Bank Holidays in December : Complete List of 19 Days Banks Will Be Closed

Year-end travellers and bank customers prepare for one of the busiest shutdown months as December 2025 lines up national, regional and weekend closures across states.

The Reserve Bank of India released the 2025 Holiday Matrix on 26 June 2024, confirming Christmas on 25 December 2025 as a national holiday. State gazette portals later added their own entries, pushing the count in several regions to 19 closed days.

Recent Closure Update For Bank Holidays In December 2025

The longest closure pattern of the year becomes visible once all states publish their final notices. Many news portals mentioned Christmas and the Feast of St. Francis Xavier falling on 3 December 2025 in Goa. They also repeated the fixed Sunday closures. They did not explain how the collection of dates crosses the nineteen-mark in several states.

A confirmed number stands out. Four Sundays fall on 7, 14, 21 and 28 December 2025, which go directly into the closure list under standard weekly rules. These Sundays, added with festival notifications, shape the final list used by banks, corporate finance teams and small businesses.

Before moving to the structural rules behind these holidays, the table below summarises the key national and region-linked dates. 

Several states added their own days between 1 and 20 December 2025, which pushed their lists close to nineteen closures. This creates varied ground reality across the country.

How Holiday Rules Create Bank Holidays In December 2025?

Holiday rules for banks fall into three groups under the RBI’s official matrix. The first group contains public holidays declared by the central government. The second group includes negotiable instrument holidays. 

These affect cheque collections and clearances. The third group covers holidays declared by states through their official gazette portals. Many earlier articles listed the dates without explaining these categories. This gap made the nineteen-day figure look uniform across India, though it varies by location.

Weekend Shutdowns Confirmed For December 2025

These weekends become the backbone of the nineteen-day pattern in several states. 

They also influence working days available for year-end financial tasks.

How RBI Rules Shape Bank Holidays in December 2025

Holiday rules for banks follow three major groups listed in the RBI Holiday Matrix. The first group includes central government public holidays. The second group covers negotiable instrument holidays that affect cheque clearances, settlements and inter-bank operations. The third group consists of state-declared holidays published through official gazette notifications.

Banking teams consider these holiday groups while planning staffing, branch operations and customer advisories. The December surge becomes more visible in districts where multiple festivals fall close together. When local holidays fall near weekends or fixed Saturdays, they create three or four-day blocks without physical banking access.

Holiday Groups Under RBI Matrix

• Public holidays declared by the central government
• Negotiable instrument holidays affecting cheque processing
• State-declared holidays in official gazette notifications

These rules ensure that banks across India follow uniform guidelines for national closures while still respecting regional needs and state festivals.

Impact on Customers and Businesses During December Closures

December brings heavy year-end work for companies, government departments and individuals. With four Sundays, two fixed Saturdays and several state holidays, many regions reach nineteen non-working days for banks. Customers who depend on branch visits must plan ahead to avoid delays.

Businesses that handle cash deposits, vendor payments and documentation face tighter schedules during the first half of the month. Rural and semi-urban branches also feel the pressure because many cooperative and district banks follow similar closure calendars. Customers in these areas often rely on physical banking for withdrawals, KYC updates and loan servicing.

Banks attempt to manage the increased load by adjusting staffing levels in early December. Some branches extend working hours on select weekdays. Customer advisories also encourage the use of digital banking services for routine tasks.

Tasks Affected by December Bank Holidays

• Cheque clearances and settlements
• Cash deposits and withdrawals
• KYC updates and account changes
• Loan instalment submissions
• Business payments before year-end

Digital banking will handle a large share of transactions in the final week of the year. Net banking, UPI and mobile apps help customers continue financial activity even when branches remain closed.

As the month approaches, both individuals and companies are advised to finish key banking tasks early. December 2025 is set to be a demanding period for anyone who depends on physical branch services, and advance planning becomes important for a smooth year-end.

Conclusion 

December 2025 is set to be a demanding month for anyone who depends on branch visits. With four Sundays, two fixed Saturdays and several festival dates aligning, multiple states reach nineteen non-working days. 

Digital banking will carry a large share of transactions as the year-end schedule tightens. Planning ahead becomes essential as the holiday cycle approaches.