Dormant Bank Account
BankingA bank account becomes dormant (inoperative) if there are no customer-initiated transactions for 24 months. After 10 years of dormancy, unclaimed amounts are transferred to RBI's Depositor Education and Awareness (DEA) Fund. You can still claim your money from RBI even after the transfer.
In detail
Dormant account stages:n1. Inactive: no transactions for 12 months. Bank may restrict online transactions.n2. Dormant: no transactions for 24 months. Bank freezes the account.n3. Unclaimed: dormant for 10 years. Balance transferred to DEA Fund.nnTo reactivate dormant account:n1. Visit home branch with ID proof and passbookn2. Submit reactivation request formn3. Bank may require physical KYC updaten4. Account reactivated within 1 business daynnTo claim from DEA Fund (RBI):nUDGAM portal: udgam.rbi.org.in -- search for unclaimed deposits across multiple banks.
Real-life example
Suresh forgot about a savings account from his first job (2010). In 2024 he remembers: 14 years dormant. Balance of Rs 15,000 + interest has likely been transferred to RBI DEA Fund. He visits udgam.rbi.org.in, searches with his PAN and account details, finds the unclaimed amount, and submits claim. Gets money back within 30 days -- the RBI transfer doesn't mean you lose the money.