# A UPI QR code for donations

> Print an open-amount UPI code so donors choose what to give, register the VPA in the organisation's name rather than a person's, and print that name large beside the code. Donor apps display the bank-registered name on the confirmation screen, which is the trust signal that actually matters.

Source: https://useqr.app/docs/payments/upi-qr-for-donations · Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · UseQR is free forever, no signup.

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## The shape of a donation code

Donations are the clearest case for an [open-amount code](/docs/payments/upi-qr-without-amount):
the donor decides, and a locked amount would cap generosity at exactly the number you
printed. The payload stays minimal:

```
upi://pay?pa=trustname@sbi&pn=Shanti%20Trust&tn=Donation&cu=INR
```

Set `tn=Donation` so every credit in the statement is labelled, when the same account also
receives fees, grants or refunds, that one word keeps the donation ledger clean. If you run
multiple boxes or campaigns, give each its own note (`tn=Donation%20Gate%202`) and generate
the set with the [bulk tool](/bulk).

Suggested tiers belong **beside** the code, printed as text ("₹101 · ₹501 · ₹1,001")
anchoring without restricting.

## The name is the trust

Here is the donation-specific fact most organisations miss: when a donor scans, their app
looks up the name **registered against the VPA at the bank** and shows it on the
confirmation screen. It does not simply trust the `pn` you encoded. That verified name is
the only assurance a donor gets that money is going to the institution and not to a
treasurer's personal account.

So the sequence that matters happens before any code is generated:

1. Open the account, and the VPA, **in the organisation's registered name**, "Shanti
   Charitable Trust", not "Ramesh Kumar".
2. Print that name **large** on the standee, matching what the app will display.
3. Check what actually appears by scanning your own code before printing anything. If the
   app shows something unexpected, start at
   [UPI QR shows wrong name](/docs/troubleshooting/upi-qr-shows-wrong-name).

A donor who sees "Shanti Charitable Trust" on the standee, then "SHANTI CHARITABLE TRUST" on
their phone, completes the payment. A donor who sees a person's name hesitates, and tells
other people.

## Receipts and 80G

A QR code moves money; it does not do paperwork. If your organisation issues **80G**
tax-deduction receipts, the donor's statement entry is not one, receipts need the donor's
name and PAN, which a scan does not give you. The workable pattern is structural: print
"For an 80G receipt, WhatsApp your payment screenshot, name and PAN to …" directly on the
standee, and reconcile against the statement. Ask your accountant what your receipts must
contain; the code's job is only to make the giving frictionless.

## The physical standee

Donation codes live hard lives: outdoors at gates, handled at counters, next to incense.
The print rules:

- **Laminate, matt finish.** Gloss under temple lighting reflects straight into cameras,
  and lamination also makes an overlay sticker lift visibly.
- Size by the [10:1 rule](/docs/print/the-10-to-1-distance-rule): a code scanned from
  1 m needs to be **10 cm** wide. Full sizing and materials are on
  [printing a UPI standee](/docs/payments/printing-a-upi-qr-standee).
- Outdoor placements fade; see [outdoor durability](/docs/print/qr-codes-outdoors-durability)
  before mounting one on a gate.

## The fraud you are defending against

Donation boxes are a favourite target for the overlay scam: a fraudster's code stickered
over yours, harvesting goodwill until someone notices. The defences are the verified name
(above), a **daily glance at every standee**, and staff who know that a donor mentioning "it
showed a different name" is an alarm, not a shrug. The full pattern list is in
[UPI security and common scams](/docs/payments/upi-qr-security-and-common-scams).

## FAQ

### How do I make a donation QR code for an NGO or temple?
Generate a UPI code from the organisation's VPA with no amount and a note like Donation. Print it with the organisation's registered name in large text, laminate it matt, and check it daily for tampering.

### Should a donation QR code have a fixed amount?
No. An open amount lets donors give what they choose. Print suggested tiers as text beside the code. They anchor giving without capping it or excluding small donors.

### Why does the app show a different name from our NGO?
UPI apps display the name registered against the VPA at the bank. If the account is in a person's name, donors see that person, not the organisation. Open the VPA in the registered organisational name.

### Can donors get an 80G receipt from a QR payment?
Not automatically. The scan gives you a credit, not the donor's name and PAN. Print instructions beside the code telling donors how to send those details, and issue receipts from your reconciled records.

## Try it

- https://useqr.app/upi
- https://useqr.app/validate
- https://useqr.app/bulk
