PF withdrawal rules were rewritten when the new Employees' Provident Funds Scheme replaced the old one under the Code on Social Security. The many separate advance rules became a few broad purposes, every purpose now needs twelve months of membership, and a minimum balance of 25 percent must stay in the account after any partial withdrawal.
This independent page sets out the current rules simply, walks through raising an EPFO online claim from your phone and gives you a planner below to estimate what you may be able to draw. The planner is only an estimate; EPFO decides the final amount.
Quick facts
Where to apply
Unified Member Portal or the UMANG appPartial withdrawal
Up to the eligible balance, after 12 months of membershipMinimum balance
25 percent of total contributions and interest stays in the accountSmallest claim
Rs 1,000Full settlement on leaving
After 12 continuous months out of covered employmentPension withdrawal (Form 10C)
After 36 months under the new pension scheme, if service is under 10 yearsTDS
May apply on final settlement before 5 years of continuous serviceCost
Free. Never pay an agent to release PF
PF withdrawal options in short
| Situation | Claim type | Usual form on the portal |
|---|---|---|
| Still employed and short of funds for treatment, studies, a wedding, a home or an emergency | Partial withdrawal (advance) | Form 31 |
| Left the job and out of covered work for 12 months, retired at 55 or more, or migrating abroad | Final settlement of PF | Form 19 |
| Left with less than 10 years of pension service | Pension lump sum, or a record of service for the next job | Form 10C |
| Changed jobs and want to keep saving | Transfer, not withdrawal | Usually automatic, else Form 13 |
The withdrawal forms page goes through every form and when to pick it. If you only want to move money to a new employer, read PF transfer instead; withdrawing breaks your service record.
PF withdrawal rules for partial withdrawal
Under the current scheme there are five purposes. Each needs at least twelve months of membership, and each allows up to 100 percent of the eligible member balance, meaning the balance left after keeping the 25 percent minimum aside.
| Purpose | Who it covers | How many times |
|---|---|---|
| Illness | Self or family | No fixed count |
| Education | Self or family | Up to 10 times in membership |
| Marriage | Self or family | Up to 5 times in membership |
| Housing (buy, build, repay home loan, improve) | Your home, subject to the ownership conditions on the form | Up to 5 times across all housing uses |
| Special circumstances | No reason needs to be given | Twice in a financial year |
Counts restart from the start of the new scheme, so advances taken under the old rules do not use up these limits. A member who leaves service before completing twelve months may still withdraw up to the eligible balance on that date. These are the rules as reported from the notified scheme; the claim screen shows the purposes that apply to you, so check it before relying on any figure.
How the 25 percent minimum balance works
The minimum balance is 25 percent of all amounts ever credited to your EPF: your share, the employer EPF share and interest. It does not reduce when you withdraw; it rises only as new deposits come in. The pension contribution is not part of this sum.
Asha has Rs 4,00,000 in EPF and has never taken an advance.
- Minimum balance: 25 percent of 4,00,000 = Rs 1,00,000
- Eligible member balance: 4,00,000 minus 1,00,000 = Rs 3,00,000
She takes Rs 1,20,000 for her daughter's college fees. Her balance falls to 2,80,000 but the minimum balance stays at 1,00,000, so the eligible balance for any next claim is Rs 1,80,000, plus 25 percent of new deposits kept aside as they arrive.
Final settlement and job loss
- Retirement at 55 or later: the full PF balance can be claimed.
- Left a job and not working in covered employment: the full balance can be settled after at least twelve continuous months without covered work. Until then you can still draw the eligible balance (everything above the 25 percent minimum) as a partial withdrawal.
- Women who resign to marry: the twelve month wait does not apply.
- Other grounds: permanent and total incapacity, permanent migration or overseas employment, retrenchment and approved voluntary retirement allow full withdrawal.
- After full settlement: if you join a covered employer again, you start as a fresh member.
Before any claim on leaving, the old employer must have entered the exit date. Where that is missing, you can usually mark it yourself on the member portal two months after the last contribution.
