Can I Keep My UAN After Settling with My Employer? Here's What You Need to Know

Can I use the same UAN after full and final settlement?

---

Yes, you can continue using the same UAN (Universal Account Number) even after a full and final settlement with your employer. The UAN is a unique identifier that remains constant throughout an individual's career, regardless of job changes or settlements. It is linked to your EPF (Employee Provident Fund) account and allows for portability and easy tracking of your contributions and benefits. Therefore, there is no need to obtain a new UAN after a settlement; you can retain and use the existing one seamlessly.

Hi, you should use the same UAN until your retirement. The UAN, once allotted, will be the permanent one. A new employer, even if they try to allot a new UAN, will receive an error if the UAN already exists.

Dear VM, Though it is not the question the OP asked, I was wondering if you withdraw your PF and therefore close the account, will it still use the same UAN later, or will they generate a new one? Will it allow a new UAN for the same Aadhar number?

Dear Saswata Banerjee, Yes, the same UAN should be used with the new employer. While the PF number may vary from employer to employer (irrespective of the PF status, whether it has been claimed or transferred to a new employer), the UAN number will remain the same for whichever organization he/she works, until retirement where PF is applicable.

UAN Implementation and Streamlining
The UAN was implemented by September 2014, and in the initial years, there were some confusions with multiple UANs being allotted for the same Aadhar. However, the PF authorities have since streamlined everything. If an employer attempts to create a new UAN for an employee who already has a UAN, the PF portal will display an error, and a new UAN number cannot be generated.

Dear VM, My question is a little different. If I have a UAN and I withdraw all the amount (saying I am retiring/not joining elsewhere, 2 months gap, etc.), then the PF accounts are closed, right? Does the UAN get deactivated at that time? Or does it continue to exist even though I no longer have a PF account?

Dear Saswata Banerjee, Once activated, the UAN will continue to be active even if the employee resigns or retires, and the PF account is closed. The UAN remains constant throughout life.

I have withdrawn my EPF (full and settlement) in 2003. I joined another company in 2009 and started a new EPF account. Can I repay the settlement amount to the EPF of the previous account so that the continuity of service will be available for me to avail of a higher pension?