UDGAM Portal: Search Unclaimed Deposits 2026

Step-by-step guide to the RBI UDGAM portal for searching unclaimed bank deposits across 30 banks in 2026.

Quick answer. UDGAM (udgam.rbi.org.in) is the RBI's free, official portal to search unclaimed deposits across 30 banks in one place. Register with your mobile number, search by depositor name plus one ID proof, note the UDRN reference, then claim directly from the bank - the portal itself does not transfer money. This is a citizen guidance page, not an official government, RBI, bank, or regulatory page.

For the full legal background on dormant accounts, reactivation rules, and RBI's inoperative-account framework, see dormant bank account reactivation and UDGAM India.

What UDGAM is

UDGAM stands for Unclaimed Deposits - Gateway to Access inforMation. The Reserve Bank of India launched the portal on August 17, 2023, initially covering seven banks. By September 28, 2023, search coverage expanded to 30 banks, which together hold about 90% of the value of all unclaimed deposits in the RBI's Depositor Education and Awareness (DEA) Fund. As of April 1, 2026, over 20 lakh users have registered and over 44 lakh searches have been conducted on the portal.

The portal is completely free. It is maintained by the RBI and accessible at https://udgam.rbi.org.in.

Why deposits become unclaimed

Under Section 26A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, and the DEA Fund Scheme, 2014 (effective May 24, 2014), banks must transfer balances from savings accounts, fixed deposits, recurring deposits, current accounts, and similar instruments that have been inoperative or unclaimed for 10 years or more to the RBI's Depositor Education and Awareness (DEA) Fund. Under revised operational guidelines effective October 1, 2025, banks transfer these amounts during the last five working days of each month once the 10-year threshold has been reached. The entire amount, including accrued interest up to the date of transfer, is moved to the DEA Fund.

Importantly, there is no deadline for claiming the money back. A depositor or their legal heir can reclaim the amount at any time - from the bank, not directly from the RBI.

Step 1: Register on the UDGAM portal

  1. Open a browser and go to https://udgam.rbi.org.in
  2. Click “Register” on the login page.
  3. Enter your name and mobile number.
  4. Complete the captcha, accept the disclaimer, and click “Send OTP”.
  5. Enter the OTP received on your mobile number to verify.
  6. Set a password and complete registration.

You only register once. Future logins use your mobile number, password, and a fresh OTP each time.

Step 2: Search for unclaimed deposits

After logging in:

  1. Click the “Individual” tab (for personal accounts) or “Non-Individual” tab (for business/trust accounts).
  2. Under “Search for Unclaimed Deposits”, enter the account holder's name exactly as it appeared on the account.
  3. Select the bank from the drop-down list.
  4. Provide at least one of the following identifiers: PAN number, voter ID number, driving licence number, passport number, or date of birth.
  5. Alternatively, you can search by the account holder's address.
  6. Click “Search”.

For non-individual accounts (firms, trusts, companies), you can search by entity name plus authorised signatory name, PAN, Corporate Identification Number (CIN), or incorporation date.

Results show the account holder name, bank name, location, and an Unclaimed Deposit Reference Number (UDRN). The UDRN is a unique identifier assigned by the bank that protects full account details while enabling the claim process.

Step 3: Claim from the bank

The UDGAM portal is a search and discovery tool only - it does not process or transfer money. After finding a match, you must contact the bank directly.

  1. Click the bank name in the search results. This links directly to that bank's unclaimed deposit claim page or instructions.
  2. Visit the bank branch with the UDRN and your KYC documents.
  3. Fill in the bank's claim form. For a depositor claiming their own account: standard KYC (PAN, Aadhaar, address proof) plus account details.
  4. For a legal heir claiming on behalf of a deceased depositor: identity proof of the claimant, proof of relationship (death certificate, succession certificate, or legal heir certificate depending on the amount and bank policy).
  5. The bank verifies documents and, once satisfied, credits the amount with applicable interest to your active account.

The bank repays the depositor and then claims reimbursement from the DEA Fund through the RBI's e-Kuber system. Interest continues to accrue on DEA Fund balances until the claim is settled.

