The Bank of Zambia endevors to maintain clean banknotes in circulation. The Bank withdraws soiled and mutilated currency and replaces them with FIT banknotes.

Mutilated banknotes are banknotes that show a significant loss or damage of the substrate, however caused, and would generally not be accepted by members of the public in their day to day transactions. Such banknotes should be removed from circulation and replaced with FIT banknotes.

It is important to note that mutilation of banknotes is a criminal offence and may result in stiff fines or custodial sentences to offenders.

Guidelines for payment of mutilated banknotes

The Bank of Zambia advises members of the public to either submit their claims to any commercial bank or directly to the Bank of Zambia. Examination of Mutilated Currency will be carried out before consideration of payment, if any.

As a general guide, banknotes that have been mutilated and are 75 percent or less of their original size (a portion of the banknotes equal to or more than 25 percent of the size of the original banknotes is missing) will be replaced at less than "full face value" of the banknotes. In this case, the claimant needs to be aware of the specific clauses in the Mutilated Claim Form regarding reimbursement of the mutilates banknotes.