How to reactivate an Inactive or Dormant Savings Account

Realising a bank account has become inactive or dormant is common. This usually happens to old accounts that people have not accessed in quite a while.

Here’s more clarity on why this happens and how to reactivate such accounts.

Understanding an Inactive or Dormant Account

When you make no transaction in your bank account for 12 months, the account gets classified as inactive.

When you make no transaction in your bank account for 24 months, the account gets classified as inoperative or dormant by the bank.

Accounts are classified as active, inactive, and dormant to reduce the risk of frauds, and any kind of misuse with your account. With such a segregation, banks get to know about the risks involved in these accounts and can call for thorough checks to confirm the same.

Understanding the classification of a dormant account

You will be informed at least three months in advance before your account is considered as dormant. You may also be informed about the procedure to re-activate your account. If the bank still sees no subsequent transactions, your account could be classified as a dormant bank account.

If you provide the reasons for not operating the account, your bank may consider your account as an operative account for one more year. If you fail to operate the account during the extended period, it will be classified as a dormant account when the period ends.

You would continue to receive interest on your savings account even after the reclassification as a dormant or inactive account.

Note: Bank-initiated transactions, such as service charges, interest credited, or the penalties levied by the bank, will not be considered for re-classification.

Restrictions on a dormant account

When an account is flagged as “Dormant”, all customer induced debit and credit transactions will be blocked. Transactions included will be both financial (cash deposit/withdrawal, Fund transfer, IMPS, RTGS, NEFT, or any transactional mode such as UPI) as well as non-financial (cheque book requests, debit card request).

Reactivating your bank account

The process of reactivating your bank account is a hassle-free one:

• You must submit a written application to the bank. For joint accounts, signatures of all accountholders will be needed, irrespective of a single or joint operating mode.
• You will have to submit your KYC (Know Your Customer) documents. These will include address proof, PAN Card, and identity documents.
• You have to do at least one financial transaction

No fees or penalties will be charged to reactivate a dormant account.

The information provided above will help you reactivate your dormant savings account.

To avoid keeping your account dormant, just ensure that you use your account regularly. Conduct one transaction, online or offline, every year, to prevent it from turning inactive.

Click here to know more about IDFC First Bank Savings account.