PPF Account Transfer: 5 Steps You Must Know

You can move your PPF account from any bank to a post office or vice versa without losing interest or your 15-year lock-in timeline. But you cannot hand over your PPF account to another person — ever.

Here's what happened: PPF account holders can freely transfer their account from one bank branch to another, or from a bank to a post office and back, with full continuity of interest and tenure.. The 15-year lock-in period is NOT reset when you transfer — your original account opening date remains the official start date.. A PPF account is strictly personal and non-transferable between individuals — not even to a spouse, child, or nominee under any circumstances..

What you should do: Visit your current bank branch or post office and submit Form SB-10(b) — the official PPF transfer request form — along with your passbook.. If relocating to a new city, initiate the transfer before your next financial year to avoid any paperwork delays that could affect your annual deposit deadlines.. Check that your nominee details are updated at the new branch after transfer — records don't always migrate automatically and a mismatch can cause claim issues later..

Pro tip: After transfer, your PPF passbook from the old branch becomes invalid. Request a fresh passbook immediately at the new branch — you'll need it for future loan-against-PPF applications.