Whether you need to deposit cash in your Post Office Savings Account, renew a National Savings Certificate (NSC), update your Aadhaar card, or dispatch urgent Speed Post articles, knowing the exact operating schedule of India Post saves you from standing in long queues or finding closed counters.
1. Standard Working Hours by Office Type
| Office Classification | Public Counter Timings | Administrative Hours | Saturday Working Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head Post Office (HO / GPO) | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM | 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM |
| Sub Post Office (SO) | 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM | 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM |
| Branch Post Office (BO) | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM | 4 to 5 hours daily | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM |
| Night Post Office | Up to 8:30 PM | 8:00 AM – 8:30 PM | Open until 8:30 PM (Sundays open 10 AM – 5 PM) |
2. Lunch Break & Rotational Counter Policy
By official regulation of the Department of Posts:
- Lunch breaks typically occur between 1:30 PM and 2:00 PM or 2:00 PM and 2:30 PM.
- In all Head Offices and multi-clerk Sub Offices, rotational staffing is enforced to ensure that at least one counter remains operational during lunch hours for essential bookings.
3. Specialized Service Windows
Certain specialized services maintain distinct closing hours prior to general office closure:
- Speed Post & Registered Articles: 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM (Head Offices often accept up to 4:30 PM).
- Savings Bank (Cash Deposits & Withdrawals): 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM (or 3:00 PM in select HOs).
- Postal Life Insurance (PLI / RPLI): 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
- Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK): By prior online appointment slot only (typically 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM).
- Aadhaar Enrollment & Update: 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM on regular business days.
4. India Post National Holidays Calendar (2026)
India Post observes all mandatory central government gazetted national holidays:
- Republic Day: January 26
- Mahavir Jayanti: March / April (Gazetted)
- Good Friday: April (Gazetted)
- Eid-ul-Fitr: Gazetted date
- Buddha Purnima: May (Gazetted)
- Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid): Gazetted date
- Muharram: Gazetted date
- Independence Day: August 15
- Milad-un-Nabi: Gazetted date
- Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti: October 2
- Dussehra (Vijay Dashami): October (Gazetted)
- Diwali (Deepavali): October / November (Gazetted)
- Guru Nanak Jayanti: November (Gazetted)
- Christmas Day: December 25
5. Locate Your Local Post Office
Need to check whether your local office is a Delivery or Non-Delivery unit? Check the India Pincode Directory to find contact details, administrative divisions, and coordinates for your local post office.