EPF account transfer: How does the system of shifting provident fund balances work

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has a system in place that can simplify the process of transferring provident fund (PF) balances after changing jobs. Before this, employees changing jobs had to manually request a transfer of their PF balance to their new employer's account.

Under the automatic transfer system, the PF balance can be credited to the new employer's account without any action required from the employee.

With the new system, the employees will not have to give any online or offline requests for transfer of their EPF account balance from the old employer to the new employer. The EPF account transfer would happen automatically.

The facility is exclusive to EPF members with accounts at EPFO. Exempted PF trusts are not eligible for automatic EPF transfer. Please ensure your EPF accounts, both old and new, are maintained with EPFO to utilise this service efficiently.

What all information do you need

UAN & Aadhaar numbers: The UAN (universal account number) and Aadhaar number provided by the new employer should match the details stored in the EPFO's database.

Verified Aadhaar number: The Aadhaar number must be seeded and verified against the UAN at the previous place of employment.

Member details: Details such as date of joining, date of exit, and reason for exit should be available from the previous employer.

Activated UAN: The UAN should be activated, and the mobile number associated with it should be operational.

Upon an employee's commencement of a new position, the initial PF contribution from the employer prompts an automatic transfer. In case of discrepancies like mismatched information or pending Aadhaar seeding, the employee may opt for manual transfer using Form 13.

Once the automatic transfer is initiated, the EPF member receives SMS and email notifications.

It's essential for the member to verify the transfer's completion via their passbook on the unified portal.

If successful, the transferred amount will reflect as a credit entry in the latest passbook.

What is UAN?

The Universal Account Number (UAN) is a vital identification number assigned to each employee contributing to the Employee Provident Fund (EPF). This 12-digit unique number is generated and assigned by the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and is authenticated by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. 

One of the key features of the UAN is that it remains constant for an individual, regardless of how many times they change jobs or join new organizations throughout their career. 

This simplifies the process for both employees and employers, as it allows for seamless transfer and tracking of EPF contributions and benefits. The UAN plays a crucial role in streamlining the EPF system and ensuring that employees have access to their provident fund information easily, efficiently, and securely.