Will Old Cheque Books not work in Banks? Read what RBI said

Will old Cheque books not work in banks in India? A message is being circulated widely on social media that old cheque books will not work after 31 December 2026. Is it true? Let’s understand.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has dismissed this message circulating on social media claiming that new cheque book rules will come into effect from January 1, 2027.

The viral message claims that the standard Cheque Truncation System (CTS) cheque books currently used by bank customers will be replaced from December 31, 2026. It also claims that new cheque books with updated security features will become mandatory from January 1, 2027.

However, RBI has clarified that it is not introducing any such changes to CTS cheque books at present. The central bank said that the message circulating on social media is factually incorrect and misleading.

RBI Clarifies on New Cheque Book Rules

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), RBI clarified that it is not planning to introduce new security standards or replace existing CTS cheque books from January 1, 2027.

The central bank stated that the information being shared on social media about changes to cheque books from December 31, 2026, is false. RBI has requested members of the public to rely only on information officially published by the central bank from time to time.

What customers need to do?

Following RBI’s clarification, bank customers do not need to replace their existing CTS cheque books because of the viral message.

There is currently no RBI instruction requiring customers to obtain new cheque books with alphanumeric codes, UV codes or other newly claimed security features from January 1, 2027.

Customers should avoid believing or forwarding unverified messages about banking rules and cheque book requirements.

Important News for Bank of India Customers

While RBI has clarified that the message is not true, Bank of India separately notified its customers that Cheque books without alphanumeric code will have to be replaced after 31 December 2026.

Bank of India said that this will be applicable only for their customers and not for other bank customers. Click here to read this news