June 17, 2026
7 mins read
EPF Form 31 allows employees to withdraw a portion of their provident fund savings before retirement. The account does not close after the withdrawal. Instead, only part of the balance is released. Employees usually use EPF Form 31 for needs such as medical treatment, education expenses, housing costs, or marriage-related spending.
Most salaried employees know about the Employees’ Provident Fund. Every month, a portion of the salary goes into this account. The employer adds a contribution as well. Over time, the balance slowly builds into retirement savings.
But life rarely goes as planned. There are moments when money is needed earlier. A hospital bill. Education expenses. A housing payment that cannot wait.
So what happens if your savings are inside the EPF account?
In such situations, the EPFO allows partial withdrawal from the provident fund balance. Employees can request this withdrawal by submitting EPF Form 31.
The form simply allows access to a part of the savings. The EPF account itself continues to remain active.
EPF Form 31 is used when an employee wants to withdraw part of their provident fund balance. It is commonly called a PF advance because the account remains active after the withdrawal.
In simple terms, it allows access to your own savings earlier.
The withdrawal made through EPF Form 31 does not close the EPF account. Contributions can continue in the future. The remaining balance stays invested in the provident fund.
Employees generally submit EPF Form 31 when they face specific financial needs. Medical treatment, housing expenses, education costs, or marriage spending are some situations where partial withdrawal may be allowed.
How much can be withdrawn depends on the service period, EPF balance, and the reason mentioned in EPF Form 31.
EPF form 31 can be used for partial withdrawals from your Employees' Provident Fund account. However, this facility is only available for specific circumstances that include
Expenses for education
Medical expenses
Expenditure on marriage
Purchase of land or construction/ purchase of house
Repayment of home loan
Premature withdrawal upon the completion of 55 years of age and/ or 10 years of service
Withdrawal of EPF balance following resignation or termination from service
Complete withdrawal of EPF balance on retirement
Now that we have discussed what is EPF form 31 and when it is applicable, let us delve into the process to download the form. You can access EPF form 31 from the official website of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). In order to download EPF form 31, you must follow the steps mentioned below.
Visit the official website of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation.
Log in using your EPF account's Universal Account Number (UAN).
Select online services followed by claim.
Check and verify the personal particulars that appear on the ensuing page.
Click on proceed.
Choose PF advance claim from the list of claims displayed on the following screen.
Mention the reason for claiming premature withdrawal from EPF.
Submit the withdrawal amount.
Enter your current correspondence address.
Review the form details and click on submit.
E sign the form using Aadhaar based One Time Password.
Submit the EPF form 31 application.
Additional Read: How to Check PF Status Online
You can also fill and submit EPF form 31 offline. In order to do so, you can follow the steps mentioned below.
Visit the EPFO's website and download form 31.
Print the downloaded form and fill the required details.
Request your employer to provide you with a certificate confirming your employment with them. Furthermore , the employer must fill in the following details in form 31.
Your designation
Date of submitting the form
Signature of the employer
Submit the signed EPF form 31 to the applicable regional office of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation.
If you wish to submit EPF form 31 online, you can follow the below mentioned process.
Visit the official website of the EPFO.
Log in using your EPF account's Universal Account Number and password.
Select online services followed by form 31, 19, 10D, and 10C.
Verify the auto filled form that appears on the following screen by using the last four digits of your bank account number.
Peruse the terms and conditions that appear on the next screen and click on I agree.
Click on proceed with online claim.
Select PF advance from the subsequent drop-down menu. Mention the required details such as amount of PF withdrawal, reason for withdrawal, etc.
Submit the EPF form 31.
Additional Read: EPF or PF Withdrawal Rules
Education expenses are one situation where EPF Form 31 may be used. Employees sometimes withdraw part of their EPF savings to support higher education for themselves or their children.
Medical treatment is another common reason. If an unexpected health issue arises, EPF Form 31 allows employees to access funds for hospital bills or treatment costs.
