You can close or continue your PPF account, with or without deposits after maturity (after expiry of 15 years from the close of the financial year in which the initial subscription was made). The PPF account has a 15 year lock in, but then you can extend it for periods of 5 years at a time, indefinitely.
Type of Extension
The investor has two PPF account extension options – with additional contributions or without fresh contributions. The rules for contribution to the extended account will remain the same. But keep in mind – once the choice is made for a block of five years, it cannot be changed.
1- Without Fresh Contributions
This option is the by default option which automatically gets activated on its own after the maturity of PPF account, if the account holder does not select the second option. Under this ioption, the account holder does not make any further contributions to the account and the account still earns tax free interest for the account holder.
2- With Additional Contributions
Under this option, the account holder applies for continuing of his public provident fund account with fresh deposits in a way similar as it was maintained previously. To avail this option account holder has to apply with Form H, within 1 year from the date of maturity of the account.
How to extend you PPF account after initial 15 years?
You need to submit Form H, within one year from the date of maturity of the account.
How to withdraw the entire PPF account balance after completion of initial 15 Years?
You just need to submit Form C with your PPF account passbook.
When PPF Account extension not available?
1- The benefit of extension is not available to the NRIs, who opened the account before a change in their residency status.
2- PPF Accounts opened on behalf of Hindu Undivided Family cannot be extended.
Things you should know about PPF Account Extension
1- If the PPF account extension not done, within one year from the date of maturity of the account, then by default the account is deemed to have been extended without further contribution for a period of five years.
2- The total partial withdrawals during the extended period of five years should not be more than 60% of the total balance in the account during the time the extension was applied.
3- Once an account holder chooses to continue without subscription for any year, he cannot change his option to with subscription.