PF Withdrawal Form

A PF withdrawal form, short for Provident Fund withdrawal form, is a document that allows concerned individuals to access the funds accumulated in accounts related to EPFO schemes.

What is the Purpose of the PF Claim Form?

During employment, both the employee and the employer are required to contribute equally to EPF or the Employees’ Provident Fund Scheme. The employee’s contribution is deducted as a percentage of their basic salary plus dearness allowance.

The purpose of EPFO at large, and the schemes in specific, is to encourage the creation of adequate funds during an individual’s employment, which shall function as a source of financial assistance post-retirement. Individuals can also utilise their accumulated corpus to meet specific financial obligations. To withdraw these funds, one needs to fill out different forms according to the need. There are different types of PF claim forms equating to varying purposes of fund withdrawal.

Complete EPF Withdrawal

EPF can be withdrawn completely in the following circumstances:

• When a person retires.
• When a person is out of work for more than two months. Individuals must obtain an attestation from a gazetted office in order to withdraw in this situation.

Individuals cannot withdraw their entire EPF balance while changing jobs if they have not been unemployed for two months or more (i.e. the interim period between changing jobs).

Partial EPF Withdrawal

Only in exceptional circumstances can a portion of an EPF balance be withdrawn. 

Different Types of PF Withdrawal Forms Available

The different types of PF Withdrawal Form available for PF withdrawal are – 

- EPF Form 10C

The form can be used by members to apply for withdrawal benefits or EPS certificate while retaining membership with the Pension Fund. Retention of membership shall allow individuals to enjoy the benefits of the Pension Fund later.

The following categories of members are eligible to withdraw funds from their Pension Fund using EPF Form 10C – 

Category 1 

• Has discontinued his/her job before completing 10 years of service.
• Has not completed 10 years of service but attained the age of 58.

Category 2 

• Legal heir or nominee or family member of a deceased individual who did not complete 10 years of service but had attained 58 years of age.

The following category of members is eligible to apply for EPS Certificate – 

Category 3 

• Has completed 10 years of service before reaching the age of 50 years.

• Is above the age of 50 years but below 58 years and is not agreeable to receiving a pension at a reduced rate.

- EPF Form 10D

It is used to apply for monthly pension benefits by individuals who have retired. It shall be filed by the legal claimant, i.e. the member or their legal heir/nominee in case of a deceased member.

Individuals need to complete 10 years of service in the formal sector before being eligible to receive monthly pension benefits.

It is crucial to note that individuals who have not attained 58 years of age are eligible to receive a pension only at a reduced rate; whereas, individuals who have reached 58 years can enjoy full pension benefits.

However, if an individual has retired due to a physical disability, they are eligible to receive full pension benefits even if he/she has discontinued the service before completing 10 years. 

- EPF Form 19

The PF withdrawal form 19  is used to apply for the final settlement of the accumulated corpus in a member’s EPF accounts. Individuals who have retired or left their jobs can apply for settlement with this form. To apply for the same, a primary requisite is that such members shall at least be unemployed for 2 months.

- EPF Form 5 

Companies that are registered under the Employees’ Provident Fund Scheme have to compulsorily fill this form and submit it by the 15th of every month. It shall contain details of employees of such companies who have been newly enrolled under the EPFO schemes. In case no new employee has joined, such employer shall notify it in the form with a “NIL”. 

- EPF Form 15G

In case an individual withdraws funds from their EPF account before completing 5 years of service with an existing company, then such organisation shall deduct tax at source from the proceeds of the withdrawal.

Nevertheless, if such person’s total income including the provident fund proceeds does not exceed the minimum tax slab, i.e. there is no tax liability, then such individual can file an EPF Form 15G to declare the same, following which the organisation shall not deduct any tax.

It can also be submitted by a member to avoid a TDS levy on interest earned from their EPF balance. If the member is a senior citizen, then he/she shall submit Form 15H along with Form 15G. 

- EPF Form 11

This new PF withdrawal form contains an employee’s details such as bank account number, EPF and EPS account number, etc. An employee shall file it through his/her existing employer and act as a declaration of their EPFO membership.

When individuals change jobs, they can present this form to their new employer, thus enabling such new organisations to obtain all the pertinent employee details. Following this procedure, the balance from their previous EPF and EPS accounts are transferred, and EPFO is notified of such individuals’ change in employment status.

- EPF Form 31

One can apply for this PF withdrawal form online which is used for partial withdrawal of funds from a member’s EPF account. Nonetheless, partial withdrawal using Form 31 is only allowed under the following circumstances – 

• An applicant has retired.
• Such an applicant is unemployed for 2 months or more, which is further certified by a gazetted officer.

