EPF Guide 2026: PF Balance Check, EPF Withdrawal Online & 8.25% Interest Rate
EPF Guide 2026
PF Balance Check
PF Withdraw Online & 8.25 Interest Rate
PF balance check, EPF withdrawal, EPFO claim online, UMANG app, UAN registration — your complete guide to Employee Provident Fund in India.
EPF — Employee Provident Fund — is a government-backed retirement savings scheme for salaried employees in India. It is managed by the EPFO (Employees' Provident Fund Organisation) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Every month, 12% of your basic salary is automatically deducted as your EPF contribution. Your employer matches this with another 12% — making the total monthly savings 24% of your basic. This money grows with an interest rate of 8.25% per annum (2024–25), completely tax-free under Section 80C.
The EPF scheme applies to all organisations with 20 or more employees. If you work in a private company with 20+ staff, your employer is legally required to enroll you in EPF and maintain your EPFO account with a unique UAN (Universal Account Number).
Most people don't know that your employer's 12% contribution is actually split between two accounts:
| Feature | EPF (Employee Provident Fund) | EPS (Employee Pension Scheme) |
|---|---|---|
| Who contributes | Employee 12% + Employer 3.67% (out of 12%, 8.33% goes to EPS) | Employer 8.33% only |
| Withdrawable? | ✔ Yes — full amount | ✘ Monthly pension only after 58 |
| Interest earned | 8.25% p.a. tax-free | No interest — pension formula |
| Minimum service | Any duration | 10 years for pension eligibility |
UAN stands for Universal Account Number — a 12-digit number assigned to every EPF member by EPFO. Think of it as your permanent PF account ID that stays with you even when you change jobs. Your UAN remains the same throughout your career.
- ●You can get your UAN from your employer or HR department — it's printed on your salary slip too.
- ●To activate your UAN login to
uanmembers.epfindia.gov.inusing your mobile number linked to Aadhaar. - ●Once activated, you can do EPF balance check, EPF withdrawal online, EPFO claim — all without your employer's involvement.
- ●Link your Aadhaar, PAN, and bank account to UAN for seamless online PF withdrawal.
- ●When you change jobs, give your new employer your UAN — they will link their PF trust to the same number.
There are 5 easy ways to do a PF balance check in India. Whether you want to check EPF balance with UAN number, on mobile number, through the UMANG app, or even without a UAN — here's everything:
UMANG App — PF Balance Check
Download the UMANG App (Play Store / App Store) → Search "EPFO" → Login with UAN + OTP → Tap "View Passbook" → See your complete EPF balance and statement.
EPFO Portal — Passbook Online
Go to passbook.epfindia.gov.in → Login with UAN + password → Select Member ID → Download your full provident fund statement online.
SMS — PF Balance Check Number
Send SMS: EPFOHO (UAN) ENG to 7738299899 from your registered mobile number. Replace ENG with HIN/GUJ/PUN for regional languages.
Missed Call — PF Balance Check
Give a missed call to 011-22901406 from your UAN-registered mobile number. EPFO will SMS you your PF balance within minutes.
EPF Balance Check Without UAN
Go to EPFO Member Portal → Select "Check EPF Balance Without UAN" → Enter your PF Member ID (format: MHBAN12345670000001) + Date of Birth + mobile number.
EPFO App — Mobile Check
Download the official EPFO App (search "EPFO" on Play Store) or use the UMANG app with EPFO service enabled for EPF balance check on mobile number.
Your EPF statement (also called PF passbook or provident fund statement) shows every monthly contribution — employee + employer share, interest credited, and total balance.
Go to EPFO Passbook Portal
Open browser → visit passbook.epfindia.gov.in — this is the official EPFO portal for PF account check and passbook download.
Login with UAN and Password
Enter your 12-digit UAN number and password. First-time user? Activate at unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in first.
Select the Member ID
If you've worked at multiple companies, each job has a separate Member ID. Select the one you want the EPF statement for.
View and Download Passbook
Your complete provident fund statement online will load. Click Download PDF for the provident fund statement download.
You can do EPF withdrawal online through the EPFO unified portal — no need to visit the EPFO office or submit physical forms anymore. Here are the types of EPF withdrawal:
Full Withdrawal
After leaving job + 2 months of unemployment. Get 100% of EPF balance.
Medical Emergency
Up to 6x monthly wages. No minimum service period required.
Home Loan / Purchase
Up to 90% of EPF balance. Minimum 5 years of service required.
Marriage
Up to 50% of employee's share. Min 7 years of service required.
Education
Up to 50% of employee's share. For self, child after Class 10.
