Let's say you are transferring employment and your new HR department requests your UAN. You scan your inbox and open your old payslip folder, but you find nothing. Nearly all salaried individuals experience it at some point. The good news is that it's not difficult to figure out how to find UAN number. Even if you have lost every document, the Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) has developed a number of online and offline channels that allow you to retrieve UAN number details in a matter of minutes.
In this blog we will walk through every practical method to know your UAN number online, we will understand what to do if your mobile number has changed, and we will clear up common confusion around activation, linking, and duplicate accounts.
What is a UAN number?
The acronym for Universal Account Number is UAN. Every employee who makes contributions to the Employee Provident Fund is given a unique 12-digit number by the EPFO. Within the provident fund system, it can be thought of as your permanent identity. It is used by banks, employers, and the EPFO to identify you.
The most crucial thing to keep in mind is that you will have your EPFO UAN number throughout the duration of your employment. Your UAN remains the same even if you change firms five times in ten years. With each new employer, only the PF member ID under it is altered.
Why should you know your UAN number?
The UAN is the key to almost every EPF-related service. You need it to:
Log in to the EPFO member portal and view your EPF passbook
Complete the UAN KYC verification and update personal details.
Raise claims for withdrawal, advance, or pension
Use the PF account transfer facility when you change jobs
Do a PF balance check through the portal, app, SMS, or missed call
Share it with your new employer so contributions reach the right account.
UAN and PF account Number Difference
Many people use these two terms as if they mean the same thing. They are so not. Understanding the UAN and PF account number difference will also help you when you use the UAN number by PF account number method later in this blog.
Point of Comparison | UAN (Universal Account Number) | PF Account Number / Member ID |
Full form | Universal Account Number | Provident Fund account number, also called EPF Member ID |
Number of digits | 12 digits | Alphanumeric, including region, office, and establishment codes |
Issued by | EPFO, through your employer | EPFO regional or sub-regional office, per establishment |
Changes when you switch jobs? | No, it stays the same. | Yes, a new one is created for each employer. |
Can you hold more than one? | You should hold only one. | You can have several under one UAN. |
Main use | Login, KYC, claims, transfers | Identifies your account with one particular employer |
What to keep ready before you start
Before you try any online method, keep these details with you
Your full name exactly as per EPFO records
Date of birth
Aadhar Number, PAN Number
Your EPFO registered mobile number with network access.
How to Find UAN Number Online Through the EPFO Portal.
The best and quickest route is to know your UAN EPFO facilities on the EPFO unified Member Portal, also called the UAN Member Portal. Here is how to know the UAN number through the EPFO portal.
Open the official EPFO Unified Member portal in your browser
Under the Important Links section, click on Know Your UAN.
Enter your mobile number and the captcha shown on the screen.
Click on the request OTP; you will receive a UAN OTP verification code on your mobile.
Enter the OTP and submit.
Next, enter your name and date of birth, then choose the ID you want to use: Aadhaar, PAN, or member ID.
Enter the name for the selected ID and the captcha, then click Show My UAN.
How to Find UAN Number without Registered Mobile Number
This is the question that worries people a lot, that if you do not have access to your old number, the standard online route will not work, because the OTP cannot reach you. In this case, you can try the following:
Check documents first: Your UAN number on the salary slip, offer letter, appointment letter, or form 16 may already carry it.
Look at old messages and emails: your employer or EPFO may have sent a UAN welcome message.
Contact HR or the accounts team: you can raise a request describing your problem to the HR of your company.
Visit the nearest EPFO office: Carry your Aadhaar, PAN, and any employment proof, and ask for help in retrieving the UAN and updating your mobile number.
Forgot the UAN number? How to retrieve it
If you forgot your UAN number, don't panic; here is the simple order of attempts to recover your forgotten UAN number online.
Look at your latest salary slip, offer letter, or Form 16.
Try to know the UAN option with your registered mobile number and Aadhaar.
If that fails, try again with PAN or member ID.
Check your phone for old UAN SMS alerts.
Ask HR or your UAN SMS alerts
Ask HR or your payroll team.
As a last resort, contact the EPFO helpdesk or grievance portal.
UAN number login: first steps after you find it
Once you have found the number, the next step is UAN number login.
Open the UAN Member Portal
Enter your UAN, password, and CAPTCHA
Complete any additional verification
After logging in, you can view your EPF passbook, download your profile, update UAN KYC verification details, and use various EPFO online services. If you forget your passport, use the forget password option.
Quick Comparison of Methods
Method | What You Need | Works Without Registered Mobile? | Best For |
Know Your UAN (Aadhaar) | Name, DOB, Aadhaar, mobile | No | Most people |
Know Your UAN (PAN) | Name, DOB, PAN, mobile | No | When the Aadhaar search fails |
Know Your UAN (Member ID) | Name, DOB, PF number, mobile | No | Old PF number available |
Salary slip | Any past payslip | Yes. | Quick offline check |
HR or employer | Employee ID | Yes. | Lost mobile access |
SMS service | Activated UAN, registered mobile | No | Balance and status |
Missed call service | Activated UAN, registered mobile | No | Basic phones |
EPFO office or grievance portal | ID proof, employment details | Yes. | Complex cases |
Common Problems and Simple Fixes
No record found: Try a different ID type such as PAN or member ID, and check that your name and date of birth match EPFO records.
OTP not received: Confirm that you are using the retired number, and check network courage and do not disturb settings
Details mismatch: Ask your employer to correct your name or date of birth in the EPFO records.
UAN not activated: complete the activation steps above before using the SMS or missed call services.
Two UANs exist: Use the merge process described earlier.
FAQs
What is a UAN number?
UAN (Universal Account Number) is a unique 12-digit number that EPFO (Employees' Provident Fund Organisation) provides to employees.
How can I find my UAN number online?
If you have lost your UAN number or do not remember it, you can find it online through the official EPFO website.
How can I check my UAN number through PAN?
You can check your 12-digit UAN number online with the help of your PAN card if your PAN is linked to EPFO records and the details match.
How can I find my UAN number on my salary slip?
UAN (Universal Account Number) is usually found in the Employee Details or PF Details section of the salary slip.