Galactic Advisors

Sep 7, 20203 min

All about UAN

Updated: Dec 20, 2020

Universal Account Number (UAN) is all you need to operate your Employee Provident Fund (EPF) account. Withdrawal, PF loan application, checking EPF balance - everything is covered online through this one UAN.

What is a UAN?

Every employer contributing to EPF has a 12-digit Universal Account Number. This is alloted by the Employee Provident Fund Organization.

The beauty of a UAN is that the UAN remains the same throughout the life of an employee. Does not matter if you change jobs. Every time you change jobs, the EPFO will allot a new membership identification number. This ID is linked to your UAN.

How do I find my UAN?

A. Ask your employer

Your finance team/ HR team will have records of this. All you have to do is ask. Most employers also mention the UAN on the salary slips.

B. Know your UAN functionality

If UAN is linked to your mobile number, it will show up here. Otherwise, you need to talk to your Company's finance team/ HR team.

Activate your UAN

Now that you have obtained your UAN, your task does not end here. To actually access the EPFO portal, you'll have to Activate your UAN.

  • Click on this link to access the EPFO website -
         https://unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in/memberinterface/
     

  • Click on Activate UAN at the bottom right corner.
     

  • Enter the necessary details. You can choose to enter one of the following:
     

    • UAN

    • Member ID

    • Aadhaar

    • PAN
       

  • We recommend using UAN since that might be easiest.
     

  • Click on Get authorization PIN and activate UAN using the OTP sent to your mobile number.

And you're done! If you want to learn more about Income from salary and how tax is calculated, click here.

The above is usually enough to answer most people's questions. But if you're here to learn or need additional information, read on below.

Documents required for UAN

New to the salaried world? Here's the list of documents you'll need (fret not. Your company will usually guide you through the process and what they need).

  • Bank account details:

    • Account number

    • IFSC code

    • Branch name.
       

  • ID proof:
         Any photo-affixed and national identity cards like driving license, passport, voter ID, Aadhaar, and SSLC Book
     

  • Address proof:
         Utility bills (electricity bills, gas bills, etc), rental/lease agreement, ration card or any of the ID proof mentioned above if it has your current address.
     

  • PAN card
     

  • Aadhaar card
     

Do I really need a UAN?

Yes. There's no way around it. If you want to be employed in India, there's a high likelihood that you'll need a UAN.

The UAN has several advantages for you as well:

  • There's no need for multiple EPF accounts. Your UAN remains the same irrespective of if you switch jobs. This is now a single unified account.

  • The whole EPFO process is now online. No need to visit EPFO offices.

  • Withdrawal (fully or partially) from PF is now online with this UAN.

  • The EPFO passbook is available online instantly – either by logging in using the member ID or UAN or by sending an SMS. No need for passbook updation.

  • If you do switch jobs, you can transfer EPF balance yourself. There's no need for any intervention from any of your employers.

  • There is no need for new employers to validate your profile if the UAN is already Aadhaar and KYC-verified.

  • UAN ensures that employers cannot access or withhold the PF money of their employees.

  • Monitoring becomes easier. You can check that your employer is actually depositing money as their contribution in the EPF account.

Need our help with anything? We're always here to help. Contact us!