Bank Holidays July 2026: Are you planning to go to the bank this week? Many bank branches including SBI, HDFC, ICICI will remain closed for 3 days between 20-26 July. Before leaving home, please check the complete list of holidays.
Bank Holidays July 2026: If you are thinking of visiting a State Bank of India (SBI), HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank or Punjab National Bank (PNB) branch this week to deposit cash, clear a cheque, open a new account or update your passbook, then wait! Before leaving home, you should definitely take a look at your calendar. Between July 20 and July 26, 2026, work in banks is going to be halted not for one or two, but for three whole days. In such a situation, going to the bank without preparation can prove to be a waste of your time. It is very important to know on which days the banks will be closed in your city, so that you can avoid any major trouble.
That mysterious turn of the calendar: Know when, where and why the bank doors will be closed?
Generally, as per the rules of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), banks work as normal days on the first, third and fifth Saturday of the month. But this week’s math is different. Let us know which are those three days between 20th and 26th July, when the shutters of banks will not be lifted:
- 22 July (Wednesday): Banks will remain closed in Agartala on the occasion of Kharchi Puja.
- 25 July (Saturday): Due to the fourth Saturday, all government and private bank branches across the country will remain closed.
- 26 July (Sunday): Banks will remain closed across the country due to weekly holiday.
Earlier on July 18, banks were closed in Gangtok on the occasion of Drukpa Tshe-zi and July 11 was the second Saturday holiday.
Important advice for SBI, HDFC, ICICI, PNB and Axis Bank customers
If customers of State Bank of India (SBI), HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Punjab National Bank (PNB), Axis Bank and other banks want to do any important work by visiting the branch, then confirm the holidays of your local branch in advance. The holiday calendar may differ from state to state due to regional festivals.
Will online banking services also remain closed?
No. Despite bank branches remaining closed, most digital services will remain available as usual.
Customer:
- Will be able to pay through UPI.
- Will be able to withdraw cash from ATM.
- Will be able to use internet and mobile banking.
- Will be able to do online fund transfer and digital transactions without any interruption.
- That means holidays will not affect daily digital banking services.
That decision of RBI: How are bank holidays decided in the country?
The final decision on when banks will open and remain closed in India is taken by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). At the beginning of every year, RBI releases an official holiday calendar. Holidays in this calendar are divided into three categories:
- Holidays under Negotiable Instruments Act
- Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) Holidays
- Bank account closing holidays.
Holidays may vary from state to state depending on regional festivals, but on national festivals like Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti, banks remain closed simultaneously across the country.
New twist of future banking: Governor’s blunt warning to banks
Meanwhile, another big and shocking news is coming from the banking world. According to a recent report, Reserve Bank of India Governor Sanjay Malhotra has asked all the banks of the country to be prepared for future challenges. He has given strict instructions to banks to rapidly use cutting-edge technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to increase their reach to the general public.
Along with adopting technology, the Governor has also given a big warning. He has clearly said that banks will have to make their cyber security impenetrable so that any kind of fraud and misuse of customer data can be prevented. Banks will have to work with new energy and wisdom to meet the needs of every section of the country’s economy.
Do this work before leaving home
If you have any important banking work this week, confirm your branch’s holidays first. A little caution can save your time. At the same time, the tasks which can be completed through digital medium can be easily completed through internet banking, mobile banking, UPI or ATM.