Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), also referred to as PF (provident fund), is a mandatory savings-cum-retirement scheme for employees of an eligible organisation. Employees can fall back on the corpus of this fund post-retirement.
As per the EPF rules, the employees must contribute 12% of their basic pay every month to this Fund. The employer contributes a matching amount to the employee’s PF account. The amount deposited in EPF accounts earns interest on an annual basis.
Employees can withdraw the entire sum accumulated in their EPF once they retire. EPF has revised several of its rules regarding withdrawal from the PF account in 2022. As per new amendments in the EPF norms, you can withdraw the EPF account without the employer’s permission. In this article, we explain how one can make premature withdrawals from the EPF account after meeting certain conditions.
When Can an Individual Withdraw EPF?
One may choose to withdraw EPF entirely or partially.
EPF can be withdrawn entirely only under the following two circumstances:
1) When an individual retires;
2) When an individual remains unemployed for more than two months.
To make a withdrawal on this circumstance, the individuals must get an attestation from a gazetted office.
Individuals cannot make a complete withdrawal of EPF balance while switching employers if they don’t remain unemployed for two months or more (i.e., the interim period between changing jobs).
Partial Withdrawal
Partial withdrawal of EPF balance can be made only under certain circumstances and by producing documentary evidence.. These are explained in the table below:
EPF has allocated universal account number (UAN) compulsory for all the employees covered under the PF Act. The UAN would be linked to the employee’s EPF account. The UAN remains portable throughout an employee’s lifetime, and there is no need to apply for EPF transfer at the time of changing jobs.
Procedure for EPF Withdrawal
Broadly, the withdrawal of EPF can be made either by submitting:
- Physical application
- Online application
Physical Application
Download the new composite claim form (Aadhaar)/composite claim form (non-Aadhaar) to withdraw the EPF balance.
Composite Claim Form (Aadhaar)
Aadhaar and bank details on the UAN portal and if your UAN is activated.
2) Fill and submit the form to the respective jurisdictional EPFO office without the attestation of the employer.
Composite Claim Form (Non-Aadhaar)
2) Fill and submit the form with the employer’s attestation to the respective jurisdictional EPFO office.
In case of partial withdrawal of EPF amount by an employee for various circumstances as discussed in the above table, very recently, the requirement to furnish various certificates has been alleviated, and the
option of self-certification has been introduced for the EPF subscribers.
Online Application
The EPFO has come up with an online withdrawal facility, which has made the entire process more comfortable and less time-consuming.
Pre-requisites
While applying for the withdrawal of EPF online through the EPF portal, make sure that the following conditions are met:
- The Universal Account Number (UAN) is activated, and the mobile number used for activating the UAN is in working condition.
- The UAN is linked with your KYC (know-yor-customer), i.e., Aadhaar, PAN, bank details, and the IFSC code.
If the above conditions are met, there is no need for the previous employer to attest your withdrawal application.
Steps To Apply for EPF Withdrawal Online on UAN Portal
Step 1: Visit the UAN portal.
Step 2: Log in with your UAN and password. Enter the captcha.
Step 3: Click on the ‘Manage’ tab and select ‘KYC’ to check whether your KYC details such as Aadhaar, PAN and bank details are verified or not.
Step 4: Once the KYC details are verified, go to the ‘Online Services’ tab and select the option ‘Claim (Form-31, 19 & 10C)’ from the drop-down menu.
Step 5: The following screen will display the member details, KYC details and other service details. Enter your bank account number and click on ‘Verify’.
Step 6: Click on ‘Yes’ to sign the certificate of the undertaking and then proceed.
Step 7: Now, click on ‘Proceed for Online Claim’.
Step 8: In the claim form, select the claim you require, i.e., full EPF settlement, EPF part withdrawal (loan/advance) or pension withdrawal, under the tab ‘I Want To Apply For’. If the member is not eligible for any of the services like PF withdrawal or pension withdrawal due to the service criteria, that option will not be shown in the drop-down menu.
Step 9: Then, select ‘PF Advance (Form 31)’ to withdraw your amount. Further, provide the purpose of such advance, the amount required and the employee’s address.
Step 10: Click on the certificate and submit your application. You may be asked to submit scanned documents for the purpose you have filled the form. The employer will have to approve the withdrawal request, and only then you will receive money in your bank account. It usually takes 15-20 days to get the money credited to the bank account.
Which Are the Forms Used for EPF Withdrawal?
You must use the EPF Form 19 to withdraw EPF funds for the final settlement. The EPF Form 19 is essentially a two-page form that contains the following sections.
The first page of the form displays the member’s name, father or spouse’s name, date of birth, name and address of the establishment, date of joining and date of leaving the company, PF account number and UAN, full postal address, PAN (permanent account number), reason for leaving the organisation, mode of payment and the employer's and employee's signature.
You will find the advance stamped receipt on the second page of the form. You must fill this section only if you select cheque as the payment mode.
How To Fill the EPF Form 19?
You can apply to withdraw or transfer the EPF corpus when you are quitting or changing your job. You can fill out the EPF Form 19 online or offline to remove your EPF amount.
Steps for Filling the EPF Form 19 Online:
1. You must visit the EPFO website and enter your UAN, password and captcha.
2. You then click on the ‘Online Services Tab’ and choose the option 'Claim (Form 31, Form 19, Form 10C and Form 10D)'.
3. Enter your bank account number linked with your PF account and click on ‘Verify’.
4. A ‘Certificate of Undertaking’ pop-up will appear, and you must select the ‘Yes’ option to proceed.
5. A drop-down menu will appear under the ‘I want to apply for’ option.
6. You must choose the ‘Only PF Withdrawal (Form – 19)’
7. The next screen opens a new section to enter your complete permanent address.
8. Tick the disclaimer after filling up your address and click on the ‘Get Aadhaar OTP.’
9. You must enter the OTP that you get on your registered mobile number, verify your Aadhaar and proceed to the next step.
