UAN

UAN stands for Universal Account Number. It is a 12-digit number from EPFO that stays with you across jobs and ties all your EPF accounts together. You activate it once to see your provident fund balance, download your passbook, and manage your account online.

Why one number across jobs matters

Each time you join a new employer a fresh EPF account is created, but it sits under the same UAN. So instead of a trail of disconnected accounts, your UAN gives you one identity that follows you for your whole career. When you change jobs you use it to transfer the old balance into the new account, rather than leaving money stranded or withdrawing it early.

What you can do once it is active

After a one-time activation on the EPFO member portal, your UAN lets you check your balance and passbook, update your KYC and bank details, raise a withdrawal or transfer claim, and track its status, all online. You can also check the balance by a missed call or SMS once registered. Keeping your mobile number and KYC updated against the UAN is what keeps these services working smoothly.

Getting started

Your employer usually generates the UAN when you first join, and you then activate it yourself. For the step-by-step, read how to activate your UAN and PF withdrawal rules. The UAN is the key to your retirement savings, so it is worth setting up early rather than scrambling when you change jobs.