Here’s How To Close SBI (State Bank of India) Account Online & Offline

State Bank of India, or as we fondly know it – SBI, is the bank of the masses in our country. Think of it as the LIC of the banking space in India. SBI has branches and ATMs all over the country, even in the remotest of towns and villages, making it the largest bank in the country in terms of ground presence and customer base. But are you thinking to close SBI account? Well, you’re in the right place!

However, thanks to other players in the banking space offering better customer experiences, more and more people are moving from SBI to other banks. If you are one of those, or if you just wish to permanently close your SBI account for some reason, keep reading.

Bank	State Bank of India (SBI)
Account closure process	Offline
Account closure charges	Yes, check charges here
Account closure form	Available online and offline
Account closure processing time	7 working days

Before we jump straight into the how and where, though, let’s discuss why exactly one would want to close their bank account with the biggest bank in India. Or should you even consider closing it, or just let it be?

Why close SBI account?

Just like any other bank, SBI also imposes some charges and fees for its banking services. For example, annual ATM card charges, SMS notification charges, penalties for non-maintenance of minimum average balance (Monthly or Quarterly), etc. These charges vary from customer to customer, depending on the combination of products and services they have opted for. If you are not really using the bank account, closing it would be the only way to get rid of all these extra charges. Or it is just that you are not happy with the quality of services provided by SBI. In this case, you should consider closing your account.

However, you may not want to close your account if you would like to make use of SBI card-specific offers and discounts. There are occasional sales online and offline which entitle you to get some extra discount or cashback if you have SBI cards, in which case, your otherwise unused SBI account may come in handy. Also, if you have a savings account, SBI pays you 2.7% interest annually over your savings balance, which is pretty low compared to other banks.

Important things to know before closing SBI account

Before you proceed with closing your SBI account, you need to keep the following things in mind:

1. After you permanently close your account, SBI won’t let you reopen it. This closure is permanent. If you wish to open an SBI account in the future, it will be a fresh account with a fresh account number and accessories.
2. You have to surrender your account-related physical products to the branch. Things like ATM/debit cards, checkbooks (unused), passbooks, etc., have to be submitted along with the account closure request form.
3. You should make sure you have cleared all dues with the bank. Any outstanding charges must be cleared before the account is closed. If you have not cleared any dues, the bank will ask you to do so before processing your account closure request.
4. You should transfer/withdraw all amounts from the bank before submitting the closure request. While you do get an option in the account closure request form to select what you wish to do with the remaining amount in the account, it is better to withdraw the amount or transfer it to another bank account prior to submitting the account closure request form. It speeds up the process of account closure.
5. You may have to pay some charges for closing your account, depending on the age of your account with the bank. Check the charges by clicking here.
6. You can not close your SBI BSBDA Small/Tiny Account, unfortunately. You will have to convert your BSBDA Small Account to Regular Savings Account first, and then you can permanently close it.

You should consider all these pointers before considering closing your SBI account. If you would still want to let go of the account, below are the steps for the following types of accounts:

• Savings Account
• Salary Account
• Current Account

Close SBI Account Online

At the moment, SBI accounts can not be closed online. You have to visit your home branch with a duly filled account closure request form, supporting proof of your identity and address, and account-related physical products like your passbook, debit card, checkbook, etc. You can download the account closure request form online from SBI’s website or by clicking on the link below (SBI website’s official download link):

Link not working? You can try this link instead.

After downloading and printing the form, you have to fill the form with the required and accurate information and submit it at your home branch along with the following items:

• Copies of ID and address proof
• Passbook
• Chequebook
• ATM/debit cards

That’s it. You shall be asked to clear any pending dues and pay account closure fees (if applicable) before your request is submitted for processing. Once it is submitted, the account shall be closed by the bank in a week max (mostly, it is closed within 2 working days).

Close SBI Account Offline

Apart from getting the account closure from SBI’s website, the majority of the account closure process happens offline. You have to fill out the account closure form (you can download it online, as well as obtain it offline at the branch) and submit it at your home branch along with account the following items:

• Copies of ID and address proof
• Passbook
• Chequebook
• ATM/debit cards

If there are any outstanding/pending dues on your account, the bank shall ask you to pay for them when you submit the account closure form. Also, you may be required to pay account closure charges, depending on the type and age of your account. You can check the SBI account closure charges below.

Then, your branch will proceed with the account closure, and your account will be permanently closed within seven working days.

SBI Account Closure Charges

Based on the age of your SBI accounts, you might have to incur some account closure charges. Below are the detailed charges for closing SBI accounts.

SBI Savings/Deposit Account Closure Charges

Following are the account closure charges for SBI Savings/Deposit Bank Accounts (excluding Basic Savings Bank Deposit Accounts or BSBDAs, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna Accounts, and other small accounts opened under special financial inclusion).

Description	Charges
Within 14 days of account opening	Nil / No Charges
15 days – 1 year of account opening	₹500 + Taxes
Beyond 1 year of account opening	Nil / No Charges
Account closure on settlement of accounts of deceased depositors	Nil / No Charges
Closure of Regular Savings Account by BSBDA holders (converted/upgraded)	Nil / No Charges

SBI Current Account Closure Charges

Following are the account closure charges for SBI Current Accounts.

Description	Charges
Within 14 days of account opening	Nil / No Charges
15 days – 1 year of account opening	₹1,000 + Taxes
1 year – 5 years of account opening	₹500 + Taxes
Beyond 5 years of account opening	Nil / No Charges

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about SBI account closing:

We hope this guide helps you close your SBI account without much hassle, and if you have any more questions or doubts regarding SBI account closure process, we’re here to help you in the comments section below.