Pension money when you leave early
The employer's pension share is handled by the pension scheme, not EPF. If your pension service is below ten years, you can either take a withdrawal benefit or ask for a scheme certificate that carries your service to the next job. Under the new pension scheme, the withdrawal benefit is paid only after 36 months from the date your last contribution fell due, or on reaching superannuation age if earlier. For most people who expect to work again, the certificate is the better choice. See EPS pension for the pension side.
How to withdraw PF amount online
- Make sure your UAN is active, Aadhaar is verified, and your bank account is seeded. The KYC update page covers this.
- For the EPFO claim login, use the UAN login page with UAN, password, captcha and OTP.
- Open Online Services and choose the claim option (shown as Claim Form 31, 19, 10C and 10D).
- Enter the last digits of your seeded bank account to verify it, then accept the undertaking.
- Select the member ID and the claim type you want. Only options you are eligible for appear.
- For an advance, pick the purpose, enter the amount and your address, and upload any document the screen asks for.
- Get the Aadhaar OTP and submit. Note the tracking reference shown on screen.
The UMANG app offers the same raise claim option under the EPFO section. After submitting, follow progress on the claim status page.
Timelines, auto settlement and UPI
The new scheme requires EPFO to settle a complete claim within twenty days, or within that period point out any deficiency. Many advance claims are now settled in auto mode without a person checking them, which can take only a few working days. EPFO has announced an auto settlement limit of Rs 5 lakh for advance claims under current EPFO rules; the limit can change, so treat it as a guide.
Withdrawal through UPI or ATM has been announced and tested, but at the time of writing we could not find an EPFO notice confirming it is open to all members. Announced; check the portal before relying on it.
TDS on PF withdrawal
Income tax is generally deducted only on final settlement when your continuous service, including service carried over by transfer, is under five years and the amount is Rs 50,000 or more. The rate is about 10 percent if PAN is linked, and much higher if PAN is missing. Partial withdrawals and transfers are not normally taxed this way.
If your total income is below the taxable limit, you can file a nil tax declaration with the claim. Under the new income tax rules, the single Form 121 has replaced Forms 15G and 15H for later tax years, though the claim screen may still show the old names. Upload what the portal asks for and read the claim form instructions. For anything beyond this, a tax adviser can help.
Using the PF withdrawal planner on this page
The planner tool near the top of this page asks for your balance, months of service, employment status and reason. It suggests the likely claim type and form, works out a rough eligible amount using the 25 percent minimum and the purpose limits on this page, flags possible TDS, and gives a checklist. The rule fields are editable so you can match any change EPFO makes.
The planner is an estimate. Nothing you type is sent anywhere. This site is not EPFO, never asks for your UAN, password, OTP or bank details, and does not file claims for anyone. The EPFO claim customer care number to use is the number given in our helpline and grievance guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much PF can I withdraw while still working?
Up to the eligible balance, which is your EPF balance minus a minimum balance of 25 percent of everything credited so far. You need at least twelve months of membership. The planner on this page gives a rough figure.
Can I withdraw full PF immediately after leaving a job?
Not the full amount in most cases. You can draw the eligible balance as a partial withdrawal, and the full balance after twelve continuous months without covered employment. Women resigning to marry, retirees and those migrating abroad are exceptions.
What was the EPFO PF claim rule change?
The old list of separate advance rules was merged into a few purposes with a common twelve month service condition, a 25 percent minimum balance, and limits on how many times you can claim for education, marriage and housing. The waiting period for full settlement after leaving rose to twelve months.
Do I need my employer's approval to withdraw PF?
Not for most online claims when your Aadhaar, bank and exit date are in place. Your employer still needs to mark your date of exit, or you can do it yourself after two months.
Why is my PF withdrawal option not showing?
The portal hides options you are not eligible for. Common reasons are less than twelve months of membership, no exit date for a final claim, bank or Aadhaar not seeded, or a limit already used for that purpose.
Is there a PF withdrawal login different from UAN login?
No. You raise claims after the normal member portal login with UAN and password, or through the EPFO section of UMANG.
Can I withdraw PF through UPI?
It has been announced and tested, but we could not confirm it is live for all members. Check the member portal or UMANG before planning on it.