A dormant account in the Philippines can be charged at most ₱30 a month, and only after five years.
Short answer Under BSP Circular No. 928, a savings account with no deposit or withdrawal for two years, or a checking account for one year, is dormant. A bank may charge a dormancy fee only five years after the last activity, only if the balance is below the required average daily balance, at most ₱30 a month, and only after two 60-day notices. After ten years without activity, the balance can be escheated to the Treasurer of the Philippines.
At a glance
- Savings account dormant after2 years with no deposit or withdrawalBSP ↗ ·
- Checking account dormant after1 year with no deposit or withdrawalBSP ↗ ·
- Dormancy feeat most ₱30 a month, from 5 years after the last activity, only below the required ADBBSP ↗ ·
- Notices before the fee60 days before the account turns dormant and 60 days before the fee startsBSP ↗ ·
- Escheatafter 10 years without activity, with a 60-day notice before the bank files with the TreasurerBSP ↗ ·
How long it takes
- Last deposit or withdrawalday 0the dormancy clock starts from the last activity on the account.
- Notice of potential dormancyat least 60 days before the account turns dormantit must explain the effect of dormancy, how to reactivate the account and the 10-year escheat rule.
- Checking account turns dormant1 yearno deposit or withdrawal for a year.
- Savings account turns dormant2 yearsno deposit or withdrawal for two years.
- Notice of the dormancy feeat least 60 days before the fee startsthe bank must send it before the first charge.
- Dormancy fee may start5 years after the last activityat most ₱30 a month, and only while the balance is below the required minimum monthly ADB.
- Notice before escheatat least 60 days before filingsent before the bank files its sworn statement with the Treasurer of the Philippines.
- Escheat10 years without activitythe balance goes on the list of unclaimed balances under the Unclaimed Balances Act.
Source: BSP Circular No. 928, Series of 2016 ↗ · dated October 24, 2016 ·
The same circular keeps one more charge separate from the dormancy fee. A bank may collect its below-ADB maintenance fee from an account “whether active or dormant”, once the balance has stayed below the required minimum monthly ADB for at least two consecutive months.
When each bank calls an account dormant
The banks below print their own dormancy rules in their account terms. Each one uses the BSP’s one-year and two-year clocks.
| Bank | Savings dormant after | Checking dormant after | What changes | Escheat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BPI | 2 years with no client-initiated transaction | 1 year (current account) | No interest while dormant; a dormant account below its required ADB is charged the applicable monthly service or dormancy fee | After 10 years of inactivity |
| Metrobank | 2 years inactive | 1 year inactive | No transactions and no interest, “even if the Account meets the required ADB” | Dormant for at least 10 years, subject to prior notice |
| China Bank | 2 years with no deposit or withdrawal (peso and foreign currency savings) | 1 year with no deposit or withdrawal | The below-ADB fee applies to “both active and dormant accounts” | Checking and peso savings inactive for 10 years or more |
| RCBC | 2 years with no client-initiated transaction | 1 year with no client-initiated transaction | No interest; a dormant account below its required ADB is subject to service charges and is no longer covered by any account insurance benefit | Dormant for more than 10 years: reported to the Treasurer |
Dormancy fees banks publish
| Bank | Account | Dormancy fee | When it applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| BPI | Regular Savings | ₱30 a month | From the 5th year, if the balance is below ₱3,000 |
| BPI | Kaya Savings | ₱30 a month | From the 5th year, if the balance is below ₱200 |
| EastWest | Peso accounts | ₱30 | Dormant 5 years or more and below the minimum monthly ADB |
| EastWest | USD accounts | ₱30 or its foreign currency equivalent | Dormant 5 years or more and below the minimum monthly ADB |
BPI adds in its July 2026 terms that it informs the depositor by registered mail, with a return card or proof of delivery, at least 60 calendar days before the monthly service or dormancy fee is imposed.
Tip A dormancy fee needs a balance below the required ADB. Keeping the account at or above its maintaining balance keeps the dormancy fee off, although at BPI, Metrobank and RCBC a dormant account still earns no interest. The maintaining balance table lists each bank’s required ADB.
Steps
How to reactivate a dormant account, as the banks’ terms describe it:
- Find out which bank and branch hold the account. China Bank’s terms ask a Young Savers depositor to visit the branch of account to reactivate it.
- Bring the documents the bank asks for. Metrobank reactivates “upon submission of the required documents”; RCBC asks for “documents required by RCBC”.
- Update your account information if the bank asks. BPI reactivates an account by “updating or causing the update of Account information”.
- Make a deposit or a withdrawal. BPI requires “a deposit or withdrawal transaction”, and RCBC reactivates “upon submission of documents required by RCBC and initiation of a transaction”. RCBC accepts this at any RCBC business center.
- Check the next statement for the reactivation and for any fee charged while the account was dormant.
Warning Reactivate a dormant account only through the bank’s own branch, app or official hotline. Ignore Facebook messages, text links and “account recovery” agents offering to do it for you, and never give anyone your OTP, PIN or password. To complain about a fee you think breaks these rules, start with the bank and then the BSP, as set out in how to file a bank complaint.