Short answer: The RBI UDGAM portal lets a registered user search for unclaimed deposits and inactive accounts across participating banks from one place. It helps you locate a possible account, but it does not transfer money or settle the claim. After finding a match, you must contact the bank, complete its identification and claim process, and provide the records the bank requires.
Table of contents
- What UDGAM is
- Which deposits it covers
- Who should search
- Information needed
- Step-by-step search
- How to claim from the bank
- Nominee and legal-heir cases
- Safety and troubleshooting
- Example, checklist and FAQs
What is the RBI UDGAM portal?
UDGAM means Unclaimed Deposits–Gateway to Access inforMation. The Reserve Bank of India developed the centralised portal so people can search unclaimed deposits and accounts across multiple participating banks without visiting every bank website separately.
UDGAM is a search facility, not a claims authority. RBI does not decide ownership through the portal, and the portal does not release funds. The bank that holds the account remains responsible for verifying the claimant and processing activation or settlement.
An account being searchable does not mean the money belongs to the person who found a similar name. Banks must verify identity, account linkage, nomination, succession documents and other facts. Treat a search result as a lead that starts the bank process.
What counts as an unclaimed deposit?
Amounts in deposit accounts that have not been operated for ten years or more, or amounts that remain unclaimed for ten years, are transferred by banks to RBI’s Depositor Education and Awareness Fund under the applicable rules. The customer or rightful claimant does not lose the right to claim merely because the amount was transferred to that fund. The claim is still made through the bank.
Searchable records can include eligible savings accounts, current accounts, fixed deposits and other deposits included in participating banks’ data. Coverage depends on what the bank has reported and whether it participates in UDGAM. A recent dormant account may be handled through the bank but may not yet appear as an unclaimed deposit on the portal.
RBI’s published FAQ stated that, as of 4 March 2024, 30 banks were part of UDGAM and represented around 90% of unclaimed deposits in value terms in the DEA Fund. That figure is historical, not a claim about today’s exact coverage. Check the live list on UDGAM before concluding that a bank is unavailable.
Who should use UDGAM?
- People who remember an old account but no longer have the passbook or branch details.
- Families checking whether a deceased relative left an unclaimed bank deposit.
- Nominees whose contact details were never updated with the bank.
- People who changed address, mobile number or city and lost track of an account.
- Customers whose bank merged or whose old branch changed its name.
Do not search using another living person’s identity details without authority. For deceased depositors, use the minimum information necessary and follow the bank’s deceased-claim process.
What information is needed to search?
UDGAM registration requires a mobile number and the authentication steps shown on the official portal. For a search, the portal may ask for the account holder’s name, the bank, and one or more search criteria such as PAN, voter ID, driving licence number, passport number or date of birth. The available fields can differ by bank and portal version.
Use exact information from old records where possible. A name may have been stored with initials, a maiden surname or a spelling used years ago. Try legitimate variants rather than adding false information. Never type a password, PIN, CVV or OTP into a third-party service claiming to search UDGAM for you.
How to search for unclaimed bank deposits on UDGAM
- Open the official portal. Start from RBI’s website or type https://udgam.rbi.org.in/ directly. Check the domain before entering details.
- Register or sign in. Use your mobile number and complete the official authentication flow.
- Select the bank or search scope. The portal may permit searches across selected participating banks.
- Enter the depositor name. Use the name associated with the old account, not necessarily the claimant’s name.
- Add an identification criterion. Use the available information that genuinely belongs to the depositor.
- Review possible results. A match may show limited information designed to help identify the bank and account without exposing the full account number.
- Record the claim reference. Note the result or unclaimed-deposit reference shown. Do not publish it on social media.
- Contact the bank. Follow the bank’s official unclaimed-deposit claim or account-reactivation process.
If no result appears, confirm that the bank participates, check spellings and identifiers, and search the bank’s own unclaimed-deposit facility. Absence from UDGAM is not proof that no money exists.
How to claim money after finding a match
Approach the bank using a branch, official customer-care channel or the claim instructions linked from its website. Tell the bank that you located a possible unclaimed deposit and provide the reference securely. The bank will check its records and explain the required form and documents.
For a living depositor, the bank may request identity and address proof, PAN or Form 60 where applicable, recent photographs, signature verification, old account evidence, and updated contact or KYC information. Requirements vary with the product and whether the account can be reactivated instead of closed.
Ask for a written acknowledgement and service-request number. If the bank needs additional verification, request a checklist so the same documents are not submitted repeatedly. Preserve copies, but mask identifiers before sending a grievance by email.
