The Public Provident Fund (PPF) has a lock-in period of 15 years. Once your account completes 15 years, you don’t have to close it. Instead, you can extend your PPF account in blocks of 5 years, either with or without further contributions. This gives you flexibility to continue enjoying tax-free returns and interest.
After ppf maturity, you have two choices:
Example: If your PPF matured in April 2025, you must submit Form H by March 2026 to keep contributing.
Example: If your PPF balance is ₹15 lakh at maturity, it will keep earning interest even if you don’t add new money.
| Feature | With Contribution | Without Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit Allowed | Yes (₹500 – ₹1.5 lakh per year) | No |
| Interest | Earned on balance + new deposits | Earned only on balance |
| Withdrawal | 1 per year (restricted) | 1 per year (flexible) |
| Form Required | Form H (within 1 year) | No |
| Tax Benefit | Yes, under Section 80C | No new benefit (only on balance) |
| Best For | Those still earning and saving | Retirees or those not adding funds |
A PPF account has a 15-year maturity period. Extending the account means continuing it after maturity so your money keeps earning interest instead of withdrawing it.
No, it’s completely optional. After maturity, you can:
There is no limit. You can extend your PPF account in blocks of 5 years, again and again, as long as you want.
You have two choices:
Yes, only if you want to extend with contributions. You must submit Form H within one year from the maturity date.
If you don’t submit the form, the account automatically gets extended without contribution.
If you miss the deadline, your account will still be extended—but without contributions. You won’t be allowed to make fresh deposits until the next extension cycle.
Yes. Whether you extend with or without contribution, your PPF balance continues to earn interest at the applicable PPF rate.
Yes, but it depends on the type of extension:
Yes. At the end of each 5-year extension block, you can change your choice by submitting the required form for the next block.
If you take no action:
The Public Provident Fund (PPF) has a lock-in period of 15 years. Once your account completes 15 years, you don’t have to close it. Instead, you can extend your PPF account in blocks of 5 years, either with or without further contributions. This gives you flexibility to continue enjoying tax-free returns and interest.
After ppf maturity, you have two choices:
Example: If your PPF matured in April 2025, you must submit Form H by March 2026 to keep contributing.
Example: If your PPF balance is ₹15 lakh at maturity, it will keep earning interest even if you don’t add new money.
| Feature | With Contribution | Without Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit Allowed | Yes (₹500 – ₹1.5 lakh per year) | No |
| Interest | Earned on balance + new deposits | Earned only on balance |
| Withdrawal | 1 per year (restricted) | 1 per year (flexible) |
| Form Required | Form H (within 1 year) | No |
| Tax Benefit | Yes, under Section 80C | No new benefit (only on balance) |
| Best For | Those still earning and saving | Retirees or those not adding funds |
A PPF account has a 15-year maturity period. Extending the account means continuing it after maturity so your money keeps earning interest instead of withdrawing it.
No, it’s completely optional. After maturity, you can:
There is no limit. You can extend your PPF account in blocks of 5 years, again and again, as long as you want.
You have two choices:
Yes, only if you want to extend with contributions. You must submit Form H within one year from the maturity date.
If you don’t submit the form, the account automatically gets extended without contribution.
If you miss the deadline, your account will still be extended—but without contributions. You won’t be allowed to make fresh deposits until the next extension cycle.
Yes. Whether you extend with or without contribution, your PPF balance continues to earn interest at the applicable PPF rate.
Yes, but it depends on the type of extension:
Yes. At the end of each 5-year extension block, you can change your choice by submitting the required form for the next block.
If you take no action:
