What Is Universal Account Number?

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UAN benefits and features that you need to know as an employee.

Key Takeaways

• Universal Account Number (UAN) is a 12-digit unique identification number.
• The Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) allots the UAN.
• The EPFO assigns every registered employer and employee a unique UAN number.
• You can access your Provident Fund (PF) accounts with the UAN.
• You can find your UAN on your salary slip or the UAN online portal.

As a salaried individual, it is imperative that you know the structure of your salary. The Employee Provident Fund (EPF) is a critical aspect of your salary structure. Your EPF is a long-term saving plan, which comprises your and your employer’s contribution. Like your savings account number, your EPF account, too, comes with an account number. Let us understand what is UAN number and its benefits in this article.

What is UAN Number?

The UAN number means a 12-digit unique identifier allotted by the Employee’s Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment. It helps both employees and employers contribute seamlessly to the Employee Provident Fund (EPF). Introduced in 2014, the UAN was made mandatory to provide a single platform to manage multiple Provident Fund (PF) accounts with ease.

The EPFO issues two separate UANs to you and your employer. Regardless of the number of times you change your job, your UAN remains unchanged throughout your employment years. Similarly, the employer’s UAN number stays constant throughout the business years of the company. If you change jobs, the EPFO issues a new member ID which gets linked to your existing UAN. You must intimate the EPFO or the new employer and raise a request for the new PF number member ID to be linked to your UAN.

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Importance of Universal Account Number

• When planning your finances, two aspects matter most: how you grow your money today and how you secure it for the future. Choosing the highest interest rate savings account ensures your deposits earn better returns in the short term, while having a Universal Account Number (UAN) safeguards your retirement savings through the Employee Provident Fund (EPF).

  A Universal Account Number means a direct link between you and the EPFO. Hence, you can withdraw or transfer funds from your EPF account without depending on your employer for PF transfers.

  • You can view your PF account balance at any time by logging into the EPFO portal.
  • Your employer cannot access your EPF account, nor can they withhold the PF money at any given time.
  • UAN makes it easy for the EPFO to verify employees and gather the employee details on a single online platform.
  • The UAN is linked to your PAN Card and Aadhaar number at the time of application, making it easier to make tax deduction claims at the time of Income Tax filing.

How to Find or Know Your UAN Number?

From the Employer

Upon starting a new job, the employer will ask you to submit your bank details, ID and address proof, date of birth, mobile number, email ID, etc., to generate a UAN. The UAN is usually printed on your salary slip.

Through the UAN Portal

You can also visit the UAN portal and click on ‘Know Your UAN Status’. Fill in the relevant details and click on ‘Get Authorization’. You will receive a one-time password on your Registered Mobile Number. After you enter the OTP, you will receive your UAN via SMS.

How to Generate UAN Number?

To generate UAN number, your employer usually initiates the process when you join an organisation covered under the EPF scheme. The employer submits your details, such as Aadhaar, PAN, and bank account information, to the EPFO, which then issues a Universal Account Number. Once allotted, you can visit the EPFO portal to know your UAN number by entering your registered details and verifying with an OTP.

Steps to Download Your UAN Card

The UAN card contains important details such as your name, UAN, and KYC status. If you are looking for UAN number download, the process is simple through the EPFO’s UAN portal.

Follow these steps:

1. Visit the official EPFO UAN portal and log in with your UAN and password.
2. Go to the “UAN Card” option under the “Download” section.
3. Click on it to view your card and save it as a PDF.

If you are unsure of your UAN, you can first check how to know UAN number by using your Aadhaar, PAN, or Member ID on the portal. Once retrieved, you can proceed with the download steps.

Documents Required for UAN Activation

To activate your UAN, you need a few basic documents. These help the EPFO verify your identity and link your provident fund account. The required documents include:

• Aadhaar card
• PAN card
• Bank account details with IFSC code
• Employment details such as your member ID or salary slip

Once these are verified, you can complete the activation process on the UAN portal.

Benefits of Having a UAN Number

The UAN makes provident fund management simple. Its main benefits are:

• A single number for all your PF accounts across different jobs
• Easy tracking of contributions and balance through the EPFO portal
• Direct access to transfer or withdraw funds without depending on your employer
• Greater transparency as you can check deposits made by the employer

How to Withdraw or Transfer with the UAN Number?

You can use your UAN to withdraw or transfer provident fund money directly through the EPFO portal. The steps are:

1. Log in to the UAN portal with your UAN and password.
2. Select the option for withdrawal or transfer.
3. Fill in the required details such as bank account number or new employer’s PF details.
4. Submit the request online.

The EPFO processes your request after verification. You can track the status through the portal.

Final Note

As long as you are an employee, the Universal Account Number will not change regardless of the number of times you change jobs and employers. With UAN, you can conveniently manage your PF Account with no interference from our employer and steadily grow your corpus from the mandatory monthly contributions.

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*Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. We recommend you get in touch with your income tax advisor or CA for expert advice.

Frequently Asked Questions – UAN Number

1. How can I recover a lost UAN number?

   You can recover it from the EPFO UAN portal by using the “Know Your UAN” option. Enter your Aadhaar, PAN, or Member ID to retrieve the number.

2. How to update incorrect details on the UAN card?

   You can request corrections through the UAN portal by submitting a change request. The update must be approved by your employer and verified by the EPFO.

3. Can I generate a new UAN if I change jobs?

   No, you cannot generate a new UAN. Your existing UAN remains the same, and the EPFO links the new member ID from your employer to your current UAN.

4. How to check UAN KYC status?

   Log in to the UAN portal and go to the “KYC” section. You can see the status of documents such as Aadhaar, PAN, and bank account linked to your UAN.