How do I close an account?

If you live in the Netherlands and received communication around closing your accounts, please see our Brexit Hub(opens in a new window).

Please choose your account from the options below and you will be given further information on how you can close your account.

I live abroad and want to close my account

Personal Current Account closure options please see the relevant FAQ below
Savings Account closure options please see the relevant FAQ below
Credit Card closure options please see the relevant FAQ below

If you are unable to close your account in branch, you can choose to provide the closure request in writing - the letter should be sent to

Mailroom Scanning,
Account Closures,
1 Hardman Boulevard,
Manchester,
M3 3AQ.

This would need to include:

Your full name
The sortcode and account number of the account in question.
Signed by the account holder(s)
A contact telephone number
A contact postal address
The Account that you want the funds transferred to. This must include the following details: Your Swift, IBAN number, BIC, Routing Number, BSB, which you can get from your beneficiary Bank. If we do not receive these details this will delay your request to close your account

If the account is overdrawn or has charges outstanding on it:

Please transfer enough funds to this account to cover the outstanding balance

If the account is in credit:

Clear instructions on how you would like to receive your money (e.g. Foreign Payment, send it to another account & provide bank details (Account Number & Sortcode)
Or you can transfer any surplus balances using the mobile app, Digital Banking or by Telephone. You should make sure funds are sufficient to cover any pending transactions, and charges and fees.
Once the closure has been initiated, you'll no longer have access to your statements online. If you need them, please download and save them prior to instructing the closure of your current account

Personal current accounts

Before closing an account please note the following:

If you are switching your current account to another Bank, please use that Bank’s Switcher Process.
You will lose access to your complete online statement history for this account from the point of closure, so please think carefully before you do this. You may wish to print or download any statements before proceeding. You can download up to one year at a time in a number of different formats using the 'Statements' option.
If your account has benefits linked (e.g.Travel Insurance) these will no longer be valid from the date of closure. Due to the current environment, claims may take longer than normal to process, you may wish to retain the account until such times as any claim has been processed to ensure claims are handled as seamlessly as possible.
If you close or switch your current account with us, and only have an instant Access Savings you will only be able to withdraw money from your account in branch.
Closing a Current account which is part of a Round Ups arrangement will end the Round Ups arrangement. However it is good practice to turn off Round Ups before closing an account.

If you have regular payments on your current account, please make alternative arrangements and cancel before requesting closure of your account.

If the account is overdrawn or has charges outstanding on it:

Please transfer enough funds to this account to cover the outstanding balance

Mobile app

If you are registered for the mobile app, you may be able to close a personal Current Account via the App. Your account will need to have a nil balance. To close a personal account via the mobile app:

Log into the mobile app
Click on your Current Account
Under "My Current Account", choose the "Close this Account" option
Once selected, click on "Continue"
Complete the information on the form and submit

Once we've received the form, your account will be closed within 72 hours subject to any additional information that may be required.

If you are registered for Digital Banking, you may be able to close a personal current account online.

Your account will need to be in your sole name, have a nil balance or you wish to transfer a balance to another account held with Royal Bank of Scotland.

To close a personal current account online:

Log in to Digital Banking at digitalbanking.rbs.co.uk (opens in a new window)
On the 'Account summary' page select the account you wish to close
At the bottom of your mini statement for that account, select 'View account details'
Below the account details, select 'If you need to close your current account we can help you with this form.'
Complete the information asked for on the form and submit

Once we've received the form, your account will be closed within 72 hours.

Branch

You can visit your local Royal Bank of Scotland branch along with your Debit Card, Pin and proof of ID Please see the forms of ID we can accept(opens in a new window).

Royal Bank of Scotland branch locator
Find your nearest branch using our branch locator.

Written Request

If you are unable to close your account in branch, you can choose to provide the closure request in writing - the letter should be sent to

Royal Bank of Scotland,
Mailroom Scanning,
Account Closures,
1 Hardman Boulevard,
Manchester, M3 3AQ.

This would need to include:

Your full name
The sortcode and account number of the account in question.
Signed by the account holder(s)
A contact telephone number
A contact postal address
If you are closing from abroad please include the account that you want the funds transferred to. This must include the following details: Your Swift, IBAN number, BIC, Routing Number, BSB, which you can get from your beneficiary Bank. If we do not receive these details this will delay your request to close your account

Business current accounts

If you are looking to close your Business account, you can complete our digital Business Account Closure Form (opens in a new window)

The form will ask you for the email addresses of the people with signing permissions on the account.

We’ll then email your signatories and ask them to authorise the request by uploading an image of their signature.

If you have access to Digital Banking or the mobile app

You are also able to close a sterling or deposit account, when logged into Digital Banking at https://www.business.rbs.co.uk (opens in a new window) or the mobile app. Start a chat and Cora, our digital assistant, will process the request, without needing to transfer you to a person. Simply ask Cora to 'close an account'.

For more help managing your account, please visit our Managing Your Accounts Hub (opens in a new window).

