IndusInd Bank Pinnacle Credit Card
0.53% on government payments
On ₹5,000 a month
₹27 back
A year
₹324
Annual fee
Lifetime free
Apply Worth it for me?
8
IndusInd Bank Celesta Credit Card
0.53% on government payments
On ₹5,000 a month
₹27 back
A year
₹324
Annual fee
₹5,900 incl. GST
Apply Worth it for me?
9
IndusInd Bank Crest Credit Card
0.53% on government payments
On ₹5,000 a month
₹27 back
A year
₹324
Annual fee
₹11,800 incl. GST
Apply Worth it for me?
10
IndusInd Bank Avios Visa Infinite Credit Card
0.5% on government payments
On ₹5,000 a month
₹25 back
A year
₹300
Annual fee
₹5,900 incl. GST
Apply Worth it for me?

Not ranked, because their terms state no rate on government payments: AU Business Cashback Rupay Credit Card, AU CA Credit Card, AU CS Credit Card, AU InstaPay Credit Card, AU NOMO Credit Card, AU Zaggle Credit Card, AU Zenith Plus Credit Card, Axis Bank Freecharge Credit Card, Axis Bank Primus Credit Card, BOBCARD Cashback Credit Card, BOBCARD Select Credit Card, Bank of Baroda Eterna Credit Card and 59 more. 131 more cards earn nothing here.

Worked out from each card's published reward rate and monthly cap. Your spending elsewhere and the fee also matter: use Is this card worth its fee? for your own numbers.

Common Questions

Which is the best credit card for government payments?

On our data, HSBC Premier World Mastercard pays the most: 3%, about ₹1,800 a year on ₹5,000 a month. The best card for you also depends on your other spending and the fee.

How are these cards ranked?

By what each card pays back on ₹5,000 a month in this category or at this brand, from the bank's published rate and monthly cap. A rate the bank limits to named merchants or its own portal is shown as a note, not ranked, on a category page. A card whose terms state no rate here is not ranked at all. Cards that pay the same are ordered by the lower annual fee. What a bank pays SkyloFin is never part of the ranking.

Are the rates guaranteed?

No. Banks change rates and caps; each card's page shows its recent changes and its source. Check the bank's terms before you apply.

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