Form 19 in PF is the claim for final settlement of your provident fund balance after you stop working in covered employment, retire or leave India for good. It sits next to Form 31 for advances, Form 10C and 10D for pension, Form 13 for transfer, and a tax declaration when TDS could apply.
Online, all of these are filed through one screen on the member portal, so picking the right option matters more than downloading a paper form. This independent page explains what each form does and when it is the right one.
Quick facts
Form 31
Partial withdrawal (advance) while in serviceForm 19
Final settlement of the EPF balanceForm 10C
Pension withdrawal benefit or scheme certificateForm 10D
Monthly pension claimForm 13
Transfer of PF from an old member IDTax declaration
Form 121 (earlier 15G or 15H) to avoid TDS when eligibleFile online at
All EPFO claim forms on one table
| Form | Purpose | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Advance or partial withdrawal | You are still a member and need money for illness, education, marriage, housing or special circumstances |
| 19 | Final PF settlement | Retirement at 55 or later, twelve months without covered work, migration, incapacity, retrenchment |
| 10C | Pension withdrawal benefit or scheme certificate | Pension service below ten years, or you want a certificate to carry service forward |
| 10D | Monthly pension | Ten or more years of pension service and age 58, or early pension from 50, or disability |
| 13 | Transfer | You joined a new employer and the old balance did not move automatically |
| 20 and 5IF | Death claims for PF and insurance | Filed by the nominee or family after a member's death |
| 121 (earlier 15G or 15H) | Nil tax declaration | Final settlement before five years when your yearly income stays under the tax threshold |
Paper versions exist as a composite claim form submitted through the employer, but most members file online.
What is Form 19 in PF and what it means for you
Form 19 in PF means you are closing the EPF part of that member account and taking the whole balance, both the employee and employer EPF portions plus the interest earned. Once it is paid, that membership ends. If you later join a covered employer, you start again as a fresh member, and your continuous service for tax purposes resets.
Form 19 does not pay pension money. That is a separate claim through Form 10C or Form 10D. On the portal you will often see two choices when you leave: only PF withdrawal (Form 19), or PF together with pension withdrawal. The current pension scheme makes members wait 36 months for the withdrawal benefit, so the pension part may not be offered at the same time.
- Use Form 19 for PF final settlement when you have retired or stayed out of covered employment for twelve continuous months.
- Women who resign to marry, members migrating abroad and members declared permanently incapacitated do not need to wait the twelve months.
- The employer must have marked your date of exit first.
How to fill PF withdrawal Form 19 online
- Log in to your member account (see UAN login). Check that Aadhaar, PAN and bank are verified under KYC.
- Go to Online Services and open the claim option that lists Form 31, 19, 10C and 10D.
- Verify the seeded bank account by entering its last digits, then sign the undertaking.
- Choose the member ID of the job you left. Under I want to apply for, pick Only PF withdrawal (Form 19).
- Where continuous service is short of five years and the payout reaches Rs 50,000, upload the nil tax declaration if you are eligible, and make sure PAN is linked.
- Enter your address, request the Aadhaar OTP and submit.
Then watch the claim status screen for updates. The new scheme expects a complete claim to be settled within twenty days, though auto mode cases are often faster.
Form 31: PF advance and its withdrawal limit
Form 31 in EPFO is the advance you take without leaving the job. Each purpose opens once you have a year of membership, and the cap is the whole eligible member balance: whatever is left once a 25 percent minimum balance is set aside. The smallest claim is Rs 1,000.
| Purpose on Form 31 | Times allowed |
|---|---|
| Medical treatment for you or a family member | Any number of times |
| Studies for you or a family member | 10 times during membership |
| Your own wedding or one in the family | 5 times during membership |
| All housing uses combined | 5 times during membership |
| Special circumstances | Two claims per financial year |
For an illness advance, you no longer need a long service history, but you still need the twelve months. Our PF withdrawal page has a planner that estimates the Form 31 amount from your balance.
Form 10C and Form 10D for pension
Form 10C serves two purposes. Where pension service falls short of ten years, it claims the withdrawal benefit, a lump sum worked out from your pensionable salary and completed months of service. Alternatively, it requests a scheme certificate that records your service so it can be added to your next job and reach the ten years needed for a monthly pension.
Form 10D is the claim for monthly pension itself, filed at 58, or from 50 for reduced early pension, or on disability. Widows, children and nominees also use it for family pension. The EPS pension page explains pension amounts.
Taking the 10C withdrawal benefit gives up that service for pension. If you plan to keep working in salaried jobs, a scheme certificate usually serves you better.
Form 13 for transfer, not withdrawal
Form 13 moves the balance of an old member ID to the current one. Where Aadhaar is linked and KYC is clean, EPFO usually moves it without any claim once the next job's first contribution is in. When it does not, you file Form 13 online. Steps and status checks are on the PF transfer page. Transfer keeps your service continuous, which also protects you from TDS later.
Form 15G, 15H and the new Form 121
Form 15G for EPF withdrawal was the declaration that you owe no tax for the year, and 15H was its version for people aged 60 or more. The income tax rules now in force use a single Form 121, which has replaced both for later tax years. The claim screen may still carry the old label; upload the declaration the portal asks for.
- Needed only for final settlement with under five years of continuous service and an amount of Rs 50,000 or more.
- Submit it only if it is true. A false declaration can lead to tax and penalty.
- Without PAN, TDS is deducted at a much higher rate, so link PAN before claiming.
Common form mistakes that delay settlement
| Problem | Why it happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Form 19 option missing | No date of exit, or less than twelve months since leaving | Ask the employer to mark exit, or mark it yourself after two months; wait out the period |
| Form 31 option missing | Membership under a year, or that purpose's count used up | Check service and earlier advances |
| Claim rejected for name or date of birth | Your EPFO details do not match Aadhaar | Fix the details first; see KYC update |
| Bank verification fails | Account not seeded or closed | Seed a live account in your own name |
Frequently asked questions
What does only PF withdrawal Form 19 mean?
It means you are claiming your EPF balance alone, without the pension part. Your pension service stays recorded, and you can claim pension or a scheme certificate separately through Form 10C or 10D.
How many days does Form 19 PF final settlement take?
The scheme expects a complete claim to be settled within twenty days, or for EPFO to tell you what is missing. Claims processed in auto mode can be paid in a few working days. Delays usually come from KYC or exit date issues.
Can I submit Form 19 and 10C together?
The portal used to allow both together. The current pension rules hold that lump sum back for 36 months after the last contribution was due, so check which options the claim screen shows you.
Where can I download the PF form 19?
You rarely need a paper copy because the form is filed online. If you must file offline, the composite claim form is available on epfindia.gov.in and goes through your employer.
What is the Form 31 PF withdrawal limit for illness?
Up to the eligible balance, meaning your EPF balance minus the 25 percent minimum balance, after twelve months of membership. There is no fixed count for illness advances under the current rules.
Is Form 15G still accepted for PF withdrawal?
For later tax years, the new income tax rules use Form 121 in place of 15G and 15H. The portal may still use the old name. Upload whichever declaration the screen asks for.