Reviewed 7 October 2026. Original publication: 01 March 2026.
EPF Form 31 is the familiar claim route for a partial provident-fund withdrawal, also called an advance. It is different from final PF settlement and from an Employees’ Pension Scheme claim. The permitted amount depends on the purpose, membership, eligible balance and rules applying when the claim is made—not simply the largest balance visible on a passbook screenshot.
EPF advance rules in 2026: what changed?
The Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 2026 came into force on its Gazette publication on 1 July 2026. G.S.R. 525(E), dated 29 June 2026, is the primary notification: paragraph 46 governs partial withdrawals and paragraph 47 deals with counting membership. Read it with the 4 August 2026 corrigendum, G.S.R. 703(E), and subsequent applicable directions.
EPFO’s official explanation through PIB on 8 August 2026 also describes the new 12-month ordinary membership test, access to the eligible portion of employee and employer contributions with interest, and revised purpose-wise frequency limits.
Do not apply an old Form 31 table automatically. Seven-year marriage/education tests and separate legacy housing service requirements belong to the earlier framework. The Scheme supersedes the 1952 Scheme with a saving for things previously done or omitted. Identify the claim date and provision before applying either set of rules.
Purpose, eligibility and withdrawal limits
| Purpose | Membership | Frequency | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illness of self or family | 12 months’ total membership | No numerical illness frequency limit is specified | Up to the eligible member balance |
| Education of self or family | 12 months | Up to 10 occasions during membership | Up to the eligible member balance |
| Marriage of self or family | 12 months | Up to 5 occasions during membership | Up to the eligible member balance |
| Housing-related requirements | 12 months | Up to 5 occasions during membership | Up to the eligible member balance |
| Special circumstances | 12 months | Up to 2 occasions in a financial year | Up to the eligible member balance |
The housing provision covers purchase of a house/flat, a site for construction, construction, repayment of a qualifying housing loan, and additions, alterations, renovation or improvements. Read these as purposes within the housing provision, not five independently available frequency allowances.
Minimum claim and exceptions: paragraph 46(1) specifies a partial withdrawal of at least ₹1,000. Paragraph 46(5) separately allows a member exiting employment before completing 12 months to access the eligible member balance under its conditions. Do not treat the ordinary 12-month test as eliminating that exception. Under paragraph 46(6), frequency counts start afresh from commencement of the new Scheme.
How much can I withdraw through Form 31?
The Scheme’s minimum balance is 25% of aggregate employee and employer EPF contributions, including interest, up to the withdrawal date. Eligible member balance is the amount standing to the member’s credit after deducting that protected minimum. The official explanation often describes the available portion as up to 75%, but previous withdrawals and subsequent credits matter.
First-withdrawal illustration: assume total employee/employer EPF contributions plus credited interest of ₹2,00,000, no previous partial withdrawals, and satisfied purpose/membership conditions. The protected portion is ₹50,000 and the illustrative available portion is ₹1,50,000. The sanctioned claim can be lower than the maximum.
Repeated-withdrawal illustration: with the same aggregate contribution/interest base, suppose an earlier advance of ₹60,000 reduced the standing credit to ₹1,40,000 and there were no intervening contributions or interest. Keeping the ₹50,000 minimum leaves ₹90,000, not a fresh 75% of ₹1,40,000. This simplified example explains the definitions; the official account calculation controls the actual claim.
Do not include an EPS pension entry as freely withdrawable Form 31 money. Distinguish contributions actually credited from wages for which the employer’s return/payment or account posting is still incomplete. “No frequency limit” for illness does not mean unlimited withdrawals irrespective of balance.
How to apply for a PF advance online
- Use the official channel. Open the EPFO member portal or EPFO services in the official UMANG application. Select the advance/partial-withdrawal facility available for your account. Menu labels and verification processes can change.
- Check the member record. Review name, date of birth, service history and bank account. Follow current Aadhaar, mobile-authentication, UAN-activation and bank-verification instructions in the official system.
- Select the actual purpose. Confirm the membership period, available balance and remaining permitted frequency. Never select a false purpose merely because another category displays a larger amount.
- Enter the amount and declaration. Supply the information or documents the official process requests. Check the declaration and eligible amount before submission.
- Authenticate personally. Never share a UAN password, OTP or bank credentials with an intermediary, employer representative or public website form.
- Retain the acknowledgement. Save the claim reference, track it through the official channel and respond to any clarification. No intermediary can guarantee sanction or a fixed-hour settlement.
Why a Form 31 claim may require correction
| Problem | What to review |
|---|---|
| Identity details do not match | Use the prescribed member-data correction process and retain its acknowledgement. |
| Bank verification is incomplete | Check the account details and verification status before repeating the claim. |
| Earlier employment is missing | Review member IDs, transfer/service history and employer-filed particulars; do not create another UAN to conceal the issue. |
| Amount or purpose is ineligible | Check protected balance, prior advances, membership and purpose-specific frequency. |
| Portal requests clarification | Read the actual reason and resolve it through the official route instead of repeatedly submitting unchanged information. |
What should the employer or HR team do?
Maintain accurate joining/leaving dates and member particulars, file/pay contributions correctly and help employees understand genuine record discrepancies. Employer payroll records should reconcile with employee-level contribution evidence. An employer’s assistance with information does not confer authority to approve an EPFO claim or require the employee to disclose their login credentials.
Frequently asked questions
Is Form 31 the same as final PF withdrawal?
No. Partial withdrawal and final settlement have different conditions. Do not apply this advance table to retirement, final settlement or EPS pension claims.
Is 75% of the remaining passbook balance always available?
No. Calculate the protected minimum and eligible member balance using the Scheme’s definitions. Prior withdrawals can make a fresh 75% multiplication incorrect.
Do illness advances still have no minimum service?
The ordinary illness provision in the 2026 Scheme uses 12 months’ total membership. Review the separate early-exit provision and other applicable circumstances rather than relying on a legacy medical-advance chart.
Can I use the older EPFO Form 31 eligibility chart?
The legacy EPFO advance chart is useful for historical comparison, not automatic application to a current claim. Read the operative Scheme and claim-date requirements first.
Where do I check claim status or correct my account?
Use the official EPFO/UMANG service shown for your account and the prescribed correction or grievance route. This article is guidance, not an EPFO login or claim-processing counter.
Official sources and review scope
This guide was checked against the notified Scheme, particularly paragraphs 46–47, the 4 August corrigendum and EPFO’s August 2026 explanation. For an actual claim, check subsequent notifications, your facts and the official account. For company-side contribution and payroll review, see employer EPF/ESIC compliance services.