Housing needs may also qualify. Employees may use EPF Form 31 when planning to purchase land, construct a house, renovate property, or repay a housing loan.
Marriage expenses can also be covered under EPF rules. In such cases, EPF Form 31 allows members to withdraw part of their savings for marriage costs of themselves, their children, or siblings.
EPF form 31 must include important information pertaining to the EPF member submitting the form, including
Name and mobile number of the applicant
Full postal address of the applicant
Valid proof of identity and address
EPF account number
Amount to be withdrawn
Reason for partial withdrawal and a self declaration for the same
Amount of monthly salary
Preferred method of payment
A cancelled bank cheque for the payout
Name and address of the bank in which the payout is requested
IFSC code pertaining to the applicant's bank account
While submitting EPF form 31, you must keep the following documents handy.
Attested copy of your PAN card and Aadhaar card
A copy of your EPF passbook
Attested copy of your appointment letter with your employer
Attested copy of your latest pay slips
A cancelled bank cheque
Other documents as may be required for reason-specific withdrawals, for instance, an attested copy of medical certificate is required for partial withdrawals for medical reasons.
Additional Read: How to Withdraw PF Online
Tax rules may apply when EPF Form 31 is used before completing five years of continuous service. In such cases, the withdrawal amount may be subject to tax deduction at source. But the rule changes after five years.
If the employee has completed five years of service, the withdrawal may not attract tax deduction at source. The exact treatment depends on how long the service lasts and what kind of withdrawal it is.
Also, before sending in EPF Form 31, employees should make sure that their PAN information is up to date. The tax deduction rate might be higher if PAN information is missing.
Knowing these rules in advance can help avoid unpleasant surprises during EPF withdrawal.
Additional Read:- How To Withdraw PF Amount Online
You can easily check the status of your EPF premature withdrawal claim submitted through form 31. Here are the steps you must follow.
Visit the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation’s website and click on claim status.
Select your PF office from the subsequent drop down menu.
Type your organisation’s establishment code.
Enter your PF account number and click on submit to check the status of your claim.
The latest status of your EPF withdrawal request shall be displayed.
Before submitting EPF Form 31, employees should check all details carefully. Personal information, EPF account number, bank details, and withdrawal reason must be correct. Even a small mistake can delay the process.
The reason mentioned in EPF Form 31 should match the withdrawal categories allowed under EPF rules. Requests outside these categories may not be approved.
Employees should also ensure that Aadhaar, PAN, and bank account details are linked with the EPF account. This helps the EPF Form 31 claim move smoothly through verification.
It also helps to remember one simple thing. EPF savings are mainly meant for retirement. EPF Form 31 should therefore be used only when the withdrawal is truly necessary.
Additional Read:- EPF or PF Withdrawal Rules
Completion of one year of service
House registered in self or spouse's name or jointly registered under both
Combined balance in the employee's bank account and their spouse's account must be ₹20,000 or higher.
No, you cannot claim EPF without logging in to the EPFO portal.
Yes, PAN is required to be submitted for EPF withdrawal, particularly to establish the taxability of the amount being withdrawn.
Form 31 is for partial withdrawals from EPF account pre retirement while form 19 is for final settlement after retirement or resignation/ termination.
The permissible number of PF withdrawals is contingent upon the purpose of the withdrawal and the rules set by EPFO for that.
The maximum withdrawal amount using PF form 31 is subject to the balance in your PF account and the rules for the specific category of withdrawal (for instance home purchase)
Incomplete information
Ineligibility for withdrawal of a specific nature (for instance, education)
Inaccurate information
Lack of necessary documents
It may take several weeks for EPF form 31 to be processed and you can track the application status on the EPFO's website.
Claims made for meeting medical expenses are generally processed quickly but there is no actual timeline. You can check the claim status on the EPFO's website.
No, you cannot withdraw your pension contribution through EPF form 31. This form is applicable only for withdrawal from the EPF balance in your account.
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