The Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) scheme rules allow you to withdraw from your EPF account for various reasons. You can withdraw money from your EPF account upon retirement after attainting the age of 55 years. You can also withdraw money from your EPF account for various purposes before retirement. These include purchasing/constructing a house, child's wedding and education, and funding financial emergencies caused due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown. You are also allowed to file a claim due to job loss or after you leave your job.
Before filing an EPF claim, you should make sure that the prescribed conditions under the scheme are met.
Puneet Gupta, Director, People Advisory Services, EY India lists out the basic conditions that must be satisfied by an EPF member before filing for applicable advance or withdrawal from the EPF account:
| Reason for partial withdrawal/ advance | When | Purpose | Maximum amount that can be withdrawn |
| Education | After 7 years of EPF membership | Education of son or daughter after class 10 | 50% of employee’s share of contribution with interest only |
| Marriage | After 7 years of EPF membership | Marriage of self, son/daughter, brother/sister | 50% of employee’s share of contribution with interest only |
| Purchase of land for construction of house | After 5 years of EPF membership | Land should in the name of individual and / or spouse | Least of the following: (a) 24 months’ basic wages and dearness allowance of member; or (b) Member’s share of contribution along with employer’s contribution and interest; or (c) Actual cost towards acquisition of the site |
| Purchase of house / Construction of house | After 5 years of EPF membership | House should in the name of individual and / or spouse | Least of the following: (a) 36 months’ basic wages and dearness allowance of member; or (b) Member’s share of contribution along with employer’s contribution and interest or; (c) Total cost of construction |
| Renovation of house | After 5 years from the date of completion of the of the house | House should in the name of individual and / or spouse | Least of the following: (a) 12 months’ basic wages and dearness allowance of member; or (b) Member’s share of contribution along with interest |
| Medical emergency (For e.g. cancer, TB etc.) | - | For specified medical treatment of self and family member | Least of the following: (a) 6 months’ basic wages and dearness allowance of member; or (b) Member’s share of contribution with interest |
| Non-receipt of wages | - | Employee has not received wages for more than 2 months continuously (for reasons other than strike) | Employee share with interest |
| Job loss | - | Un-employed for a continuous period of not less than a month | Up to 75% of the EPF balance i.e. member’s share, employer’s share and interest |
Other than the above mentioned reasons, an individual can also claim applicable advance or withdrawal from the EPF account under the following circumstances:
