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Seamlessly linking all your past and current PF accounts, UAN offers a unified, digital portal packed with tools to track contributions, transfer funds, update KYC, download your passbook, and monitor claims. With built-in alerts, Aadhaar-based authentication, and instant services like Face ID activation, UAN transforms provident fund management into a smooth, self-serve experience. Explore the next sections to uncover how UAN empowers you with full control over your EPF lifecycle, from seamless transfers to real-time updates and enhanced security.
A Universal Account Number (UAN) is a unique 12-digit number assigned to every employee who contributes to the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) in India. Issued by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the UAN stays the same throughout an employee’s career — even if they change companies.
Introduced in October 2014, it is managed and authenticated by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Your UAN remains constant throughout your working life. It ensures seamless portability and streamlined fund management across jobs.
Your UAN remains unchanged throughout your career, which means all PF accounts from different employers link under this one number. This ensures a smooth transition of your retirement savings whenever you switch jobs.
You can view and download your PF passbook anytime via the EPFO member portal or UMANG app. It shows your contributions and interest in real time, giving you complete visibility over your account.
Every time you or your employer contributes to your PF, you receive an SMS and email if opted in. This immediate notification helps you spot missing or delayed contributions quickly.
UAN lets you link official documents, Aadhaar, PAN, bank account, driving licence, and more through the portal. Once approved by your employer, these are digitally verified. This reduces delays in claims and prevents issues like high TDS on withdrawals.
Discovering how and when you receive your UAN helps simplify your journey with the Employees’ Provident Fund. Below are details mentioned about the Universal Account Number allotment:
Every salaried employee in India whose employer has 20 or more staff automatically receives a UAN through EPFO. There is no extra effort needed on your part. This applies whether you are a full-time hire or a contractual worker.
If you have switched jobs and already have a UAN, the same UAN is reused no new number is generated.
If your employer hasn't shared it, you can quickly find your UAN using the EPFO portal:
To use UAN for balance checks, withdrawals, and PF transfers, you must activate it:
Great news from 2025 updates: UAN activation is now instant on the UMANG app using Aadhaar-based Face ID ,you don’t need to wait.
Once your UAN is active, you can:
Here is how you can easily retrieve your UAN, with clear and simple steps that anyone in India can follow:
Your HR or payroll team will share your UAN when it is generated. It is often printed on your salary slip or appointment letter, just ask them if you are unsure.
EPFOHO UAN
to 7738299899 (for English) or append a language code like Hindi
, Bengali
, etc.Effortlessly take charge of your PF by accessing your balance, updating your KYC, downloading your passbook, and linking Aadhaar or PAN, all from the comfort of your home.
After logging into the EPFO Member Portal or using the UMANG app, click “Download, then View Passbook” to see your contributions and interest as they post. This lets you check your EPF balance any time you like.
This online KYC update makes claiming your PF and transfers smoother, and avoids higher TDS deductions.
Simply log in and go to Download, then Download Passbook to get a PDF copy of your EPF passbook. It shows all employer and employee contributions at a glance.
Maintaining updated KYC helps you access PF benefits faster and avoid delays. It ensures lower tax cuts on withdrawals, enables smooth PF transfers between jobs, and helps you use digital features without employer intervention.
Here are the common issues you might face with your UAN and practical solutions to tackle them:
Many users face portal slowdowns, cache errors, or server issues when activating UAN. To avoid this: clear your browser cache, switch to Chrome or Firefox, or try activating during off-peak hours like early morning or late evening.
If your name in the EPFO portal doesn't match exactly with Aadhaar even a missing dot or space, activation and KYC linking fail. You must file a joint declaration form through your employer to request a correction. EPFO usually takes around a month to update the record.
Sometimes, changing jobs leads to multiple UANs, a situation that can derail claim processing. To resolve this, you need to deactivate the old UAN and merge EPF accounts either by emailing EPFO, or using the UAN portal under “One Member –One EPF Account”.
If you are unable to check your passbook, log in, or see errors in KYC status, follow this checklist:
If your company manages PF through its trust, not EPFO, your UAN may not show any balance or transactions on the EPFO portal. In such cases, request your HR or PF in-charge for a statement directly from the trust.
EPFO has rolled out several user-friendly features in 2025, making PF management smoother, faster, and more secure for every salaried Indian.
Employers can now generate UANs in bulk even if employees haven’t seeded their Aadhaar. This helps clean up records, such as when exempted trusts surrender excess funds or in recovery cases. This ensures PF contributions are correctly credited without delays.
You can now generate and activate your UAN instantly using Face Authentication Technology on the UMANG app. Just open the app, select “UAN Allotment and Activation,” use your Aadhaar number and OTP, and capture your photo. You will get your UAN by SMS and can immediately start using the account.
The updated Form 13 now clearly separates taxable and non-taxable PF interest while removing the need for employer approval in most cases. This makes it simpler to transfer your PF between jobs and reduces processing time.
Conclusion
Your Universal Account Number simplifies your entire PF journey, from seamlessly linking accounts, enabling real-time tracking, easy KYC updates, quick transfers, and strong security. And if navigating PF and ESIC feels complex, Online Legal India is ready to help. With years of experience, our team of qualified CAs and CSs offers end-to-end support for ESIC & PF registration and return filing on your behalf, ensuring full legal compliance from anywhere in India. Visit Online Legal India today.