- Universal Account Number (UAN) is a unique 12-digit ID for EPF members throughout their career
- UAN is required for PF balance checks, transfers, KYC updates, and withdrawal claims
- UAN can be retrieved on EPFO portal using registered mobile, PAN, Aadhaar, or PF member ID
The Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) is one of India's most popular long-term retirement savings schemes for salaried employees. While most salaried individuals rarely need their Universal Account Number (UAN) in day-to-day life, it becomes essential when checking PF balance, transferring accounts, updating KYC details or filing withdrawal claims.
If you've forgotten your UAN, the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) allows you to retrieve it through its official member portal or the government's UMANG mobile application using details such as Aadhaar, PAN or your PF member ID.
What Is A UAN Number?
The Universal Account Number (UAN) is a unique 12-digit number allotted by the EPFO to every salaried employee. The UAN remains the same throughout an employee's career, even if they change jobs.
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While each employer creates a new PF account, all such accounts are linked under the same UAN, making it easier to manage provident fund savings.
How to retrieve your UAN through the EPFO portal
If your mobile number is registered with your EPF account, you can recover your UAN in a few simple steps:
Step 1: Visit the EPFO Member Portal and click on “Know Your UAN”.
Step 2: Enter your registered mobile number and the captcha code.
Step 3: Verify your identity using the OTP sent to your mobile.
Step 4: Provide any one of the following details linked to your EPF account: PAN, Aadhaar, or EPF member ID.
Step 5: Once the details are verified, your UAN will be displayed on the screen and sent to your registered mobile number via SMS.
How to retrieve your UAN using an old PF number on the UMANG app
If you only remember your old PF number, you can also recover the UAN through the UMANG app:
Step 1: Open the UMANG app and search for EPFO.
Step 2: Select Employee Centric Services and tap “Know Your UAN”
Step 3: Enter your registered mobile number and captcha, then verify using the OTP.
Step 4: On the identification screen, choose Member ID.
Step 5: Enter your old PF number (Member ID), your name exactly as per EPFO records, and your date of birth.
Step 6: Click Show My UAN.
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Step 7: Your UAN will be displayed on the screen and sent to your registered mobile number via SMS.
Note: It is important to keep your registered mobile number updated with EPFO is essential, as OTP-based verification is required to retrieve the UAN through both the EPFO portal and the UMANG application.
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