Glossary · HR, Payroll & Labour Law
UAN
Universal Account Number — a 12-digit unique identifier issued by the EPFO to every member of the Employees' Provident Fund.
UAN is generated by the EPFO and remains the same throughout the employee's career, regardless of job changes. The UAN links all PF accounts (old and new) of a member and is essential for online services like EPFO passbook, claim submission, and KYC updates. UAN must be activated by the employee (linked with Aadhaar and bank account) and the employer. Without UAN activation, an employee cannot transfer PF from a previous employer or withdraw online.
Examples
A 28-year-old joining a new IT company after 4 years with a previous employer uses the same UAN to transfer ₹2.5 lakh PF balance from the old account to the new one online.