NPS partial withdrawal lets an eligible subscriber take out part of their own contributions without closing the pension account. The live NPS Trust guide says a subscriber must have completed at least three years in NPS. Before age 60 or superannuation, it permits up to four partial withdrawals from each Individual Pension Account, with a minimum four-year gap between successive withdrawals in that account.
Each withdrawal can be up to 25% of the subscriber's own contributions in the specific account. The current page is marked updated on 6 November 2026 and was checked on 9 November 2026. These are the rules displayed there; older guidance describing a different number of withdrawals should not be used without checking the current official position.
| Question | Current NPS Trust guidance |
|---|---|
| Initial eligibility | At least three years as an NPS subscriber |
| Amount per instance | Up to 25% of own contributions in the account |
| Before age 60 or superannuation | Maximum four partial withdrawals per account |
| Gap before age 60 or superannuation | At least four years between successive withdrawals |
| Continuing beyond age 60 or retirement | At least three years between successive partial withdrawals in the account |
How much can you withdraw from NPS?
The official NPS Trust partial withdrawal page bases the limit on your own contributions in the particular account. That wording matters. The total account value and the amount you personally contributed are different figures, so applying 25% to the full balance can produce the wrong estimate.
For a simple illustration, assume your own contributions in an account total Rs 4 lakh. The stated percentage calculation is Rs 4,00,000 multiplied by 25 divided by 100, which equals Rs 1,00,000. This is a worked illustration of the percentage ceiling, not a statement that every account showing a Rs 4 lakh balance can withdraw that amount.
The actual request must also meet the permitted purpose, membership and frequency conditions. An account statement should therefore be read for contribution information before estimating the ceiling. A large pension balance does not remove the need to establish why a partial withdrawal is being requested.
What are the permitted reasons for NPS partial withdrawal?
The Trust lists higher education and marriage of the subscriber's children, including legally adopted children. Its current guide also allows medical treatment or hospitalisation of the subscriber, spouse, children including legally adopted children, or parents. Medical and incidental costs arising from the subscriber's disability or incapacitation are another listed circumstance.
House purchase or construction has a more specific condition. The guide allows a one-time withdrawal for a residential house or flat in the subscriber's own name or jointly with a legally wedded spouse. If the subscriber already owns a residential house or flat, other than ancestral property, a withdrawal for this purpose is not permitted.
The FAQs on the same page address joint ownership as well. They say a subscriber who already owns a house jointly with a spouse cannot use a partial withdrawal to buy or construct another house. Someone checking eligibility should therefore consider an existing jointly owned home, rather than looking only for property held entirely in their own name.
The current page also lists settlement of a financial obligation taken from a regulated financial institution against a lien or charge marked on the pension account. This should not be interpreted as permission to withdraw for any ordinary borrowing. The wording ties this circumstance to the specified lien or charge arrangement.
How often can you make an NPS partial withdrawal?
Before age 60 or superannuation, the page specifies a maximum of four withdrawals from each Individual Pension Account. It separately requires a minimum interval of four years between successive withdrawals within each account. The initial three-year membership condition and the interval between later withdrawals answer different questions.
A subscriber should therefore check both the NPS joining date and the date of the previous partial withdrawal. Completing the initial membership period does not establish that a later request satisfies the separate gap rule. Keep the earlier withdrawal record available when asking the Point of Presence or nodal office to review eligibility.
For subscribers remaining in NPS beyond age 60 or beyond superannuation or retirement, the guide specifies a minimum three-year interval between successive partial withdrawals within the account. It presents this separately from the rules before that stage. The applicable stage should be established before using a timing example from another subscriber.
How do you submit an NPS partial withdrawal request?
The official page directs subscribers to submit a request with relevant documents to the Point of Presence, usually called the POP, or the nodal office. Processing takes place through the Central Recordkeeping Agency system under the regulator's guidelines and circulars. If the subscriber is suffering from an illness, a family member can submit the request.
The page does not set out one universal document checklist for every purpose. Ask the processing office which records apply to the reason selected and retain the acknowledgement. A request concerning a house, a child's education or hospitalisation needs to be considered against the corresponding condition rather than treated as an unrestricted cash withdrawal.
Are Tier II withdrawal rules the same?
No. The Trust says a valid, active Tier II account can generally be withdrawn from in full or in part at any time, provided enough accumulated wealth remains for the withdrawal and applicable charges. Tier II closes automatically when Tier I closes. The Tier II Tax Saver Scheme for Central Government employees has a separate lock-in restriction, with an exception for death.
For other retirement and savings procedures, see our EPF passbook guide, PPF withdrawal explainer and tax deduction guide. Each concerns a separate set of rules; an EPF or PPF withdrawal condition does not establish eligibility for an NPS request.