Which banks are on UDGAM

The 30 banks on the portal as of 2024-25 include State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, Punjab National Bank, IDBI Bank, IndusInd Bank, Federal Bank, Dhanlaxmi Bank, DBS Bank India, and around 18 others across public, private, regional rural, small finance, and cooperative bank categories. These 30 institutions cover approximately 90% of unclaimed deposit values in the DEA Fund.

What UDGAM does NOT cover

  • Post office deposits (savings accounts, NSC, PPF at post offices) - these are not part of the banking system covered by DEAF.
  • Provident fund balances (EPFO handles these separately - check epfindia.gov.in or the EPFO Member Passbook portal).
  • Insurance policy proceeds - check with IRDAI or the insurer directly.
  • Shares and dividends unclaimed in companies - these go to IEPF (Investor Education and Protection Fund), not DEAF.
  • Banks not yet onboarded to UDGAM - for those, check the bank's own website directly.

Red flags and fraud warnings

  • The UDGAM portal is free to use. No agent, broker, or “recovery service” should charge a fee to search or release unclaimed deposits. Report any such offers to cybercrime.gov.in.
  • Do not share OTP, netbanking password, or card details with anyone claiming to help you recover dormant money.
  • Access the portal only at https://udgam.rbi.org.in. Phishing sites use similar-looking domain names.
  • Spelling differences in the depositor's name can cause search misses - try alternate spellings or initials.

If the bank is unresponsive

  1. Raise a written complaint at the bank branch and keep the acknowledgement number.
  2. Escalate to the bank's nodal officer or zonal office if no response in 30 days.
  3. File a complaint at the RBI's Complaint Management System (CMS) at https://cms.rbi.org.in if the bank does not resolve within 30 days or gives an unsatisfactory response.
  4. There is no fee to file with the RBI Ombudsman under the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021.

A related guide on using RTI to seek file status from a public authority: The RTI Playbook explains how to frame RTI applications if a bank is a government bank and you need to track the action taken on your claim.

Frequently asked questions

Is UDGAM only for deceased account holders' families?

No. Any depositor whose account has been inoperative for 10 or more years can search UDGAM - whether they are alive and forgot the account, or whether a family member is claiming on behalf of a deceased depositor. The portal covers both live depositors and legal heirs.

What is the UDRN and why does the result not show my full account number?

UDRN stands for Unclaimed Deposit Reference Number. Banks assign this unique identifier specifically for UDGAM searches. The full account number is not displayed to protect data privacy; the UDRN is sufficient to initiate the claim process with the bank. Take a screenshot of the result showing the UDRN before contacting the bank.

Does my money earn interest while it sits in the DEA Fund?

Yes. Deposits transferred to the DEA Fund continue to earn interest until the depositor or legal heir claims them. The DEA Fund Scheme, 2014 (under Section 26A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949) requires that interest accrued up to the date of transfer is also transferred, and the bank pays applicable interest when settling the claim. There is no time limit on when you can make a claim.

My relative died without a will. Can I still claim on UDGAM?

Yes, but the claim process at the bank requires more documents. Typically the bank asks for a death certificate, a legal heir certificate (from a court or SDM/tehsildar), and proof of your relationship to the deceased. For larger amounts, banks may ask for a succession certificate from a civil court. The UDGAM portal itself only identifies the deposit - document requirements are set by each bank.

The search showed no result. Does that mean there are no unclaimed accounts?

Not necessarily. The portal currently covers 30 banks representing 90% of DEA Fund values by value - smaller banks and non-banking institutions are not yet onboarded. Also, try different name spellings, a different identifier, or select different banks. If you believe an account existed with a specific bank, visit that bank's branch or check the bank's own unclaimed deposit page directly.

Is UDGAM different from simply walking into a bank branch?

Yes, significantly. Before UDGAM, you had to visit each bank separately and often fill separate forms. UDGAM lets you search across up to 30 banks simultaneously in one session without visiting any branch. The branch visit comes only after you find a match - to actually claim the money.

Reader signal

Was this article useful?

Tap once if it helped you. These counters show other citizens which pages are worth reading.

- views