There are 4 different easy ways to check your Provident Fund balance online and offline. These methods are hassle-free and save time, money and effort spent visiting his nearest EPFO office or checking with his employer.
Check PF Balance through SMS
You can check PF balance by simply sending an SMS to EPFO’s special mobile number: 7738299899. The SMS you send should read like this <EPFOHO UAN ENG>. All letters need to be uppercase, if you want to check PF balance in English.
Subsequently, I will explain the format of this message further.
- The first six letters, EPFOHO remain the same for everyone.
- After single space, fill in your Universal Account Number or UAN.
- You have to key in the language in which you want to check PF balance by SMS after single space following the UAN number.
- Use ENG if you want to inquire in English. For Hindi, use HIN, Marathi- MAR and so on.
- It is now possible check PF balance in English, Hindi, Kannada, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Bangla. EPF have added more languages.
You will receive an SMS message from EPFO indicating your latest PF balance.
To use this facility, there are some basic requirements.
- The PF account has to be linked with your Aadhaar card.
- Mobile number should be the same which you have given at the time of Aadhaar registration or updated later.
- Your mobile number should be recorded with EPFO and linked to your Provident Fund account.
- The facility to check PF balance by SMS cannot be used from any mobile number, even if you have the UAN. Hence, ensure you use the same number that is registered with EPFO.
- Repeated attempts to check PF balance by SMS using another mobile number will fail automatically.
- After several failed attempts, EPFO can temporarily block your SMS facility to check PF balance as a fraud prevention measure.
Remember, it can take several minutes or even a couple of hour for a response from EPFO indicating your PF balance. This depends upon traffic to the EPFO mobile number and PF balance check system. Sending repeated messages will only delay the response.
Check PF Balance through Missed Call
You can also check PF balance by giving a missed call to 011-22901406. Before utilizing the missed call facility to check PF balance, here are basic guidelines.
- The missed call should be made from the same mobile phone number that is recorded in your Provident Fund account by EPFO.
- Your Provident Fund account should be fully compliant with existing Know Your Customer regulations, meaning linked with your Aadhar card and PAN.
- The mobile number used to place the missed call should be same one registered with Unique Identification Development Authority of India (UIDAI) at the time of applying for Aadhar or updated and verified later.
- Missed call to 011-22901406 cannot be made from a landline telephone or any other mobile phone number.
- Never place repeated missed calls to this number: it can cause the facility to check PF balance being temporarily blocked as fraud prevention measure.
The call to 011-22901406 gets automatically disconnected. You will receive a SMS message after some time. At times, this SMS can take a few minutes or even a couple of hours to arrive on your mobile phone. This too depends upon traffic to EPFO’s balance enquiry systems.
Download UMANG App to Check PF Balance
UMANG means Unified Mobile Application for New Age Governance. It is a smartphone app that can be downloaded free.
This app is provided by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). It is reliable and safe to use.
- Download UMANG app on your smartphone.
- Activate the app after providing necessary details.
- Go to the EPFO link provided on the app.
- Click on ‘Employee Centric Services’.
- You will find two options: “View Passbook” and “Raise Claim.”
- Opt for “View Passbook”.
- The app will ask for your UAN number
- Upon filling the UAN number, you will receive a One Time Password (OTP) through SMS on your mobile.
- Key in this OTP and view your e-passbook to check PF balance.
While using UMANG app too, you need to follow the same procedures. This means, your mobile number should be linked to the Provident Fund account.
It has to be the same number that reflects on your Aadhaar card and PAN details. This is vital to receive the OTP since EPFO system will send the SMS only on your registered mobile number.
Check PF Balance at EPFO Portal
If you do not have Aadhaar card, PAN or mobile number, it is still possible to check PF balance online. Access the EPFO portal from any computer.
- Visit the EPFO portal and click on ‘e-Passbook’ link that appears on right side of the page.
- Upon clicking this link, you have to submit your UAN.
- Next steps is to complete the Captcha code and submit.
The EPFO portal has the following instructions if you want to check PF balance.
- This facility is to view the e-passbook, PF subscribers have to be registered on the EPFO Unified Member Portal.
- E-Passbook will be available after six hours of registration at Unified Member Portal.
- Changes in the credentials at Unified Member Portal will be effective at this Portal after six hours.
- Passbook will have the entries which have been reuniting at the EPFO field offices.
- Passbook facility will not be available for exempted establishment members, settled members and inoperative members.