Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana Deposit Rules: Minimum, Maximum and Penalty

Minimum deposit and minimum amount

The minimum deposit in Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana is Rs 250 in a financial year (April to March). The account is opened with an initial deposit of Rs 250, and any later deposit must be in multiples of Rs 50, such as Rs 1,000.

The minimum used to be Rs 1,000 a year. It was cut to Rs 250 in July 2018, so any leaflet or bank page that still says Rs 1,000 is outdated. Keeping the minimum in every year matters, because a year without Rs 250 puts the account in default, which is explained below.

Sukanya samriddhi yojana deposit rules and the maximum limit per year

The maximum limit is Rs 1,50,000 in one financial year. This is the total of all deposits made between April and March, not the size of a single deposit. You can pay the full amount as a one time deposit in a year or spread it across several smaller deposits, as long as the year's total stays within the limit.

If more than Rs 1,50,000 is accepted in a financial year by mistake, the extra amount earns no interest and is returned to the depositor. The Rs 1,50,000 limit also lines up with the Rs 1.5 lakh tax deduction ceiling, though that ceiling is shared with other eligible items. See the tax benefits page.

Deposit period: 15 years

Deposits are allowed for 15 years from the date the account is opened. The account matures at 21 years from opening, so for the last six years (year 16 to year 21) no deposits are made and the balance simply keeps earning interest.

Because the period runs from the opening date and not from the girl's age, opening early does not change how long you pay. It only changes her age at maturity. To see what 15 years of deposits could add up to, use the SSY calculator.

Missed deposits, default and the penalty

If the minimum Rs 250 is not deposited in any financial year, the account is treated as in default. This does not close the account.

How to revive a defaulted account

You can regularise the account any time until it completes 15 years. At the post office or bank counter, pay:

1. the minimum Rs 250 for each financial year that was missed, and
2. a penalty of Rs 50 for each year of default.

For example, if two years were missed, you pay Rs 250 twice and a penalty of Rs 50 twice. Once the 15-year deposit period is over, revival is no longer possible.

Interest if you do not revive it

Under the 2019 Scheme, a defaulted account that is never revived still earns interest at the rate applicable to the scheme on the whole balance, including old deposits, until it is closed. There is no drop to the savings account rate. If you want to revive it, check the steps with your branch.

How to deposit money in Sukanya Yojana

At the counter

The scheme form allows deposits by cash, cheque or demand draft at the post office or bank where the account is held.

Online for post office accounts

If you have a linked India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) account or a Post Office Savings Bank (POSB) account, you can deposit into the girl's post office account through the IPPB app or through India Post's DOP mobile banking, using the "DOP Products" option. These apps cannot open a new account.

Online for bank accounts

If the account is with a bank, you may be able to pay through that bank's net banking or mobile banking, where the bank offers it. Check with your branch. Our post office guide and SBI and banks guide have more on each route.

Use only the official app of your post office or bank. Never pay an agent or a link that promises to deposit for you, and never share an OTP.

Aadhaar biometric deposits at post office counters

A Department of Posts order dated 22 Jun 2026 lets deposits of up to Rs 50,000 into a Sukanya Samriddhi Account be made at the post office counter using Aadhaar biometric authentication (such as a fingerprint check), without filling a pay-in slip. Aadhaar biometric authentication means the counter confirms your identity through your Aadhaar-linked biometrics instead of a signed paper slip.

From 1 Sep 2026, a mobile number also became mandatory for transactions on the DREAM app. If your mobile number is not updated with the post office, ask the counter to add it. For deposits above Rs 50,000 and for the exact counter process, follow what your post office tells you.

Best time to deposit for more interest

For every month, interest is based on whatever the account held at its lowest point after the 5th. In practice:

• Paid by the 5th: that month earns interest.
• Money in on the 6th or later: that month is skipped.
• Money in on or before 5 April: counts for all twelve months of the financial year.

If you deposit monthly, try to pay by the 5th. If you pay once a year, the best date is on or before 5 April. The full method is on the interest rate page.

Sukanya yojana latest update on deposits

Here is the sukanya yojana latest update on deposit rules from our facts, in date order.

• 1 Jan 2024: the rate went up to 8.2% a year, where it still stands for Oct-Dec 2026.
• 1 Oct 2024: Finance Ministry guidelines on irregular accounts took effect, covering grandparent-opened accounts and families with more than two accounts. See the withdrawal rules page.
• 22 Jun 2026: Aadhaar biometric counter deposits up to Rs 50,000 without a slip.
• 1 Sep 2026: mobile number mandatory for DREAM app transactions.

The minimum, maximum and 15-year rules have not changed in this period. Ask at the counter before you deposit in case anything has changed since.