COVID / Special
EPFO periodically announces special non-refundable advance schemes.
Login to EPFO Unified Portal
Go to unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in and login with UAN + password.
Verify KYC Details
Ensure your Aadhaar, PAN, and bank account are linked and verified under the "KYC" section. Without this, PF amount withdrawal online is not possible.
Go to "Online Services → Claim (Form-31, 19 & 10C)"
This is the PF apply online / PF claim online section. Enter your bank account last 4 digits to verify.
Select Claim Type
Choose Full Settlement (Form 19), Partial Withdrawal (Form 31), or Pension Withdrawal (Form 10C) based on your need.
Submit and Verify with Aadhaar OTP
Submit the EPF claim online form → Verify with OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile. Your EPFO claim is now submitted.
Track EPFO Claim Status
Track under "Online Services → Track Claim Status" or via the UMANG app. Money typically reaches your bank in 3–7 working days.
After submitting your PF claim online, track your EPFO claim status through multiple channels:
- ●EPFO Portal: Login → Online Services → Track Claim Status.
- ●UMANG App: EPFO → Employee Centric Services → Track Claim → Enter reference number.
- ●SMS: EPFO sends automatic SMS updates to your registered mobile at each stage.
- ●Missed Call: Call 011-22901406 to check if your claim has been processed.
- ●EPFO Helpdesk: Call 1800-118-005 (toll-free) or email
epfigms@epfindia.gov.infor escalation.
The UMANG app (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) is the official government app that provides access to EPFO services. It is the best way to manage your EPF on mobile in 2026.
- ●Android: Search "UMANG" on Google Play Store → Download official app by NIC (National Informatics Centre).
- ●iOS: Search "UMANG" on Apple App Store → Same official app → Available for iPhone.
- ●Web: Access at
web.umang.gov.inif you prefer browser over app.
PF Balance Check
Instant EPF balance and PF amount check with UAN login. Real-time data from EPFO servers.
EPF Statement / Passbook
View and download full provident fund statement with all monthly credits. Share as PDF directly.
EPFO Claim Online
Raise EPF withdrawal claim, PF partial withdrawal, and pension withdrawal — all from the app.
EPFO Claim Status
Track live status of your submitted PF claim. Get notified when money is transferred to your bank.
When you join a new company, your employer handles your PF registration with EPFO and generates your UAN. However, here's what you must do yourself:
Get UAN from HR
Ask your HR or check your salary slip for your 12-digit UAN number. This is generated by EPFO during PF registration.
Activate UAN Online
Visit unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in → Click "Activate UAN" → Enter UAN, Aadhaar, date of birth, and OTP. One-time setup.
Link Aadhaar, PAN & Bank Account
Go to "Manage → KYC" → Add Aadhaar, PAN, and your savings bank account. All three must be verified for smooth PF withdrawal online later.
Check PF Balance After First Month
After your first salary, check your EPF balance via UMANG app or passbook portal to confirm contributions are being deposited correctly.
Many Indians get confused between EPF, PPF, and NPS. Here is the no-nonsense comparison:
| Feature | EPF | PPF | NPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who can join | Salaried employees only | Anyone (voluntary) | Anyone (voluntary) |
| Interest Rate | 8.25% (2024–25) | 7.1% (current) | Market-linked (10–12% avg) |
| Employer contribution | ✔ Yes | ✘ No | ✔ Govt employees only |
| Withdrawal flexibility | Good — partial & full | Low — 7yr lock-in | Very low — 60% on retirement |
| Tax on withdrawal | Tax-free (5yr+) | 100% tax-free | Taxable (annuity portion) |
| Best for | Forced savings + retirement | Self-employed / long-term | Higher corpus + pension |
- ●Always transfer your EPF when changing jobs — never withdraw. Withdrawing destroys years of compounding. Transfer old PF to new UAN using Form 13 online — takes 15 minutes.
- ●Add a nominee to your EPFO account today. Go to EPFO portal → Manage → e-Nomination. Your family gets your PF instantly in case of emergency — without a legal battle.
- ●EPF interest is tax-free only up to ₹2.5 lakh annual contribution (₹5 lakh if employer doesn't contribute). Beyond that, interest is taxable — relevant for high earners doing VPF.
- ●EPFO claim rejection happens if your KYC is incomplete. Always ensure Aadhaar OTP verification, PAN linking, and correct bank IFSC are updated before submitting any claim.
Is Your EPF Working Hard Enough For You?
Check your PF balance right now on the UMANG app — takes under 2 minutes. If your balance looks lower than expected, check with your HR. Your retirement depends on this money being deposited correctly every month.
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