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  7. EPF Form 31 - Partial PF Withdrawal Online & Offline

EPF Form 31 – Partial Withdrawal

Updated on: 06 Dec, 2024 12:12 PM

EPF From 31 needs to be filed if you need to withdraw some part of the amount from your EPF (Employee Provident Fund) account. Employees can only withdraw partial amounts from EPF accounts. However, there are some cases where you can withdraw the entire amount deposited in your EPF account. Let’s discuss how to withdraw using Form 31 and what are the cases in which you can withdraw the entire amount.

Contents

What is EPF Form 31 – Partial Withdrawal?

EPF Form 31 is used to file a claim for partial withdrawal of accumulated funds from the EPF (Employees Provident Fund) account. The EPF is a government-backed savings scheme designed to help salaried employees accumulate a substantial financial reserve to meet their post-retirement needs.

Under this scheme, employees contribute 12% of their basic salary each month, while employers provide an equivalent contribution. Together, these deposits, along with interest provided by the government, create a growing financial corpus for employees.

Employees also have the option to withdraw a portion of their EPF savings during their employment to address unforeseen financial needs or emergencies that may arise.

When can you withdraw EPF funds using Form 31?

Individuals can utilize EPF Form 31 to withdraw their EPF savings either partially or in full, but only under specific circumstances. Complete withdrawal of the EPF corpus is permitted only in the following cases:

  • Retirement from employment
  • Unemployment for more than 2 months, provided that the unemployment period is certified by a gazetted officer.

Except under these conditions, withdrawing the entire EPF amount is against Provident Fund rules.

For partial withdrawals, individuals must meet certain prescribed conditions and can only withdraw under specific scenarios.

The table below outlines the eligible scenarios and conditions for the partial withdrawal of EPF funds using Form 31.

Reasons for Withdrawl Withdrawal Limit Minimum Service Required Other Conditions
Education Up to 50% of EPF contribution 7 years For financing further studies or education of children post 10th standard.
Marriage Up to 50% of EPF contribution 7 years For the marriage of self, brother or sister, son or daughter.
Land Purchase/Construction
  • For land purchase: Up to 24 times monthly wages and dearness allowance.
  • For houses: Up to 36 times monthly wages and dearness allowance.
 5 years Property to be purchased under the individual’s name, spouse’s name, or jointly.
Home Renovation Up to 12 times monthly wages 5 years The home to be refurbished should be registered under the employee’s or spouse’s name, or jointly owned.
Home Loan Repayment Up to 90% of both employee and employer contributions 1 year Property must be registered under the individual’s, spouse’s, or jointly owned name. Required documents for loan repayment. Account corpus must be above Rs. 20,000.
Before Retirement Up to 90% of the accumulated fund with interest After 57 years To cover financial expenses.

How to Access and Submit EPF Form 31 Online

Form 31 can be accessed and submitted through the EPFO website. The step-by-step process is as follows:

  • Step 1: Log in to the EPFO portal for members using your UAN and password.
  • Step 2: Go to the ‘Online Services’ menu and select ‘Claim’ to initiate an online request.
  • Step 3: A new page will display your personal details, including name, date of birth, father’s name, PAN, Aadhaar, date of joining the firm, and registered mobile number. Verify that all information is accurate, then click ‘Proceed for Online Claim.’
  • Step 4: On the next page, choose the type of claim you wish to submit. From the drop-down menu, select ‘PF ADVANCE (FORM 31).’
  • Step 5: Specify the reason for the advance. Options such as illness, natural disasters, power outages, non-receipt of wages, or purchase of disability equipment will appear in the drop-down menu. Enter the required amount and provide your current address in the form.
  • Step 6: Read and sign the disclosure by checking the box. Then, click ‘Get Aadhaar OTP.’ You will receive an OTP on your registered mobile number linked with Aadhaar. Enter the OTP, click ‘Validate OTP and Submit Claim Form,’ and complete the process for the EPF advance application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q- When can my EPF Form 31 be rejected?

Your EPF Form 31 application can be rejected for any of the following reasons:

  • You have already filed a similar claim previously.
  • There is a mismatch between the details provided in the application and your previous records.
  • The signature on the form does not match the signature in your office records.
  • You have filed a claim selecting the wrong reason and did not provide the supporting documents.

Q- How much time does it take to process EPF withdrawal?

Generally, It takes 4 to 30 days to process your EPF withdrawal request after filing Form 31.

Q- Is PAN required to file EPF Form 31?

Your PAN number will be needed to file Form 31, as it ensures proper taxation on the EPF withdrawn amount.

Q- How often can I apply for EPF withdrawal using Form 31?

You can apply for EPF withdrawal once in 30 days using Form 31.

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CA Abhishek Soni
CA Abhishek Soni

Abhishek Soni is a Chartered Accountant by profession & entrepreneur by passion. He is the co-founder & CEO of Tax2Win.in. Tax2win is amongst the top 25 emerging startups of Asia and authorized ERI by the Income Tax Department. In the past, he worked in EY and comes with wide industry experience from telecom, retail to manufacturing to entertainment where he has handled various national and international assignments.