Overview of EPF Registration

EPF stands for Employee Provident Fund, a scheme governed and regulated by a body named Employee’s Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) constituted under Employee’s Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions, Act 1952.

EPFO is the largest social security organization with a large volume of financial transactions taking place. EPF is the benefits availed to the employee on their retirement in the form of Provident Fund.

Applicability of EPF Online Registration

EPF registration applies to the following establishments:

• Establishment employing 20 or more employees during any time in the previous year
• Factory engaged in any industry having 20 or more employees during any time of the year.
• Central Government, after giving two months’ notice to the certain establishment for compulsory registration irrespective of their employees. Such an establishment shall get themselves registered immediately upon the receipt of the notice.

Benefits of EPF Registration

• The employer contributes some proportion to the EPF fund along with the employee. The employer also adds his contribution that is inclusive of the employee pension scheme (EPS).
• Provident fund acts as financial support at the time of retirement, illness, demise, disability or any similar risk occurred to the employee.
• PF account of an employee needs not to be closed in case the employee switches his job as the same can be carried forwarded.
  PF funds can be used by the employee for long term plans.

EPF Registration UAN (Universal Account Number)

Once the establishment is registered in the EPFO portal, it updates the KYC documentation of its employees by generating an Universal Account Number (UAN). Every employee can use their UAN number to claim PF fund, transfer of PF fund online to the bank account, etc. The only necessary step that an employee has to follow is activate UAN through the following procedure:

• An employee can visit online for its UAN activation on the official website of EPFO https://unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in/memberinterface/
• Complete the details such as UAN, Member Id, Aadhar Number, PAN number, etc
• After that mention your details such as name, address, contact details and complete the form by filling captcha on the screen
• After completing these details, the employee will receive an OTP on his mobile number registered with UAN.
• Employee shall check the box “I Agree” and validate the OTP for activating UAN.

Procedure of Online EPF Registration

• Employer Registration

  Apply online on the official website of EPFO https://www.epfindia.gov.in/ by selecting the option of “Establishment Registration”. Complete the details of employers such as the name of the establishment, address of the establishments, details of owner/employer, PAN of the employer, etc.

• Verification through OTP

  Once the online form is completed & upon submitting the form online, the applicant will receive OTP Pin on his registered email id and mobile number, which shall be verified to activate establishment login.

• Establishment Login

  Once the employer registration is completed and verified, the applicant can log in with the credentials for completing the details of the Establishment. DSC Registration: After the registration of the establishment is completed, the applicant needs to register the DSC online by Selecting the "DSC/E-Sign" option from the drop-down menu. DSC is registered for authorized signatory on behalf of such establishment.

• Registration Certificate

  Once the registration is completed, the department allows the EPF registration certificate in form 5 containing the Unique Identification Number.

• Update KYC of every employee

  After the registration is completed and form 5 is allotted, the applicant shall update the KYC of every employee by uploading Aadhar, bank statement and other details for the generation of UAN number of its employee.

• Common Registration

  Entities willing to get themselves registered under EPF & ESI both, can now through common registration facility available under which entity can get the EPF Code number and ESI Code number by filling the single application.

Documents Required for EPF Registration

Following documents are required for filing employer registration & establishment registration under EPF:

• Name of the employer
• PAN Card of the employer
• Id proof such as driving license/passport/voter-id
• Address proof of registered office such as electricity bill/rent agreement (in case premise is rented)/registry(for owned premise)
• In case the establishment is society, trust, LLP or company, copy of Certificate of Incorporation is needed
• Partnership deed, id proof & address proof of every partner if the establishment is partnership firm
• MOA & AOA if the applicant is a private or public company
• Details of employees for allotment of UAN number:

  • Aadhar card

  • Pan card

  • Bank account details such as account number & IFSC Code

  • Contact number & email id

  • Date of birth as per Aadhar

  • Designation of employees

Contribution Rate - EPF

Rate of contribution varies depending upon the number of an employee employed in establishment:

Lately, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman officially announced depletion in statutory EPF contribution of private sector employers and employees from the previous compulsory 12% to 10% for the upcoming three months. Government’s goal is to give relief against pandemic, coronavirus. In case of government PSUs the contribution of employers will remain at 12% while PSU employees can pay 10%.

Reduction in the employee’s contribution from 12 % to 10% offers a plus point. It helps in increasing the take home pay or the cash-in-hand of the employee.