Bank Holiday 1 April 2026: If you tried visiting your bank branch on Wednesday and found it locked, you are not alone — and there is nothing wrong with your account. Bank branches across most of India are closed today as lenders observe their annual account-closing day, a routine exercise that happens every April 1 without fail.
Every year on April 1, banks shut their branches to carry out year-end account finalisation. This is because the last day of the financial year (March 31) formally closes the books, and lenders — both public sector and private — need the day to reconcile accounts, complete balance sheet entries and prepare for the new financial year beginning April 1. The Reserve Bank of India recognises this as an annual closing day, and it applies uniformly across the country.
When will banks reopen?
Branches will reopen on Wednesday, April 2, except Kerala, where the bank business will be suspended due to Maundy Thursday . For most of the country, the closure is a single-day affair and does not spill into the rest of the week under normal circumstances. That said, April carries several other bank holidays — regional and national — so customers are advised to check before visiting a branch later in the month.
Which banks are affected?
All scheduled commercial banks are affected — this includes State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda and other public sector lenders, as well as private banks such as HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank. The annual closing is not specific to any one institution; it is observed sector-wide.
Are all states Affected?
No. Banks in six states remained open for regular business today: Mizoram, Sikkim, Nagaland, Jharkhand, Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh. Customers in these states can access branch services as usual.
What services are still available today?
The closure applies only to physical branch counters. The following services continue to function normally:
ATMs — cash withdrawals and balance enquiries are unaffected
UPI — payments via PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm and other apps work normally
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Mobile banking — fund transfers, bill payments and statements are accessible
Internet banking — net banking portals remain fully operational
NEFT and RTGS — electronic fund transfers continue to be processed
The one exception to watch out for: Cheque clearance and settlement-linked transactions may see delays while the year-end closing process runs in the background. If a payment depends on a cheque being cleared today, it is worth following up directly with your bank.
How does this affect transactions?
For most customers, the day will pass without any real disruption. If your banking is digital — UPI, mobile or internet banking — nothing changes. The impact is felt almost entirely by those who needed to visit a branch for over-the-counter work: passbook updates, demand drafts, cash deposits above ATM limits, or document submissions.
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Upcoming bank holidays in April 2026
April is one of the busier months on the bank holiday calendar. Upcoming closures — varying by state — include:
Maundy Thursday (April 2) in Kerala and Good Friday (April 3) across the country except few states, followed by a mid-April cluster including Ambedkar Jayanti, Baisakhi, Tamil New Year and Vishu on April 14, and Bohag Bihu and Bengali New Year on April 15. Later in the month, Basava Jayanti (April 20), Akshaya Tritiya (April 19) and Garia Puja (April 21) will lead to state-specific closures.
Not all holidays apply in every state. The RBI’s official holiday list, published on its website, gives a state-wise breakdown.
Are banks closed on Saturdays in April ?
The standard rule applies. Banks remain closed on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month. The first, third and fifth Saturdays are working days unless a separate holiday notification applies.
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What should be done if you need an urgent transaction today?
Switch to digital. UPI handles most day-to-day transfers instantly, and NEFT remains available through net banking. For anything that genuinely requires a branch — and cannot wait until tomorrow — the only recourse is to check whether a branch in one of the six exempt states that includes Mizoram, Sikkim, Nagaland, Jharkhand, Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh
