The Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) is a government-backed investment and retirement savings option in India. Salaried individuals are eligible to open an EPF account when basic pay and dearness allowance are up to ₹15,000. You can further opt for voluntary provident fund (VPF), if the basic pay and DA exceed ₹15,000 per month.
For FY26, the Centre ratified the EPFO’s suggestion of 8.25% interest rate for both EPF and and interest credits were completed earlier this month on 15 July, PTI reported. This marked the third consecutive time the instrument delivered 8.25% returns on provident fund.
Today, we take a look at how EPF subscribers can transfer their old provident fund collection to a new account, how to merge their PF accounts and what to do if they have multiple Universal Account Numbers ().
How to transfer old PF to new account: Stepwise guide
An EPF subscriber, especially those enrolled before 2014, may have multiple EPF accounts from switching jobs. It is better to transfer the funds to maintain continuous services and tax benefits rather than withdrawing the funds. It is thus advised that members use the portal or Umang app to do so.
Check how you can complete this process, as follows:
- Visit the EPFO’s official portal and log in
- Go to online services and click on the “One Member-One (Transfer Request)” option.
- Navigate to the “Request for Transfer of Account” option under the Employee Centric Services tab.
- Fill in your UAN number and click “Get Detail” — Select establishment (pick from your PF number that you want to merge or transfer funds from)
- Submit and verify with OTP
- Once done, you can track the status through the Online Services “Track Status” option.
EPF: What to do if you have two UANs?
In case you have multiple EPF accounts, there are two approaches you can take:
- Email uanepf@epfindia.gov.in with both UANs.
- The will verify and blocks the older account.
- You can then file a transfer claim to move funds to the active account.
OR
- Request a transfer through your .
- The EPFO’s system will identify the duplicate during routine checks, deactivate the old UAN, and link the old Member ID to your active account automatically.
How to generate your UAN on the portal:
- Go to the UAN service page.
- Enter Aadhaar-linked mobile number and verify OTP
- Pick from Member ID, PAN card, or Card, whichever you have, enter the details and fill in the captcha.
- Submit and verify OTP and your UAN will be sent via SMS.
Here’s how to retrieve forgotten UAN — Stepwise guide
Further, EPF subscribers can also retrieve their forgotten UAN using the official portal or the government’s mobile app. Here’s how:
- Login to the EPFO members portal and navigate to the “Know Your UAN” page
- Enter mobile number, select ID proof (Aadhaar, , or Member ID), enter the required details and captcha.
- It will prompt for OTP, which has to be filled and submitted
- If the screen displays “UAN Retrieved Successfully” that means the process is complete.
- However, if multiple UANs appear, you have a duplicate that needs to be resolved as discussed above.