---
title: "Get BBPS Categories API Reference"
description: "Retrieve the list of supported BBPS biller categories (electricity, gas, DTH, etc.)."
canonical: "https://eps.eko.in/docs/bbps-get-categories"
---


> **Canonical URL:** https://eps.eko.in/docs/bbps-get-categories
> This is a machine-readable Markdown version of the page for AI agents and LLMs. The primary (HTML) version lives at the canonical URL above.

# Get BBPS Categories API Reference

`GET https://staging.eko.in/ekoapi/v3/customer/payment/bbps/categories`

Retrieve the list of supported BBPS biller categories (electricity, gas, DTH, etc.).

Returns all BBPS biller categories. Pass an `operator_category_id` from here as the `category` filter on Get Operators, and as the `category` param on Fetch Bill and Pay Bill.

Common ids: 1 Broadband Postpaid · 2 Gas · 4 DTH · 5 Mobile Prepaid · 6 Tax · 7 Credit Card · 8 Electricity · 9 Landline Postpaid · 10 Mobile Postpaid · 11 Water · 12 Housing Society · 13 Subscription · 14 Education · 15 Municipal Taxes · 16 Clubs and Associations · 17 Cable TV · 18 LPG Cylinder · 19 Hospital · 20 Insurance · 21 Loan · 22 FASTag · 23 Municipal Services · 24 Rental Payment · 27+ eChallan, Agent Collection, EV Recharge and others.

**Do not hard-code these ids** — the live response is authoritative and the list grows. The category list is returned under `param_attributes.list_elements`, not under `data`.

> View product & pricing details: [Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS)](https://eps.eko.in/products/bbps-api.md)

## Query parameters

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| initiator_id | string | yes | Registered mobile number of the API user (see Platform Credentials). e.g. 9962981729 |
| client_ref_id | string | no | Unique reference ID per API call, generated by your system (max 20 characters). e.g. 2026010100123456789 |

## Headers

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| developer_key | string | yes | Static API key issued to your account after KYC. |
| secret-key | string | yes | Dynamic per-request signature: base64(HMAC-SHA256(timestamp, base64(access_key))). |
| secret-key-timestamp | string | yes | Current time in milliseconds since UNIX epoch, used to compute secret-key. Must match server time. |
| content-type | string | yes | application/json e.g. application/json |

## Response

⭐ marks fields highlighted as verifiable.

| Field | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| status | number | Primary success indicator (0 = success). |
| message | string | Human-readable response / error message. |
| response_status_id | number | Granular status id; see the shared error-codes table. |
| response_type_id | number | A unique id for every possible response shape (success or error) — useful for client logic branching and analytics. |
| data | object | API-specific response payload. |
| data.param_attributes ⭐ | object | Wrapper for the category list — returned at the top level of the response, not under `data`. |
| data.param_attributes.list_elements ⭐ | array | One entry per BBPS biller category. |
| data.param_attributes.list_elements.operator_category_id ⭐ | number | Category identifier. Pass as the `category` filter on Get Operators, and as `category` on Fetch Bill / Pay Bill. |
| data.param_attributes.list_elements.operator_category_name ⭐ | string | Human-readable category name. |
| data.param_attributes.list_elements.operator_category_group | string | Grouping code for the category. |
| data.param_attributes.list_elements.status | string | `1` = active. |

## Response types

Branch on `response_type_id` to decide the next call:

| response_type_id | Meaning | Next step |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2457 | Category list returned — pick one and list its billers. | [bbps-get-operators](https://eps.eko.in/docs/bbps-get-operators.md) |

## Example response

`response_type_id` `2457` — Category list returned — pick one and list its billers.. Next step: [bbps-get-operators](https://eps.eko.in/docs/bbps-get-operators.md).

```json
{
  "response_status_id": 0,
  "param_attributes": {
    "list_elements": [
      {
        "operator_category_name": "Broadband Postpaid",
        "operator_category_id": 1,
        "operator_category_group": "0",
        "status": "1"
      },
      {
        "operator_category_name": "Electricity",
        "operator_category_id": 8,
        "operator_category_group": "0",
        "status": "1"
      },
      {
        "operator_category_name": "Water",
        "operator_category_id": 11,
        "operator_category_group": "0",
        "status": "1"
      },
      {
        "operator_category_name": "FASTag",
        "operator_category_id": 22,
        "operator_category_group": "0",
        "status": "1"
      }
    ]
  },
  "response_type_id": 2457,
  "message": "BBPS category fetch success",
  "status": 0
}
```