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Guide

How to Send M-PESA and Withdraw at Agent or ATM (2026): Complete Guide

Send to a phone, withdraw at an agent, withdraw at an ATM. All three routes, plus the 4-digit voucher for sending to unregistered numbers.

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by Reviewed by Michael Mwangi 8 min read Updated 30 August 2026Verified 30 Aug 2026

To send money on M-PESA, dial *334#, choose “Send Money”, enter phone number, amount, PIN. To withdraw at an agent, take the agent number, dial *334#, choose “Withdraw Cash”, enter agent number, amount, PIN. To withdraw at an ATM (Equity, KCB, Co-op, Absa), get a 6-digit code from *334#that expires in 10 minutes.

Send money to a phone number

  1. Dial *334#.
  2. Select 1. Send Money.
  3. Enter the recipient's phone number, or pick from Recents / Saved.
  4. Enter the amount (KES 1 to 250,000 per transaction).
  5. Enter your M-PESA PIN.
  6. Confirm the recipient name shown. If wrong, cancel.

Both you and the recipient get an SMS with the transaction code and updated balance. Cost: the M-PESA send-money tariff, KES 0 to 108 depending on amount.

Sending to an unregistered number

If the recipient is not registered on M-PESA, the money sits in Safaricom's escrow and they receive a 4-digit voucher code. They redeem it at any M-PESA agent by presenting the voucher and their Kenyan ID.

  • Voucher expires after 7 days. Unclaimed funds are refunded to sender.
  • Resend the voucher by dialling 100 (prepaid Safaricom) or 200 (postpaid Safaricom) and following the M-PESA voucher menu.
  • Charges: the sender pays a higher tariff for unregistered sends. The recipient pays a withdrawal charge on collection.

Withdraw cash at an M-PESA agent

There are more than 170,000 M-PESA agents nationwide. To withdraw:

  1. Walk into any agent. Confirm the agent number on the till board.
  2. Dial *334#.
  3. Select 3. Withdraw Cash.
  4. Select From Agent.
  5. Enter the agent number (5 to 7 digits).
  6. Enter the amount (minimum KES 50).
  7. Enter your M-PESA PIN.
  8. Show the confirmation SMS to the agent. Collect your cash.

Minimum withdrawal: KES 50. Below that, the agent cannot pay you out. Maximum per single withdrawal is KES 250,000 (subject to the KES 500,000 daily cap).

Withdraw at an ATM (Equity, KCB, Co-op, Absa)

No card needed. Use a 6-digit code from your phone at any participating ATM.

  1. Dial *334#.
  2. Select 3. Withdraw Cash.
  3. Select From ATM.
  4. Enter the amount (multiples of 50 KES; check ATM limits, usually up to KES 40,000 per session).
  5. Enter your M-PESA PIN.
  6. You get an SMS with a 6-digit withdrawal code, valid for 10 minutes.
  7. At the ATM, press the M-PESA option (no card).
  8. Enter your Safaricom number, then the 6-digit code, then the amount.
  9. Collect your cash.

Participating ATMs (2026): Equity Bank, KCB Bank, Co-operative Bank, Absa Kenya, and a growing list of second-tier banks (NCBA, Family, DTB). Look for the M-PESA logo on the ATM screen.

Withdrawal charges (agent tariff)

Full schedule in our M-PESA withdrawal charges guide. Selected brackets:

Amount (KES)Agent charge (KES)
50 to 10011
101 to 50029
501 to 1,00029
1,001 to 1,50029
1,501 to 2,50029
2,501 to 3,50052
3,501 to 5,00069
5,001 to 7,50087
7,501 to 10,000115
10,001 to 15,000167
15,001 to 20,000185
20,001 to 35,000197
35,001 to 50,000278
50,001 to 250,000309

M-PESA limits (2026)

  • Max per single transaction: KES 250,000
  • Max per day (send + withdraw combined): KES 500,000
  • Max M-PESA balance: KES 500,000
  • Minimum withdrawal at agent: KES 50

Send and withdraw mistakes

  1. Wrong phone number. If sent to a registered number, forward the SMS to 456 to start a reversal. If sent to an unregistered number, cancel the voucher from your phone via *334# → Reverse.
  2. ATM code entered wrong three times. The ATM cancels. Generate a new code from your phone.
  3. Agent short of float. Withdraw a smaller amount, or try another agent. Agents display their float on the till board.
  4. Wrong agent number. Your money goes to a different agent's till. Recover through Safaricom (call 100/200) with the agent number and transaction code.

Frequently asked

What is the fee to send money?

M-PESA send-money tariff, KES 0 for amounts up to 100, rising to KES 108 for 20,001 to 250,000. Full table in our charges guide.

Can I send to Airtel Money?

Yes, cross-network send is supported. See M-PESA to Airtel Money.

Is the ATM withdrawal charge the same as agent?

The M-PESA withdrawal charge is the same. The ATM does not charge you an extra fee for M-PESA cardless withdrawals.

Source: Safaricom M-PESA tariff and product documentation, verified 30 August 2026.

Related reading

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