Claiming a bank account after a death: what the RBI's rules say
Losing someone is hard enough without trip after trip to the bank. Since 2025 the RBI has set one set of rules for every commercial and co-operative bank: which documents a family must give, how fast the bank must pay, and what it owes if it is late. This guide explains them in plain words, with a checklist you can print.
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Nominee, survivor or legal heir?
The rules turn on one question: did the account have a nominee, or a joint holder with an “either or survivor” instruction? If yes, the bank pays that person directly, with very few papers. If not, the legal heirs claim together, and the papers depend on the amount and on whether there is a Will or a dispute.
A nominee is paid as a trustee for the legal heirs. Being paid by the bank does not by itself make the nominee the owner; that is decided by the Will or by succession law.
Documents for each situation
The documents for each situation, at a glance:
Nominee or survivor: three documents
There is a nominee, or a joint holder with “either or survivor”.
- Claim form (RBI’s standard form), signed by the nominee(s) or survivor(s)
- Death certificate of the account holder
- Identity and address proof of the nominee or survivor (an Officially Valid Document such as Aadhaar, passport, voter ID or driving licence)
That is all. Whatever the amount, the bank must not ask for a succession certificate, probate, an indemnity bond or a surety. The nominee receives the money as a trustee for the legal heirs. In a joint account, a nominee can claim only after all the holders have died.
No nominee: the simplified route
No nominee, no Will, no dispute, and the total with interest is up to ₹15 lakh (₹5 lakh at a co-operative bank).
- Claim form (RBI’s standard form), signed by the claimants
- Death certificate of the account holder
- Identity and address proof of each claimant
- Indemnity bond (RBI’s standard form), signed by the claimants
- No-objection letter (RBI’s standard form) from any legal heir who is not claiming, if there is one
- Legal heir certificate from the competent authority, OR a declaration (RBI’s standard form) by an independent person who knows the family well and is not part of the claim
For a claim within the limit, the bank must not ask for a surety from a third party.
No nominee, above the limit
No nominee, no Will, no dispute, and the total is above that limit.
- EITHER a succession certificate, with the claim form, death certificate and identity proof
- OR a legal heir certificate, or an affidavit (RBI’s standard form) sworn before a notary or magistrate by an independent person who knows the family
- With the second option, also the claim form, death certificate, identity proof, indemnity bond and any no-objection letters
Above the limit, the bank may also ask for a surety from people it accepts.
There is a Will
No nominee, and the person left a Will that nobody disputes.
- Probate of the Will, or a Letter of Administration
- Claim form, death certificate and identity proof of the claimants
In some cases the bank may settle on the Will without probate. Ask the branch.
A dispute or a court case
Family members disagree, or there is a court case.
- Court papers: a succession certificate, probate, letter of administration, or an order from the court
- Claim form, death certificate and identity proof of the claimants
When family members disagree, the bank settles only on court papers.
How fast the bank must pay
| What | Bank's deadline | If the bank is late |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit accounts | 15 calendar days from receiving all documents | Interest of at least Bank Rate + 4% a year on the amount, for the days of delay. The bank must also tell you why it is late. |
| Locker or safe custody | Within 15 calendar days, process the claim and fix the date for listing the contents | ₹5,000 for each day of delay |
Every commercial and co-operative bank had to put these rules in place by 31 March 2026.
Make your claim letter
The bank will give you its claim form, which follows the RBI’s standard format. This covering letter goes with it: it lists what you are handing in and asks for a dated acknowledgment. Fill in the form below; the letter updates as you type.
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Your letter
An invented example
For bank staff: the counter checklist
Use this list in a morning huddle or at the counter. For commercial banks the rules are now in Section E of the RBI’s Responsible Business Conduct Directions, 2025; they began as the RBI Directions of 26 September 2025.
- Accept the claim at any branch, not only the home branch, and give an acknowledgment.
- If documents are missing, list them on the acknowledgment, so the family comes back once, not five times.
- From a nominee or survivor, take only the claim form, death certificate and identity proof. Do not ask for a succession certificate, indemnity or surety.
- Without a nominee, check the total with interest against the limit: ₹15 lakh, ₹5 lakh at a co-operative bank, or your bank's higher limit.
- Settle within 15 calendar days of receiving all documents. If there is a delay, tell the family why.
- Keep the claim forms ready at the branch. The bank's website must also carry the forms and the list of documents.
- A grieving family remembers who helped. A clear list and a kind word save everyone time.
If the bank delays or refuses
Write to the branch and to the bank's grievance cell. Quote the RBI’s 15-day rule: paragraph 319 of the Responsible Business Conduct Directions, 2025 for a commercial bank, or the RBI Directions of 26 September 2025 (RBI/2025-26/82). If the bank does not reply within 30 days, or you are not satisfied with the reply, you can complain to the RBI Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in.
Questions people ask
Does the nominee become the owner of the money?
Not always. The nominee receives the money as a trustee for the legal heirs. Who finally owns it is decided by the Will or by succession law.
What if a family member is missing and there is no death certificate?
Usually you need a court order declaring the person dead. But if the total, with interest, is under ₹1 lakh (or a higher limit your bank sets), a copy of the police FIR and the police's non-traceable report can be used instead.
Do these rules cover PPF or the Senior Citizens Savings Scheme?
No. Government savings schemes run through banks, such as PPF and SCSS, follow their own scheme rules.
Can I make the claim online?
Only if your bank offers it. The RBI allows online claims but does not require them. You can always make the claim at any branch.
Where this comes from
This guide is general information, not legal advice. The facts come from these public sources:
- Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Responsible Business Conduct) Directions, 2025 (page updated as on 1 October 2026), Section E: the documents for deposit accounts (paragraphs 284 to 294) and lockers (299 to 314), online claims (318), the 15-day deadlines (319 and 320) and the compensation for delay (321 and 322). This is where the rules for commercial banks now sit.
- Reserve Bank of India (Settlement of Claims in respect of Deceased Customers of Banks) Directions, 2025, RBI/2025-26/82, 26 September 2025: where these rules started, for commercial and co-operative banks, including the ₹5 lakh threshold for co-operative banks.
- Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025, paragraph 5(1)(xiv), for what counts as an Officially Valid Document.
- RBI complaint portal (cms.rbi.org.in).
Rules and limits change. Confirm the current details at rbi.org.in or with your bank before you act.