EPF Claims Under the 2026 Scheme
Reviewed 16 October 2026. The EPF Scheme, 2026 took effect on 29 June 2026. Older guides that describe the 1952 scheme's Form 31 purposes, legacy service thresholds, a general two-month unemployment wait or fixed processing times should not be used as current rules. Read paragraph 46 for partial withdrawals and paragraph 49 for settlement in the official Gazette.
Choose the Claim Type by the Event
| What you need | What to check |
|---|---|
| Partial withdrawal during membership | Purpose, 12-month membership condition where applicable, eligible balance, minimum retained balance and purpose-specific frequency limit under paragraph 46. |
| Full EPF settlement after employment | One of the conditions in paragraph 49, including the specific unemployment-duration rule for the relevant cessation event. |
| EPS monthly pension | EPS 2026 pensionable service, age, wage-period history and claim route. |
| EPS withdrawal benefit or certificate | Eligible service and the corresponding benefit under the EPS 2026 scheme; not a refund of employer contributions plus interest. |
| Death claim | Current EPFO claim category, nomination/family record and documents requested for the case. |
Member portals may retain familiar names such as Form 31, Form 19, Form 10C or Form 10D, but forms and labels can change. Follow the claim category and instructions currently displayed by EPFO and verify the governing 2026 scheme paragraph.
How the Partial-Withdrawal Balance Works
Under paragraph 46, a minimum balance must remain in the account. It equals 25% of the contributions credited (employee and employer shares) together with the interest credited on them through the withdrawal date. The account credit above that reserve is the eligible member balance. A permitted withdrawal may be up to 100% of that eligible balance, subject to the conditions for the purpose.
- Illness-related withdrawal can cover the member or eligible family as specified by the scheme.
- Education, marriage, housing and special-circumstance withdrawals have separate frequency limits.
- The scheme allows up to 10 education withdrawals, 5 marriage withdrawals, 5 housing withdrawals and 2 special-circumstance withdrawals per financial year; check the provision for each limit and its start date.
- A member with less than 12 months of membership may qualify for a withdrawal on leaving covered employment, subject to the eligible balance and scheme wording.
Settlement Is Not the Same as a Partial Withdrawal
Paragraph 49 permits settlement in listed cases, including retirement after age 55, permanent and total incapacity, permanent migration or taking employment abroad, retrenchment, and qualifying voluntary retirement. Some events have added conditions. For other cessation from covered employment, the current rule generally requires at least 12 continuous months without employment in an establishment covered by the Code on Social Security. A specific exception applies to a female member resigning for marriage. Do not apply the former general two-month rule.
EPF settlement does not itself decide EPS pension rights. Members should check EPS 2026 separately, including service across prior member IDs. See our EPS Pension Scheme 2026 guide.
Preparing and Tracking a Claim
- Check your UAN, service history, passbook and exit information for missing or duplicate records.
- Ensure the identity and bank details requested by EPFO are current and verified.
- Select the current claim category and match it to the scheme provision; keep purpose and amount calculations on file.
- Submit only the evidence requested for that claim. Requirements can vary by category and account record.
- Save the acknowledgement and use the official portal to track status. If rejected, respond to the specific reason rather than resubmitting an unchanged claim.
Do not rely on unsourced estimates for rejection rates or processing days. EPFO's status and notice are authoritative for an individual claim. Start with the EPFO website and the EPF Scheme, 2026.