To transfer EPF after changing jobs, use EPFO's online Form 13 process through the Member Portal and check that the balance and service record reach the new account. Annexure K is the transfer certificate that helps verify this movement. EPFO announced direct access to this document in the portal in September 2025, so members can retain their own copy after the transfer is processed.
| Question | Official position |
|---|---|
| Which form handles a PF transfer? | Online Form 13 |
| What records the completed transfer? | Annexure K, the transfer certificate |
| Is employer approval always necessary? | It has been removed in most cases |
| Does the destination office approve again? | The April 2025 reform removed that approval stage |
| Is there an EPFO transfer service fee? | No, official transfer services are free |
EPF transfer online: what Form 13 actually does
A transfer moves provident fund accumulations from the previous employment account to the present employment account. It is different from asking EPFO to pay a withdrawal into a bank account. The destination matters: for a transfer, you are checking the receiving PF account and the associated service record, rather than looking for a payment in your bank statement.
The government's social security backgrounder describes the Universal Account Number, or UAN, as a permanent number linking provident fund accounts across establishments. A job change therefore needs to be understood as a movement between employment records linked to the member. Having a UAN and having a completed transfer are separate things to verify.
Start with the official EPFO Member Portal. The Labour Ministry's transfer announcement identifies this portal as the route for online Form 13. Before submitting a request, compare the previous and present employment details shown against your own records. A transfer aimed at the wrong account will not answer the question you are trying to resolve.
Retain the acknowledgement and any claim reference displayed after submission. These provide a practical way to identify the particular transfer when checking its progress. Treat submission as the beginning of processing. The evidence of completion is the movement of the balance together with the relevant service record, supported by the transfer certificate.
Does an EPF transfer need employer approval?
Older instructions that describe employer attestation as a universal step need care. The Labour Ministry said in January 2025 that the requirement to route online transfer claims through the previous or current employer had been removed in most cases. Its 25 April 2025 explanation of revamped Form 13 also records that simplification.
Most cases does not mean every case. Follow the requirements displayed for your own claim rather than assuming that any request involving an employer is necessarily an error. Equally, an old checklist that tells every member to obtain employer approval does not describe the simplified process accurately. The official announcement distinguishes the general reform from cases that still require intervention.
The April change addressed a separate approval stage. Previously, the PF office sending the funds and the office receiving them were both involved. Under revamped Form 13, once the source office approves the transfer, the previous account transfers automatically to the present account at the destination office without another destination approval.
That change should not be read as a promise that every newly submitted claim finishes immediately. The announcement describes what happens after source approval. It does not establish a universal deadline from the moment a member submits a request. When following up, identify the stage at which the claim is pending rather than treating all pending transfers as the same problem.
How Annexure K helps check an EPF transfer
In its 18 September 2025 announcement, the Labour Ministry explained that the previous PF office generates Annexure K after a transfer and sends it to the new PF office. The reform allows members to download the certificate in PDF form directly from the Member Portal. Earlier, it was shared between offices and supplied to members on request.
Use that certificate to check the two outcomes the ministry specifically highlights: whether the PF balance is correctly updated and whether the service period is correctly recorded in the new account. Keep a digital copy. The ministry identifies its value as a permanent record, including for future Employees' Pension Scheme benefit calculations.
If the balance appears correct but the service record raises a question, describe both parts separately in any follow-up. A screenshot showing money alone does not answer a question about service. Likewise, a claim status message and the transfer certificate serve different purposes: one tracks processing, while the other records the transfer.
Where to raise an EPF transfer problem
The Labour Ministry's June 2025 member advisory confirms that EPFO handles grievances through EPFiGMS and CPGRAMS. It also states that official transfers, claim filing, KYC updates and grievance services are free. A paid intermediary cannot turn a pending transfer into a guaranteed settlement.
For related checks, read our guides to EPF profile corrections, passbook entries and missing contributions, and EPFO advance claim eligibility. Each concerns a different part of the member record or claim process; identify which part needs attention before making another request.