Children/Young Person's Accounts

This depends on the account itself and who is a signatory on it:

If the account is an Adapt Account, then either the young person (and parent if both are signatories) need to visit branch - this also applies to First Savers
If the account is being held in trust for the child, then the parent/guardian/trustee will need to visit the branch to close this
If it is a Junior ISA, then, again, all signatories would need to visit branch to close this
Please bring along any debit/savings account cards for the account, and a form of ID. Please see the forms of ID we can accept(opens in a new window).

Royal Bank of Scotland branch locator
Find your nearest branch using our branch locator.

Savings accounts

Before closing an account please note the following:

You will lose access to your complete online statement history for this account from the point of closure, so please think carefully before you do this. You may wish to print or download any statements before proceeding. You can download up to one year at a time in a number of different formats using the 'Statements' option.
Closing a savings account which is part of a Round Ups arrangement will end the Round Ups arrangement. However it is good practice to turn off Round Ups before closing an account.

Mobile app

If you are registered for our mobile app, you may be able to close your Instant Access savings account or Fixed Term Savings account via the app.

You can request to close a Fixed Rate ISA via our app as long as you do not wish to transfer the funds to another ISA product or provider. We’ll convert the account to an Instant Access ISA with the same sort code and account number. You’ll then be able to access your funds from there.
There will be an early closure charge applied as set out within the terms and conditions.

You can also request to close an Instant Access ISA via our app as long as you do not wish to transfer the funds to another ISA product or provider.

Your account will need to be in your sole name. To close a savings account via the mobile app:

Log into the mobile app
Click on your Savings Account
Under "My Savings Account", choose the "Close this Account" option
Once selected, click on "Continue"
Complete the information on the Form and submit

Once we've received the form, your account will be closed within 5 working days subject to any additional information that may be required. If you have requested to close a Fixed Term Savings Account, there will be a 35 day cooling off period before your account is closed.

Online Closure

If you are registered for Digital Banking you can close an Instant Access and Fixed Rate savings account online. You can also close an Instant Access ISA online, as long as you do not want to transfer the funds to another ISA product or provider. You can also request to close a Fixed Rate ISA.

Your account will need to be in your sole name. If this is your only account with us, you won't be able to close it online.

To close a savings account online:

Log in to Digital Banking at digitalbanking.rbs.co.uk (opens in a new window)
On the 'Account summary' page select the account you wish to close
At the bottom of your mini statement for that account, select 'View account details'
Below the account details, select 'If you need to close your savings account we can help you with this form.'
Complete the information asked for on the form and submit

Once we've received the form, your account will be closed within 5 working days. For Fixed Term Savings Accounts, once you have submitted the closure request, a 35-day cooling off period applies. An early closure charge may apply.

Branch Closure

To close any other type of savings account, or if you prefer, you can visit your local Royal Bank of Scotland branch along with your Debit Card, Pin and proof of ID. Please see the forms of ID we can accept. If you don't have a Debit card relating to your savings account, please bring in an active Debit card on any account you hold with us.

Royal Bank of Scotland branch locator
Find your nearest branch using our branch locator.

Written Request

Fixed Term Savings Accounts require 35 days written notice and an early closure charge may apply.

Alternatively, if you wish to close an Instant Access savings account or a Cash ISA, you can write to:

Everyday Banking
PO Box 5612
Manchester
M61 0WN

When writing to us, please sign and date the letter and also tell us where any remaining funds in the account should be transferred to.

Fixed Term Savings Accounts, Fixed Rate Bonds and Treasury products

To close a Treasury product you hold with Royal Bank of Scotland you will need to contact Telephone Banking.

You may close your Fixed Term Savings Account at any time before the Fixed Term Start Date and no Early Closure Charge will apply. After the Fixed Term Start Date you may close your Fixed Term Savings Account before the Maturity Date by either logging into Digital Banking or the mobile app or by providing written notice to a branch. An Early Closure Charge will be deducted from the balance of your account, except in the event of your non-voluntary redundancy, death or in certain other circumstances.

Please note: in order to close a Fixed Rate Bond you must give 35 days written notice of your intention to close your account before it has reached its maturity date, and you may incur an Early Closure Charge for this.

Your Royal Bank of Scotland credit card

Mobile app / Digital Banking
You can close your credit card through your mobile app or Digital Banking. Simply go to the credit card you’d like to close and select ‘close this account’. We’ll then ask you to fill out some details and confirm you’d like to close the credit card.

Message us via Cora in our mobile app or online
You can contact our credit card team via secure messaging within your mobile app or online through Cora, your digital assistant available 24/7 to support you with questions about day-to-day banking. Simply type ‘Close my credit card’ into Cora and follow the instructions from there.

Call us

Card services
You can contact our credit card team on:
0370 907 0010 (overseas +44 1268 508 023)
Relay UK: 18001 0370 907 0010
Accessibility information (opens in a new window).
Open 24 hours a day.
Calls may be recorded.
Call charge information.

Write to us
Alternatively, you can write to Cards Customer Services to ask for your credit card to be closed. Please include your credit card details in the letter and sign it with your usual signature.

Cards Customer Services
PO BOX 5747
Southend On Sea
SS1 9AJ

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