What Is UAN Number in EPF and How to Activate It

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If you’re a salaried employee covered under EPF, you’ve been assigned a UAN — Universal Account Number. It’s the single most important identifier for your provident fund, and without activating it, you can’t check your balance, transfer funds between jobs or withdraw online. This guide explains what UAN is, how to find it, and how to activate it in minutes.

What is UAN?

UAN stands for Universal Account Number. It is a 12-digit number assigned by the EPFO (Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation) to every EPF member. Unlike your Member ID (which changes with every employer), your UAN stays the same for your entire working life — it links all your EPF accounts across different jobs under one permanent identifier.

Why UAN matters

• Check EPF balance anytime — view your passbook on the EPFO member portal
• Transfer PF when changing jobs — request online transfer of old employer’s PF to new employer’s account
• Withdraw EPF online — apply for partial or full withdrawal without visiting the EPFO office
• Download EPF passbook — complete transaction history in PDF form
• Link Aadhaar and bank account — mandatory for seamless transfers and withdrawals

How to find your UAN number

Your UAN is printed on your salary slip — look for “UAN” or “Universal Account Number.” If it’s not on your slip, you can find it by:

• EPFO member portal: go to unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in → “Know Your UAN Status” → enter your registered mobile number and PAN/Aadhaar
• SMS: send EPFOHO UAN ENG to 7738299899 from your Aadhaar-linked mobile
• Ask your employer’s HR department — they have your UAN and can share it

How to activate your UAN (step-by-step)

1. Go to unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in
2. Click “Activate UAN” on the right side of the homepage
3. Enter your UAN, Aadhaar/PAN/member ID, date of birth and mobile number
4. Click “Get Authorisation PIN” — an OTP is sent to your Aadhaar-linked or registered mobile number
5. Enter the OTP and click “Validate OTP and Activate UAN”
6. Your UAN is activated — you’ll receive a password by SMS to log in to the EPFO portal

After activation: link Aadhaar and bank account

After activating your UAN, do these immediately:

1. Link Aadhaar — log in to the EPFO portal → Manage → KYC → add Aadhaar and verify. Aadhaar-linked UAN is mandatory for online withdrawals and transfers.
2. Link bank account — Manage → KYC → add your bank account number and IFSC. Mandatory for withdrawal payments to be credited correctly.
3. Update nominee — Manage → e-Nomination → add your nominee’s details. This ensures your EPF balance goes to the right person in case of an unfortunate event.

Checking your EPF balance using UAN

Once your UAN is activated:

• EPFO portal: log in → View → Passbook — shows complete transaction history
• UMANG app: download the government’s UMANG app → EPFO → Member Services → View Passbook
• SMS: send EPFOHO UAN ENG to 7738299899 — get last 5 transactions by SMS
• Missed call: give a missed call to 011-22901406 from your registered mobile — receive balance by SMS

Learn more about EPF and retirement planning

Browse personal finance books on Amazon India — EPF, retirement planning, investments and financial planning explained clearly. Also explore global personal finance resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a UAN number in EPF?

UAN (Universal Account Number) is a 12-digit permanent identifier assigned by EPFO to every EPF member. Unlike your Member ID (which changes with each employer), your UAN remains the same throughout your working life and links all your EPF accounts across jobs.

How do I find my UAN number?

Check your salary slip (it’s usually printed there). Alternatively, go to unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in → “Know Your UAN Status” and enter your registered mobile number with your PAN or Aadhaar.

What if my UAN is not activated?

Without activation, you cannot check your balance, transfer funds or withdraw online. Activate on the EPFO member portal — it takes about 5 minutes with your Aadhaar-linked mobile number.

The bottom line

Your UAN is your permanent EPF identity — find it on your salary slip or via the EPFO portal, activate it using the EPFO member portal, then immediately link your Aadhaar and bank account. Once active, checking your EPF balance, downloading passbook, transferring funds and claiming withdrawals online all take minutes rather than visits to the EPFO office.