10. You receive a reference number on the successful submission of your application.
Steps for Filling the EPF Form 19 Offline:
You must download Form 19 from the EPFO portal and take a printout. You then fill up the PF account number, bank account number and IFSC code, PAN, joining and exit date of your employment, permanent address, mode of remittance, affix Re one revenue stamp and a cancelled cheque to verify the bank account.
EPF Form 31
You can use Form 31 for a partial withdrawal or to avail an advance from the EPF account. You can access Form 31 from the UAN portal. However, you need your bank account details, PAN, and Aadhaar details to be updated on the portal to apply for EPF advance.
How to Download EPF Form 31?
You can download Form 31 by visiting the EPFO portal or accessing the link.
How To Submit EPF Form 31 Online?
1. You must visit the EPFO portal, log in using your UAN, password, and fill in the captcha code.
2. You then visit the ‘Online Services’ tab and select ‘Claim’ to generate your online request.
3. After you click on ‘Claim’, a page appears with details such as your name, father’s name, DOB, Aadhaar Number, PAN, Date of joining the organisation and your mobile number.
4. You then click on ‘Proceed for Online Claim’ after checking all the required details.
5. It would help if you chose the ‘PF Advance (Form 31)’ option from the drop-down menu.
6. You then choose the reasons for taking the EPF advance and enter your current address and the amount.
7. You must sign the disclosure and check-box the ‘Get Aadhaar OTP’.
8. You will have to enter the OTP, click on ‘Validate OTP’ and submit the ‘Claim Form’.
What Is Form 10C?
You have to fill and submit Form 10C online to withdraw or transfer your EPS (Employee Pension Scheme) Amount. You can download the form at the following link:
How To Fill the Form 10C Online?
1. You must log on to the EPF portal and enter your UAN and password.
2. You then choose ‘Online Services’ from the menu bar.
3. You then pick the tab ‘Claim’, which contains Form 19, Form 31 and Form 10C.
4. You will be directed to the next page, where you will see the service history, KYC requirements and member details.
5. You then press the tab ‘Proceed Online Claim’.
6. You will be guided to the Claims Section, where you can check details such as PAN, mobile number, bank account number and UAN number.
7. You have to enter the last four digits of your bank account number and click ‘Verify’ to verify your details.
8. You then click ‘Yes’ on the ‘Certificate of Undertaking’.
9. You will then have to select the claim type as ‘Withdraw PF only’ or ‘Withdraw Pension Only’.
10. Navigate to the menu “I want to apply for” and pick “Only Pension Withdrawal (Form 10C).”
11. You must enter your permanent address in the Form 10C Section and tick the disclaimer section.
12. Do click the tab ‘Get Aadhaar OTP.’
13. An OTP will be sent to your Aadhar-linked mobile number. You must enter this OTP and click on the ‘Validate OTP’ tab and then on the 'Submit Claim Form'.
14. After you successfully submit Form 10C, you will get SMS notification on your mobile number.
15. Your pension claim will be submitted with the filled up Form 10C, and the Employees Pension Scheme (EPS) amount gets transferred to your savings bank account.
How To Apply for Home Loan Based on EPF Accumulation?
You can borrow up to 36 times your last monthly contribution to purchase a home. If you are purchasing land, you can borrow up to 24 times your last monthly contribution. You must be in service for five consecutive years avail of the loan.
You can follow the procedure given below to apply for a home loan based on your EPF account balance:
Apply for a home loan through the housing society and send the application to the EPF Commissioner in the format specified in Annexure 1. The EPF commissioner will issue a certificate stating the monthly contribution to your EPF account over the last three months.
Alternatively, you can take a printed copy of your EPF passbook to show the last three months’ contribution and submit it to the housing society to get an estimate of the loan amount you can get from the EPF balance.
Step-wise Process To Apply for a Home Loan through the UAN Member Portal:
Step 1: Log in to the UAN Member e-Sewa portal.
Step 2: Select the ‘Online Services’ tab and click on the ‘Claim (Form-31, 19 & 10C)’ option.
Step 3: Member details will be displayed. Enter your bank account number registered with EPF and click ‘Verify’.
Step 4: Select ‘Yes’ to sign the certificate.
Step 5: Select the ‘Proceed for Online Claim’ option and provide the reason for requesting an advance next to ‘I Want to Apply For’. The corresponding options will only be displayed if you are eligible from the years of service perspective.
Step 6: Select ‘PF Advance (Form 31)’ to withdraw your funds as an advance or loan. Also, enter the amount you would like to avail of and the employee’s address.
Step 7: Click on the certificate and apply. If prompted, you may be required to upload relevant documents.
Step 8: EPFO processes your application. On approval, EPFO makes the payment to the housing society directly.
How To Withdraw Your EPF without UAN?
You will have to fill the PF withdrawal form and submit it at the regional provident fund office. Moreover, you can easily check the jurisdiction of your PF office through the alpha-numeric provident fund account number which shows your state and location from your salary slip.
You will have to follow the old process of PF withdrawal where you submit your identity attestation from a bank manager or magistrate or gazette officer.
How To Download Form 15G for EPF Withdrawal?
You can download
Form 15G from the EPFO portal or the website of major banks.
Form 15G To Claim EPF Amount Without TDS:
The new Form 15G has two parts. Part-1 of Form 15G has the name of the individual, PAN, residential status, financial year, permanent address and mobile number.
You must include the estimated income for which the declaration is made (it includes employee and employer provident fund contributions and not the EPS contribution). The other section is filled by the institution paying the income.
