Banks across India will remain closed for a total of 12 days in May 2026, according to the holiday calendar issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). These closures include national and regional holidays, as well as the second and fourth Saturdays and all Sundays of the month.
The first bank holiday is on May 1 - Maharashtra Din, Buddha Pournima, May Day (Labour Day) and the birth anniversary of Pandit Raghunath Murmu. This will be followed by another holiday on May 9 to mark the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. Sikkim statehood Day will be observed on May 16, and only banks in the the state will remain closed.
Bank Holidays In May 2026
Bank holidays in May are linked to various festivals and observances, such as May Day, the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, the birthday anniversary of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, and Eid-ul-Adha (Bakri Eid). Since some of these are regional events, bank closures may vary depending on the state.
Besides these occasions, banks will be closed on the second and fourth Saturdays and all Sundays. "All scheduled and non-scheduled banks will observe public holidays on the second and fourth Saturdays," the official RBI notification for bank holidays stated.
Full List Of Bank Holidays In May 2026
- May 1: Everywhere except Gujarat, Odisha, Chandigarh, Sikkim, Rajasthan, Nagaland and Meghalaya. (Maharashtra Day, Buddha Pournima, May Day (Labour Day), and the birth anniversary of Pandit Raghunath Murmu)
- May 9: West Bengal (birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore); all other states and union territories (second Saturday)
- May 16: Sikkim (State Day)
- May 23: Holiday for all banks across India due to fourth Saturday
- May 26: Tripura (birth anniversary of Kazi Nazrul Islam)
- May 27: Everywhere except Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Mumbai, Goa, Bihar (Eid-UI-Adha-(Bakri-Eid)/Id-ul-Zuha)
- May 28: Holiday in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Jammu-Kashmir, Maharashtra, Goa, Bihar (Bakri Eid)
- May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31: Sundays (holiday for banks across India)
Customers should keep in mind that not all holidays are observed across the country, and it is important to check the local holiday list before visiting a bank branch. The RBI classifies bank holidays into three categories: holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act, Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) holidays, and bank account closures.
Even on these holidays, banking services such as online transfers, UPI payments, Net banking, and ATM services will continue to function as usual. Customers are advised to plan their visit to their bank branch in advance to avoid any inconvenience.
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