Only under these circumstances, shall an individual use Form 31 to make partial withdrawals from their EPF account. Other than that, partial withdrawal is allowed only if certain conditions are met. These are enumerated in the table below.

- EPF Form 14

The form is used to apply for a financing facility, wherein an individual’s LIC policy premiums are paid from that member’s EPF account.

Individuals applying for this facility shall attest this form with their employer and furnish it to the respective EPF commissioner.

- EPF Form 19

Individuals who decide to close their existing EPF account shall use this EPF withdrawal form to apply for claim settlement of their provident fund balance. It shall be noted that such an application is only legitimate when the concerned individual has remained unemployed for 2 months or more.

- EPF Form 2

This form acts as a declaration and nomination certificate, wherein details of the nominated individual shall be furnished. The nominee shall be authorised as the first claimant in the event of an employee’s death. 

- EPF Form 20

In case of death of an employee, his/her nominee or legal heir shall use this PF withdrawal form to claim a final settlement of the deceased member’s EPF account.

- EPF Form 5(IF)

In the event of the death of an employee during service, his/her legal heir or nominee shall apply for insurance benefits offered under Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI) using EPF Form 5(IF). It shall be attested by the respective employer or a gazetted officer.

These are the different types of PF withdrawal forms in India. Individuals might need to furnish other relevant documents during an application, which shall be intimated by the concerned official. Application for withdrawal can be made either physically or online. To apply physically, one shall download the composite claim form (Aadhaar or Non-Aadhaar), duly fill it and submit it to his/her nearest EPFO office.

To apply online, one can visit the EPF portal. It is essential to note that an individual needs to hold an active UAN, which should be KYC compliant to make an application for PF withdrawal.

Process to Apply for EPF Withdrawal Online

Step 1: Navigate to the UAN portal.

Step 2: Enter your UAN and password. Fill in the captcha.

Step 3: Go to the ‘Manage’ page and click ‘KYC’ to see if your KYC details, such as Aadhaar, PAN, and bank details, have been validated.

Step 4: Once the KYC information has been verified, navigate to the ‘Online Services’ tab and pick ‘Claim (Form-31, 19 & 10C)’ from the drop-down menu.

Step 5: The following screen will reveal the member’s information, KYC information, and other service information. Enter your bank account number and press the ‘Verify’ button.

Step 6: Click ‘Yes’ to sign the undertaking certificate and then proceed.

Step 7: Finally, click ‘Proceed for Online Claim.’

Step 8: In the claim form, under the heading ‘I Want To Apply For,’ select the claim you desire, i.e. full EPF settlement, EPF part withdrawal (loan/advance), or pension withdrawal. If a member is ineligible for any of the services, such as PF withdrawal or pension withdrawal, due to service criteria, that choice will not be displayed in the drop-down menu.

Step 9: Then, to withdraw your funds, select ‘PF Advance.’ Include the purpose of the advance, the amount required, and the employee’s address.

Step 10: Submit your application by clicking on the certificate. You may be required to submit scanned documents for the purpose for which you filled out the form. Only you will receive money in your bank account if your employer approves the withdrawal request. It typically takes 15-20 days for the funds to be credited to the bank account.

How to Check EPF Claim Status

EPF withdrawals are possible via the UAN member portal. The member must first activate his UAN before logging into the portal to make an online withdrawal. The portal can also be utilised to transfer money from his old PF account to his new one. This portal can also be used to do other online services such as eKYC, contact details update, and so on.

The EPF member portal allows you to check the status of your EPF withdrawals online. You must log in to the portal online and go to the ‘Online Services’ section and pick ‘Track Claim Status.’ It’s worth noting that you won’t need to input a reference number to verify the status; it’ll be displayed on the screen immediately.

Eligible Conditions for Withdrawal

The prerequisites that an employee must meet in order to be eligible for EPF withdrawal are as follows:

• Only after retirement may the complete sum from the EPF account be withdrawn. EPFO considers early retirement only after a person reaches the age of 55.
• Partially withdrawing EPF funds is only permissible in the event of a medical emergency, home acquisition or building, or higher education.
• EPFO permits a withdrawal of 90% of the whole amount one year before retirement.
• If an employee is laid off or retrenchment causes him or her to lose his or her job, the EPF corpus might be withdrawn.
• According to the new law, only 75% of the corpus can be withdrawn after one month of unemployment. After acquiring employment, the leftover funds will be transferred to the new EPF account.
• Employees are not required to obtain permission from their employer before withdrawing their EPF. They can receive permission online by attaching their UAN and Aadhar to your EPF account.
• When making the claim online, you must have:

• An active UAN
• Bank details that are linked with UAN
• PAN and Aadhaar details