Have you heard from someone about having checked their PF balance or having missed the PF account number for future reference? If so, you must have a popping question: what exactly is a PF account number and if not known, how to retrieve it.
The answer lies here. Basically, the EPF number is an account number that employees can use to monitor the status of their EPF, the balance in their EPF account, and other information, is the Employees’ Provident Fund Account Number. For withdrawals from the EPF, the number is necessary.
Due to the fact that they might not have kept track of their monthly contributions to the plan, there are times when employees need to know their EPF number. An employee’s PF number cannot be disclosed to them by the company. Employees must have details of their PF number while still employed because it may be challenging for them to obtain it after quitting their jobs or retiring.
Since the EPFO introduced the Universal Account Number (UAN), it has been fairly easy to find out your EPF number. Every employee is given a UAN, which remains constant during employment. One UAN is used to list all of the employee’s Member IDs. Workers can obtain their UAN via their employers or online at the EPFO portal.
This piece will give you a gist about retrieving your PF account number if missed, steps and procedures etc., regarding the same in a thorough manner. Give it a good read and grasp it all.
Procedure to Fetch Your EPF Number
The employer is responsible for handling the new hire’s registration, assigning them an EPF number, and ensuring their EPF deposits are done on time. In light of this, the employer has a crucial role to play in the program of EPF, and it is crucial that they see to it that the employees acquire their EPF account numbers. If an employee’s EPF number is not disclosed by the employer, he or she may obtain it by taking one of the actions listed below:
- Looking at the salary slip: Employers will often list the PF account number on the employee’s payslip.
- Using UAN Portal: It is quite simple for employees to obtain the EPF account number on the official portal of EPFO if they know their UAN number. The EPFO portal allows employees to log in and obtain all PF information.
- Visiting the EPFO office: By going to the EPFO office, employees would be proficient in obtaining their EPF account number. The employee must supply the necessary personal information to obtain the account number. It is essential that the employee carry identification, and the official document must be completed.
- Asking the employer: Employees can contact their Human Resources (HR) division to obtain the PF account number.
Steps to get UAN (Universal Account Number) using EPF (Employee Provident Fund) number:
- Visit the official website of EPFO (Employee Provident Fund Organisation) at https://www.epfindia.gov.in/.
- Click on the “For Employees” tab and select “Member UAN/Online Services” from the drop-down menu.
- On the next page, click on the “Know Your UAN Status” option under the important links section.
- Enter your EPF details such as state, PF office, establishment code, and PF account number.
- Fill in your personal details like name, date of birth, and mobile number.
- Click on the “Get Authorization Pin” button to receive an OTP (One-Time Password) on your registered mobile number.
- Enter the OTP and click on the “Validate OTP and Get UAN” button.
- Your UAN number will be displayed on the screen.
Alternatively, you can also get your UAN number from your employer, who should have provided it to you when you joined the organization.
Format of EPF Account Number
Both numbers and letters are used in the EPF Account Number. The EPF account number also contains information on the office of EPF, which is responsible for managing all aspects of the employee’s EPF account, as well as the organisation’s code. A mere example of a PF account number and some of the crucial data it contains is given below:
Example:- TN MAS 054210 000 0054213 (PF account number)
- The 2 initial letters of the English alphabet correspond to the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The regional or district office is denoted by the following 3 letters ‘MAS’; in this particular case, it is situated in Chennai.
- For the establishment ID, the first 7 digits are used, and the ID can have up to 7 digits. In the case of large enterprises, an extension code of 3 integers is included in the establishment ID, but most employees do not have an establishment ID.
- The original PF (Provident Fund) account number, which is distinct for each employee, comprises the last 7 digits and has a highest of 7 digits.
What Role Does EPF Account Number Maintain?
The bare minimum roles of PF Account Number are mentioned below for your convenience:
- The EPF account number is required if employees want to withdraw from their EPF.
- It soothes the process when there is an urgency in obtaining a UAN number.
- The number is the minimum necessity an employee must have to check their EPF money.
- The EPF account number is required for employees to move their EPF funds from one Member ID to another.
Importance of EPF account number
Before now, the EPF account number was crucial to the operation of an EPF plan. Without the assistance of an EPF number, employees won’t be able to withdraw money from their 401(k) or transfer money from their old Member ID to their new one. However, with the UAN’s establishment, it now handles most EPF scheme tasks. Employees must understand that the UAN is the account’s secondary identifier while the PF Account Number is the account’s primary identification.
Customer Care Number of EPFO
For information regarding KYC and UAN, anyone can call the EPFO Toll-Free Number at 1800 118 005.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Where Can I Find My PF Account Number?
You can simply find your PF account number in the monthly salary slip. It is so because your employer is in charge who handles your PF account. Thus, you can simply fetch the number from the salary slip.
Is The Member ID and PF Account Number The Same?
Member ID and PF number are identical. Hence, the number of employers who made EPFO contributions on your behalf would equal the number of Member IDs you had. It is formatted as follows: Member ID or PF Account Number. The extension code may not be present in PF Account Number.
What is An Example of a PF Account Number?
TN MAS 054120 000 0054213, where the establishment ID is represented by the first seven numerals (054120 0). The extension code for the establishment ID is represented by the next three integers (00 0). The final seven digits represent the actual PF account number (054213).
Is PF and Pension Account Number The Same?
No, PF and pension account numbers work for separate causes. Hence the number is not similar.
How Can I Know My PF Number Through a PAN Card?
To access your PF account using your PAN card, you need to follow a simple process on the EPF portal. Firstly, visit the EPF portal and enter your PAN details, which include your name, date of birth, mobile number, and captcha code. After this, click on the ‘Get Authorization PIN’ button, and then agree to the terms and conditions by clicking on ‘I Agree.’ Enter the OTP that you should have received on your registered email and select the option of Validate to confirm OTP and Get the UAN. You will then receive the UAN on your registered mobile number, and this is how you can find your PF number using your PAN card. Following these simple steps, you can access your PF account and keep your account information up-to-date. It’s important to ensure that your details are accurate to ensure a smooth process.