General information — not legal advice. Procedures differ between institutions and change without notice. Always confirm the current requirements with the bank, insurer or registrar before travelling to a branch or office.
Last reviewed: 23 August 2026 · Report an error on this page
A PPF account cannot be inherited and continued. On the death of the account holder the account is closed and the balance is paid to the nominee or the legal heirs — even if the fifteen-year term has years left to run, and even if the nominee is the spouse.
This surprises people, because a PPF account can otherwise be extended indefinitely in five-year blocks. It is worth knowing early, because it means there is no benefit in delaying the claim in the hope of keeping the account alive.
You claim at whichever bank branch or post office holds the account.
Locate the account and the passbook
Find the PPF passbook or the most recent statement. If the account was with a bank, it will usually appear in that bank's net banking under the holder's customer ID; if it was with a post office, the passbook is the primary record.
The account number and the branch matter, because the claim has to be made where the account is held, not at any branch of the same bank.
Stop further deposits
If a standing instruction is depositing into the account each year, cancel it. The scheme does not permit deposits into the account after the holder's death — not even by an executor from the deceased's own income — so anything credited afterwards has to be unwound separately and delays the closure.
Submit the closure and claim application
2–6 weeks
The application is made on Form G under the PPF Scheme, available at the bank or post office and on the National Savings Institute site. The nominee, or where there is no nomination the legal heirs, applies on that form.
Where a nomination is registered, this is generally straightforward and needs no court document — the nominee takes precedence over other claimants. One caveat: if a legal heir produces a succession certificate, probate or letters of administration before the claim is sanctioned, the claim is settled in favour of that document instead.
Where there is no nomination, the line is drawn at ₹5 lakh. Up to that amount the balance can be paid to the legal heirs on affidavits and an indemnity, provided all the legal heirs agree. Above ₹5 lakh, a succession certificate from a court is required.
The balance is paid into the claimant's own account, so bank details and completed KYC are needed.
What to take with you
- Form G — closure on death of the account holderusually requiredFrom Bank or post officePrescribed under the PPF Scheme; also downloadable from nsiindia.gov.in.
- Death certificateusually required
- PPF passbook or account statementusually required
- Claimant's PAN and Aadhaarusually required
- Claimant's bank account proofusually required
- Nomination details as registeredsometimes requiredThe branch normally holds these.
- Indemnity bond and NOC from other heirssometimes requiredWhere there is no nomination.
- Succession certificate or legal heir certificatesometimes requiredWhere there is no nomination and the balance is large.
Check how interest has been calculated
Interest does not stop on the date of death. The balance earns interest up to the end of the month preceding the month in which the balance is actually paid to the nominee or legal heir. So a delay in settling the claim does not cost the family interest, and it is worth checking the figure the branch computes against that rule.
There is no penalty for closure on death — this is not treated as a premature withdrawal.
One trap: if the account holder had taken a loan against the PPF account and had not repaid it, the nominee or legal heir is liable for the interest on that loan, and it is adjusted at final closure. Ask whether any loan is outstanding before you assume the balance shown is what you will receive.
Documents checklist
Take this list with you. A filled circle is asked for almost every time; a dashed one depends on your circumstances.
- Form G — closure on deathusually required
- Death certificateusually required
- PPF passbook or statementusually required
- Claimant's PAN, Aadhaar and bank proofusually required
- Indemnity bond and NOC from other heirssometimes required
- Succession or legal heir certificatesometimes required
Common questions
Can I continue my father's PPF account instead of closing it?
No. On the death of the holder the account is closed and the balance paid out, regardless of how much of the fifteen-year term remains. Even a spouse who is the nominee cannot continue it.
Is there a penalty for closing the account early?
No. Closure on the death of the holder is not treated as a premature withdrawal, so the penalty that would otherwise apply does not.
Is the PPF balance taxable for the person who receives it?
PPF proceeds are generally exempt, but the treatment of amounts received after the holder's death is a question worth confirming with a tax adviser for your circumstances.
Should I keep depositing to keep the account active?
No. Cancel any standing instruction. Deposits made after the death only have to be refunded separately and delay the closure.
There is no nominee. Do I need to go to court?
Not necessarily. Smaller balances are commonly settled against an indemnity bond and a no-objection certificate from the other legal heirs. Ask the branch what it will accept before starting a court process.
Sources
Everything on this page traces back to these. If one has changed since we checked it, the page is wrong — please tell us.
Related guides
If this helped, send it to someone who needs it. Most people find this page in the worst month of their life. Someone you know may be there now.
Nobody should have to search for this
Most of the difficulty in these pages is not the paperwork. It is not knowing what existed, where it was held, or who to ask. That part is avoidable — but only by the person who holds the information, while they still can.
KinSetu is a private record of what your family would need to find: accounts, policies, investments and documents, released to the people you name. It exists so that your family never has to reconstruct it from bank statements.
Start a free recordAbout this guide
KinSetu publishes these guides to help families understand the process of claiming assets after a death in India. They are general information, not legal, tax or financial advice, and reading them creates no professional or advisory relationship with KinSetu.
We research each guide from the institutions’ own published forms and circulars, cite them where we can, and review pages periodically. Even so, requirements vary by institution, branch, state and individual circumstance, and they change without notice. We cannot guarantee that any list of documents or steps is complete or current for your situation, and KinSetu accepts no liability for decisions taken solely on the basis of these pages.
Nomination is not inheritance. A nominee is generally the person an institution releases an asset to — not necessarily the person legally entitled to own it, which is determined by a will or by succession law. Where ownership, division between heirs, or a dispute is involved, please consult a qualified lawyer.
Found something out of date or incorrect? Tell us — we check every report and correct the page. Last reviewed on 23 August 2026.