RBI Holidays 2026, Complete Month-Wise Bank Holiday List for All States

The Reserve Bank of India publishes an annual holiday schedule under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. All scheduled and non-scheduled banks, public sector, private sector, cooperative, and Regional Rural Banks, follow this calendar for branch closures.

Looking for RBI holidays 2025? Key 2025 dates are noted below. This page covers the 2026 RBI holiday calendar.

What Are RBI Holidays?

The Reserve Bank of India publishes an annual holiday circular specifying which days banks must remain closed across all states. These closures fall into three categories:

Important: The RBI does not operate a branch network the way commercial banks do. "RBI holidays" in common usage means the holiday calendar that the RBI mandates for all scheduled commercial banks, not holidays specific to RBI's own offices.

What Works on RBI/Bank Holidays?

Branch closed on an RBI holiday? CreditMitra's loan comparison works 24/7. Check your pre-approved personal loan offer from 30+ banks and NBFCs, any day, including RBI holidays. Soft inquiry, zero CIBIL score impact, no branch visit. Check My Pre-Approved Offer →

RBI Holidays 2026, Complete Month-Wise List

Data correction note: The following table corrects several errors found in BankBazaar's live RBI holiday page:

• April 1 (Annual Bank Closing) corrected, not a "Second Saturday"
• Ugadi corrected to 19 March (not 20 March)
• Vijaya Dashami corrected to 20 October (not 21 October)
• Ganesh Chaturthi corrected to 14 September (not 15 September)

January 2026

February 2026

March 2026

*Eid-ul-Fitr date subject to moon-sighting confirmation.

April 2026

Note on April 1: Annual Bank Account Closing applies to most states. BankBazaar's live page incorrectly lists this as "Second Saturday", April 1 is a Wednesday and the 2nd Saturday is April 11.

May 2026

*Bakrid date subject to moon-sighting confirmation.

June 2026

*Muharram date subject to moon-sighting confirmation.

July 2026

August 2026

*Eid-e-Milad date subject to moon-sighting confirmation.

September 2026

Note: Ganesh Chaturthi is on 14 September 2026, BankBazaar's live page incorrectly shows 15 September.

October 2026

Note: Vijaya Dashami is on 20 October 2026, BankBazaar's live page shows 21 October, which is the holiday continuation for select states, not the primary date.

November 2026

December 2026

All 24 Second and Fourth Saturdays, 2026

Three National Holidays, Mandatory for Every Bank

These three dates apply to every bank in every state, no exceptions:

How RBI Holiday Classification Works

Under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, bank holidays fall into categories that determine which banks must observe them:

Holidays under Section 25 of NI Act (Public Holidays): Central government-declared national holidays that apply to all banks nationwide.

Holidays under Section 6 of NI Act (State Public Holidays): State government-declared holidays that apply to banks within that state only.

RBI's 2nd and 4th Saturday directive: A standing circular from the Reserve Bank of India requiring all scheduled banks to remain closed on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month, issued separately from the NI Act framework.

RBI's annual holiday circular: Published annually (typically in October–November for the following year), listing the official holiday dates for RBI offices in each of its 17 regional centres. Commercial banks use this as the base calendar, supplemented by their own state government's notifications.

What Happens to EMIs on RBI Holidays?

One of the most searched practical questions about bank holidays, and completely absent from BankBazaar's RBI holiday page.

NACH-based auto-debit EMIs, used for home loans, personal loans, car loans, and other retail banking products, are not processed on bank holidays. When your EMI due date falls on an RBI holiday (including a 2nd/4th Saturday, a national holiday, or a state festival holiday), the debit typically processes on the next working day.

This is a system-level delay, not a default. Banks do not report it as a missed payment. However, the account must have sufficient balance on the next working day, if the debit fails due to insufficient funds on that day, it does count as a missed payment and may affect your CIBIL score.

Practical guidance: If your EMI is due on the 2nd or 4th of the month, check whether that date is a 2nd/4th Saturday or a gazetted holiday in your state. If it is, maintain balance from the previous working day.

RBI Holidays 2025, Key Reference Dates

For users searching "rbi holidays 2025" or "rbi holiday list 2025":

Extractable Answer Blocks

What is the RBI holiday calendar for 2026? The RBI holiday calendar for 2026 includes 24 second and fourth Saturday closures (two per month), three mandatory national holidays (Republic Day on 26 January, Independence Day on 15 August, and Gandhi Jayanti on 2 October), and approximately 25–35 state-specific and central gazetted festival holidays depending on the state. The calendar is published under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 and applies to all scheduled and non-scheduled banks across India.

Do all banks follow the RBI holiday list? Yes. All scheduled commercial banks in India, PSU banks, private banks, cooperative banks, and Regional Rural Banks, are legally required to follow the holiday calendar mandated by the Reserve Bank of India under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. National holidays and the 2nd/4th Saturday rule apply uniformly to all banks nationwide; state-specific holidays apply only to branches located in the relevant state.

What is the difference between a national holiday and an RBI holiday? National holidays, Republic Day (26 Jan), Independence Day (15 Aug), and Gandhi Jayanti (2 Oct), are mandatory bank closures in every state without exception. Other RBI-mandated bank holidays include central gazetted festivals (Holi, Good Friday, Eid, Diwali, Christmas) and 2nd/4th Saturdays, which are uniform nationwide, plus state-specific gazetted holidays that vary by location. All categories together constitute the full RBI holiday calendar for 2026.

What services are available on RBI holidays? Even when bank branches are closed on RBI holidays, digital banking services remain operational. UPI, IMPS, NEFT, mobile banking, internet banking, and ATMs function 24/7, including on national holidays and second/fourth Saturdays. RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement) transfers are suspended on holidays and resume only on banking working days. Physical cheque clearance under the Cheque Truncation System (CTS) also requires a working day to process.

Frequently Asked Questions on RBI Holidays 2026

Planning loan applications around RBI holiday closures? Check your free CIBIL score on CreditMitra before your next loan application, 2 minutes, instant result, zero score impact. Check Free CIBIL Score →