Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) is a retirement scheme where an employee and his employer contribute a part of the salary during the service period and the member withdraws the lump-sum amount on retirement. An employee can also request for the final settlement of the EPF account once he leaves the job. He has to fill Form 19 to withdraw funds from the EPF account for final settlement.
Important Points to Remember while Filling Form 19
- The form can be filled only after two months of leaving the job or on retirement.
- The employee has to provide his mobile number for final settlement
- The form can be filled both online (at EPF Member Portal) as well as offline.
- PAN is also mandatory for claiming final settlement
- The employer’s signature and seal of the organization is mandatory for the offline settlement process
| EPF Form No. | Form – 19 |
| Purpose | Final settlement |
| Link | https://epfindia.gov.in/site_docs/PDFs/Downloads_PDFs/Form19.pdf |
| Eligibility | All existing employees who want to close their existing EPF account |
| Mandatory | Yes (for final settlement) |
| How to Fill the Form | Both online and offline |
| When is it Filled | At least 2 months after leaving the company |
Form 19 Sample Format
Form 19 has the following sections :
- Name of the Member
- Father’s Name or Husband’s Name (for married women)
- Date of Birth
- Name and Address of the Factory/Establishment
- P.F. Account No. and UAN
- Date of Joining the Establishment
- Date of leaving Service
- Reason for leaving Service
- Permanent Account Number (PAN)
- Full Postal address
- Mode of Payment
The member’s signature, as well as the employer’s signature, is required.
Advance stamp receipt has to be filled when you need the payment by cheque. Advance stamp means that you have to affix a revenue stamp of ₹ 1 to the form and sign across the stamp. If you choose the ECS option (electronic credit), you do not need an advance stamp.
The employee has to provide his mobile number at the beginning of the form.
How to Fill EPF Form 19 Online
Once you leave a job, you can either settle your PF account or transfer it to the new EPF account in the new organisation. In case you want to make a final settlement, you can fill Form 19 both online as well as offline. You have to follow the steps mentioned below to fill the form online:
- Login to your UAN account at the EPF Member Portal
- Click on “Claim (Form – 31, 19 & 10C)” in the “Online Services” section.
- Enter the last 4 digits of your linked bank account and click on “Verify”
- Click on “Yes” to sign the “Certificate of Undertaking”
- Select the option “Only PF Withdrawal (Form-19)” from the drop-down menu in the “I want to apply for” section
- A new section of the form expands where you have to mention your complete address. Tick the disclaimer and click on “Get Aadhaar OTP”.
- An OTP will be sent to the number registered with UIDAI (Aadhaar)
- Enter this OTP in the space provided and submit your application.
- A reference number will be generated after successful submission of your application
- The withdrawal amount is deposited in the bank account linked with your UAN in 15-20 days.
Pre-requisites for Filling Form 19 Online
- You should first activate your UAN at the EPF member portal
- Your bank account and PAN should be mandatorily linked with UAN
- Your mobile number should also be linked with UAN
- If you are not eligible for final settlement, Form 19 will not be displayed in your withdrawal form.
- However, if Form 19 is present in options, you will find Form 10C as well.
Composite Claim Form (For Offline EPF Withdrawal ONLY)
Composite Claim Form is a combination of Form 19, Form 10C and Form 31. Form 19 is filled for PF final settlement, Form 10C is filled for pension withdrawal and Form 31 is filled for partial EPF withdrawal. However, only the Composite Claim Form has to be filled for withdrawing funds offline.
Also Read: EPF Withdrawal: How to Fill PF Withdrawal Form and Get Claim Online
FAQs related to Form 19
1) What reasons are considered valid for leaving the service?
A. Following reasons are considered valid if the employee makes a claim for final settlement. These reasons have to be given for offline withdrawals. For online withdrawals, these reasons/points are not present in the form :
- Ill health of the member
- Contraction/Discontinuation of employer’s business
- Other causes beyond the control of the member
- Personal Reasons
2) Do I have to submit Form 15G/ Form 15H if I have claimed Final Settlement online?
A. If you want to save tax on EPF withdrawal (in case the withdrawal amount is more than ₹ 50,000 and service period is less than 5 years), you have to submit Form 15G. Attach 2 copies of the form at the time of submitting the form offline.
3) Will my employment with all employees be counted at the time of PF withdrawal?
A. Total service in the present, as well as previous employment, is considered at the time of EPF withdrawal.
4) Is the revenue stamp required for online application?
A. No, you do not have to submit revenue stamp for online applications. However for offline applications you have to affix a revenue stamp of ₹ 1 and cross-sign it at the time of submitting the application in case you want the payment through cheque.
5) Can I claim the EPF settlement amount through cheque?
A. Yes, you can claim EPF settlement amount through cheque. You have to mention the following details in the form itself :
- EPF withdrawal amount
- ₹ 1 Revenue stamp
- Signature of the applicant
6) What happens to the EPS amount if the EPF complete withdrawal is made using Form 19 but the EPS amount is not withdrawn using Form 10C?
- If you have cumulative service tenure of fewer than 10 years than the funds remains as it is to your PF account. You can claim for the EPS amount at any time using form 10C. The claim can be made both offline or online through the UAN Member e-Sewa Portal.
- In case your cumulative service tenure is more than 10 years, then you can not claim for EPS withdrawal. However, you will be eligible to receive EPS pension once you attain the age of 58 years.