Can I pay cash over 50,000 lei?
Not over the ceiling: large cash payments are capped by law. In Romania, Law 70/2015 sets ceilings for cash operations. Between individuals, cash receipts and payments are allowed up to a ceiling of 50,000 lei per transaction. The ceiling can't be fragmented: you can't split a larger transaction into several cash payments to get around the limit. For amounts over the ceiling, payment must be made through the bank (transfer, card etc.). For firms and dealings with them there are separate, smaller ceilings (as a rule 5,000 lei/day per person, with special rules for cash & carry stores). Also, at the end of the day, the cash in a firm's till can't, as a rule, exceed 50,000 lei. Card payments and bank transfers have no such limits.
📋 The rules
- Between individuals: cash payment up to 50,000 lei/transaction
- The ceiling can't be fragmented into smaller payments
- Over the ceiling: pay through the bank (transfer/card)
- Firms: separate ceilings, as a rule 5,000 lei/day per person
- Cash in a firm's till at day-end: max ~50,000 lei
🔓 Exceptions
- Bank payments (card, transfer): no ceiling
- Cash & carry: special rules for the daily ceiling
- Bank withdrawal/deposit operations: a different regime
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Exceeding the cash ceilings is fined at 25% of the amount over the limit, but not less than 500 lei. The same applies to fragmenting a transaction to avoid the ceiling, or holding in a firm's till, at day-end, cash over the limit. To avoid fines: for large amounts, use a bank transfer or card, which have no ceiling; don't split a large payment into several cash instalments; and if you're a firm, observe the daily ceilings and keep accurate records of cash receipts and payments. Electronic payment is also safer and easier to prove.
📎 Official sources
- Law 70/2015 on the financial discipline of cash operations →
- ANAF · cash ceilings →
- Ministry of Finance →
❓ Frequently asked
What's the cash payment ceiling between individuals?
Between individuals, cash receipts and payments are allowed up to 50,000 lei per transaction, under Law 70/2015. For amounts over this ceiling, payment must be made through the bank — bank transfer or card. Electronic payment has no such limit.
Can I split a large payment into several cash instalments?
No. The ceiling can't be fragmented: splitting a transaction over 50,000 lei into several smaller cash payments, to get around the limit, is banned and is sanctioned just like directly exceeding the ceiling. For large amounts, the lawful solution is paying through the bank.
What fine do I risk if I exceed the ceiling?
Exceeding the ceiling is fined at 25% of the amount over the limit, but not less than 500 lei. The same sanction applies to fragmenting transactions or holding, in a firm's till at day-end, cash over the ceiling set by law.
Are there different ceilings for firms?
Yes. For firms and dealings with them there are separate, smaller ceilings — as a rule 5,000 lei a day per person, with special rules for cash & carry stores. Also, the cash in the till at day-end can't, as a rule, exceed 50,000 lei.
Do card payments have any legal limit?
No. The ceilings in Law 70/2015 apply to cash, not electronic payments. Bank transfers and card payments have no such limits, are safer and easier to prove. That's why, for large transactions, paying through the bank is both lawful and recommended.
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