What is required to withdraw PF online?
In case of emergencies such as hospitalisation, wedding or education of your child, home renovation and repairs, you may need quick access to these funds. Instead of taking a loan, you can withdraw funds from your PF in full or in part. Just remember that to initiate the PF withdrawal process you will have to keep your Universal Account Number (UAN) handy.
In order to withdraw your PF amount using EPFO portal, you will need to ensure the following:
- UAN must be activated
- Aadhar number must be linked and verified with UAN
- The bank account where you want to receive the amount, must be the same as the bank account registered with your Aadhaar.
In case of any changes or modifications, you can complete the eKYC process, and update your details before you submit a claim.
Procedure for EPF withdrawal
Broadly, the withdrawal of EPF can be made either by:
- Submission of a physical application for withdrawal
- Submission of an online application
1. Submission of a physical application
For this, one can download the new composite claim (Aadhaar)/composite claim form (Non-Aadhaar) from here :
The new composite claim form (Aadhaar) can be filled and submitted to the respective jurisdictional EPFO office without the attestation of the employer whereas, the new composite claim form (Non-Aadhaar) shall be filled and submitted with the attestation of the employer to the respective jurisdictional EPFO office. One may also note that 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.
2. Submission of an online application for EPF Withdrawal
Interestingly, the EPFO has very recently come up with the online facility of withdrawal, which has made the entire process more comfortable and less time-consuming.Prerequisite:
To apply for the withdrawal of EPF online through the EPF portal, make sure that the following conditions are met:
- The UAN (Universal Account Number) is activated, and the mobile number used for activating the UAN is in working condition.
- The UAN is linked with your KYC, i.e. Aadhaar, PAN and the bank details along with the IFSC code.
If the above conditions are met, then the requirement of attestation of the previous employer to carry out the process of withdrawal can be done away with.
Steps to apply for EPF withdrawal online:
Step 1: Go to the UAN portal by clicking here.
Step 2: Log in with your UAN and password and enter the captcha.
Step 3: Then, click on the tab ‘Manage’ and select KYC to check whether your KYC details such as Aadhaar, PAN and the bank details are correct and verified or not.
Step 4: After the KYC details are verified, go to the tab ‘Online Services’ and select the option ‘Claim (Form-31, 19 & 10C)’ from the drop-down menu.
Step 5: The ‘Claim’ screen will display the member details, KYC details and other service details. Enter the last four digits of your bank account 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, then that option will not be shown in the drop-down menu.
Step 9: Then, select ‘PF Advance (Form 31)’ to withdraw your fund. 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 then only you will receive money in your bank account. It usually takes 15-20 days to get the money credited to the bank account.
How to withdraw PF online with UAN?
You can easily withdraw your PF online through your UAN by visiting the EPFO e-SEWA portal. Here are the steps you need to follow:
- 1. Login to the portal – Visit the EPFO e-SEWA portal and login using your UAN and password, and enter the captcha code. In case you’ve forgotten your password, you can reset via an OTP sent to your registered mobile number.
- 2. Visit Online Claims section – When you’ve logged in, you can look for ‘Claim (Form-31, 19, 10C & 10D)’ in the ‘Online Services’ section
- 3. Enter bank account details – Once this section opens, you will be required to enter the correct bank account number (seeded with UAN), as a verification process.
- 4. Confirm Terms & Conditions – Once you’ve verified your details, you would need to confirm the ‘Terms and Conditions’ as stated by EPFO. You can then click on ‘Proceed for Online Claim’
- 5. Select reason for withdrawal – You’ll find a dropdown menu, from which you would need to choose the reason for withdrawing from your PF account. You will only be shown the options for which you’re eligible.
- 6. Enter details and upload documents – When you select the reason for withdrawal, you would need to enter your complete address, and you may need to upload your cheque/passbook details if you’ve chosen the option for ‘Advance Claim’. You’ll need to accept further ‘Terms and Conditions’ before requesting a one-time password (OTP) for verification.
- 7. Get Aadhaar OTP – Once you’ve confirmed your details and accepted the ‘Terms and Conditions’, you would need to request an OTP, which will be sent to the mobile number registered with your Aadhaar. On entering the OTP, your claim application will be submitted.
Once you’ve submitted your claim, you can track the status of your claims by logging into your Member e-SEWA portal account, under ‘Track Claim Status’. The EPFO officials will match your data in their records with the data submitted in your online claim form. On completing their verification, they will process your claim application and the amount will be credited to the bank account, linked with your UAN.
When can EPF be withdrawn
One may choose to withdraw EPF entirely or partially. EPF can be completely withdrawn under any of the following circumstances:
a. When an individual retires
b. When an individual remains unemployed for more than two months. To make a withdrawal on this circumstance, the individuals must get an attestation of the same from a gazetted office.
The complete withdrawal of EPF while switching employers without remaining unemployed for two months or more (i.e. during the interim period between changing jobs), is against the PF rules and regulations and therefore is not allowed. Partial withdrawal of EPF can be made under certain circumstances and subject to certain prescribed conditions which have been discussed in brief below:
Partial withdrawal of EPF can be done under certain circumstances and subject to certain prescribed conditions which have been discussed in brief below:
| Sl. No. | Particulars of reasons for withdrawal | Limit for withdrawal | No. of years of service required | Other conditions |
| 1 | Medical purposes | Six times the monthly basic salary or the total employee’s share plus interest, whichever is lower | No criteria | Medical treatment of self, spouse, children, or parents |
| 2 | Marriage | Up to 50% of employee’s share of contribution to EPF | 7 years | For the marriage of self, son/daughter, and brother/sister |
| 3 | Education | Up to 50% of employee’s share of contribution to EPF | 7 years | Either for account holder’s education or child’s education (post matriculation) |
| 4 | Purchase of land or purchase/construction of a house | For land – Up to 24 times of monthly basic salary plus dearness allowance For house – Up to 36 times of monthly basic salary plus dearness allowance,Above limits are restricted to the total cost | 5 years | i. The asset, i.e. land or the house should be in the name of the employee or jointly with the spouse. ii. It can be withdrawn just once for this purpose during the entire service. iii. The construction should begin within 6 months and must be completed within 12 months from the last withdrawn instalment. |
| 5 | Home loan repayment | Least of below: Up to 36 times of monthly basic salary plus dearness allowanceTotal corpus consisting of employer and employee’s contribution with interest.Total outstanding principal and interest on housing loan | 10 years | i. The property should be registered in the name of the employee or spouse or jointly with the spouse.ii. Withdrawal permitted subject to furnishing of requisite documents as stated by the EPFO relating to the housing loan availed.iii. The accumulation in the member’s PF account (or together with the spouse), including the interest, has to be more than Rs 20,000. |
| 6 | House renovation | Least of the below:Up to 12 times the monthly wages and dearness allowance, orEmployees contribution with interest, or Total cost | 5 years | i. The property should be registered in the name of the employee or spouse or jointly held with the spouse. ii. The facility can be availed twice: a. After 5 years of the completion of the house b. After the 10 years of the completion of the house |
| 7 | Partial withdrawal before retirement | Up to 90% of accumulated balance with interest | Once the employee reaches 54 years and withdrawal should be within one year of retirement/superannuation |