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UAN — Universal Account Number for EPF

The Universal Account Number is the permanent identifier that links every provident fund account you hold across every employer, for your whole working life.

Issued by Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).

Last updated

Official source last verified 9 August 2026

At a glance

Format
12-digit number
Issued by
EPFO
Lasts
Your entire working life, across all employers
Activate at
The EPFO Unified Member Portal
Cost
Free
EPFO Unified Member PortalThe official portal for this document.https://unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in/memberinterface/(opens the official website in a new tab)

What a UAN actually is

Every employer who enrols you in EPF creates a member ID under their own establishment code. Without something tying those together, each job would leave behind a separate, orphaned provident fund account.

The UAN is that tie. It is a single 12-digit number that stays with you for your entire working life, and every member ID from every employer sits underneath it. That is what makes a single consolidated passbook, and automatic transfer on changing jobs, possible at all.

The practical implication is that you should have exactly one UAN, ever. Having more than one is the most common cause of PF money going untracked.

How to activate your UAN

  1. Get your UAN from your employer, your salary slip, or the Know Your UAN option on the member portal.
  2. Go to unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in and choose Activate UAN.
  3. Enter your UAN, along with your name, date of birth and mobile number exactly as recorded with EPFO.
  4. Request an authorisation PIN, which is sent to your mobile number.
  5. Enter the PIN to activate. A password is generated and sent to you.
  6. Log in and change the password immediately.

If you have forgotten your UAN

  1. Go to the member portal and choose Know Your UAN.
  2. Enter your registered mobile number and complete the captcha.
  3. Verify with the OTP sent to that number.
  4. Enter your name, date of birth and either Aadhaar, PAN or your member ID.
  5. The UAN is displayed and also sent by SMS.
  6. If the details do not match, ask your employer — the UAN appears on most salary slips and in the employer’s EPFO records.

If you have ended up with two UANs

This happens when a new employer creates a fresh UAN instead of using your existing one, usually because the earlier UAN was not provided at joining or the details did not match.

  1. Tell your current employer immediately and give them the older UAN.
  2. Raise a grievance on the EPFiGMS portal stating both UAN numbers and asking for them to be merged.
  3. EPFO deactivates the newer UAN and transfers the balance to the older one after verification.
  4. Check the passbook afterwards to confirm the balances have consolidated.

Frequently asked questions

What is a UAN and why does it matter?
The Universal Account Number is a permanent 12-digit identifier that links every provident fund account you hold across every employer. It is what allows a single consolidated passbook, online claims and automatic transfer when you change jobs. Without it, each job would leave a separate untracked PF account.
How do I find my UAN?
Check your salary slip, ask your employer, or use the Know Your UAN option on the EPFO member portal with your registered mobile number and either Aadhaar, PAN or your member ID.
Can I have more than one UAN?
You should not. If a new employer has created a second one, report it to your employer and raise a grievance on EPFiGMS asking for the two to be merged. EPFO will deactivate the newer UAN and move the balance to the older one.
Do I need to link Aadhaar with my UAN?
Yes. Aadhaar linking and approved KYC are required for online claims, transfers and OTP-based verification. Unlinked or unapproved KYC is the most common reason a claim cannot be filed online.
Does my UAN change when I change jobs?
No — that is the entire point of it. Give the same UAN to your new employer at joining, and your new member ID is added underneath it. A UAN that changes with each job would defeat its purpose.

Official sources

Every figure on this page is traceable to the official source below. If a source has changed since the date shown, please tell us and we will correct it.