Nominee and legal-heir claims
A nominee should contact the bank with the death certificate, identity and address proof, claim form and nomination information the bank holds. Nomination helps the bank discharge the amount but does not necessarily settle every question among legal heirs under succession law.
If there is no registered nominee, the bank may ask for legal-heir or succession documents depending on the amount, its policy and the facts. Requirements can include a legal-heir certificate, succession certificate, probate, will, indemnity or declarations from other heirs. Do not rely on a generic online checklist for a high-value estate; obtain the bank’s written requirements and legal advice when necessary.
Can you reactivate the old account?
The bank may offer reactivation after KYC and verification, or it may settle and close the account. The choice depends on the account’s status, bank policy, merger history and the customer’s request. Ask about minimum-balance rules, charges and whether a new account is more practical before agreeing.
An unclaimed deposit should not attract a fee merely because the customer is claiming it. However, related products or reactivated accounts can have current terms. Read the bank’s written communication.
What UDGAM does not do
- It does not pay the claimant directly.
- It does not replace the bank’s KYC or deceased-claim verification.
- It does not prove ownership solely from a name match.
- It does not show every bank unless that bank is participating.
- It does not require payment to an agent for a search.
- It does not recover investments, insurance proceeds or securities that are governed by other authorities.
Safety checklist
- Use only the RBI UDGAM domain and the bank’s official site.
- Never share an OTP, PIN, CVV, internet-banking password or full card number.
- Do not pay a “release fee” to a caller or messaging-app contact.
- Keep references and identity documents private.
- Verify bank phone numbers from its official website.
- Report suspicious transactions immediately; use CheckMatter’s unauthorised bank transaction guide for the separate RBI liability process.
If the bank delays or rejects the claim
First use the bank’s grievance officer and provide the UDGAM reference, acknowledgement, documents submitted and requested remedy. Ask for the exact reason for rejection in writing.
If the bank does not reply within 30 days, rejects the complaint wholly or partly, or provides an unsatisfactory resolution, an eligible complaint may be taken to the RBI Integrated Ombudsman.
Example
Priya finds an old fixed-deposit receipt belonging to her late father but the branch has merged. She registers on UDGAM, searches using his name and an available identifier, and finds a possible record at the successor bank. She saves the reference, contacts the bank’s official branch, and receives its nominee-claim checklist. She submits the death certificate, her KYC and the bank’s form. The bank verifies the nomination and settles the amount. UDGAM located the lead; the bank completed the claim.
Final action checklist
- Gather old names, bank details and lawful identifiers.
- Check the live participating-bank list.
- Search on the official UDGAM portal.
- Save the reference privately.
- Use the bank’s official claim process.
- Get acknowledgement and written reasons for delays.
- Escalate through the bank and RBI Ombudsman only when eligible.
Frequently asked questions
Is UDGAM free?
RBI provides the portal as a centralised search facility. You do not need to pay an agent to search or release a deposit.
Will RBI transfer the money to me?
No. The bank verifies and settles the claim. UDGAM helps locate the record.
Can I search for a deceased relative?
A family member or authorised claimant can search using lawful information, but the bank will require nominee or legal-heir documentation before settlement.
What if the bank is not listed?
Use the bank’s own unclaimed-deposit search and contact its grievance channel. Check UDGAM’s live list later because coverage can change.
Does the money expire?
Transfer to the DEA Fund does not eliminate the depositor’s or rightful claimant’s ability to approach the bank for payment.
Is a dormant account the same as an unclaimed deposit?
No. A recently inactive account may be dormant but not old enough for the unclaimed-deposit category. Contact the bank for reactivation.
Conclusion
The RBI UDGAM portal is the safest starting point for finding an unclaimed bank deposit across participating banks. Search with accurate information, treat any match as a lead rather than proof, and complete the claim only through the bank. Keep identity documents and references private, and escalate with a written evidence trail if the bank does not resolve the claim.
Author: CheckMatter Editorial Desk
Publication date: Proposed; not published
Updated date: 1 October 2026
Last verified: 1 October 2026
Correction history: No corrections; original draft.
Primary authority: Reserve Bank of India
Official source: RBI UDGAM FAQ
Official portal: UDGAM
Verification metadata:
_cm_verified_source_url: https://rbi.org.in/commonman/Upload/English/FAQs/PDFs/FAQonUDGAMPortal.pdf
_cm_source_authority: Reserve Bank of India
_cm_effective_date: Portal guidance verified 2026-10-01
Disclaimer: General consumer information, not financial, succession or legal advice. Claim requirements depend on the bank and claimant’s facts.
Schema: Article; FAQPage eligible if visible FAQs remain. Canonical: https://checkmatter.in/rbi-udgam-unclaimed-deposits-guide/
Leave a Reply