How Much PF Can You Withdraw Now? Three Categories and the ₹5 Lakh Auto-Settlement

Your EPF passbook shows ₹4,60,000 and you need money for a hospital bill, a child's fees or a house. Under the Employees' Provident Fund Scheme, 2026, which replaced the 1952 scheme on 29 June 2026, the answer is the same for every purpose: after 12 months of membership you can withdraw up to the whole of your Eligible Member Balance, which is your PF balance minus a minimum balance of 25% that must stay in the account. On ₹4,60,000 that works out to about ₹3,45,000.

This post covers partial withdrawals (advances) while you are still a member. Full settlement after leaving a job has its own rules, covered further down.

The rule in one paragraph

Paragraph 46 of the EPF Scheme, 2026 lets EPFO sanction a partial withdrawal of at least ₹1,000, applied for online, as long as the minimum balance stays in your account. The scheme defines the minimum balance as 25% of the total contributions credited to you, counting both the employee's and the employer's share and the interest on them, up to the date of withdrawal. Whatever is left after keeping that 25% aside is your Eligible Member Balance.

This puts into the scheme the decision the EPF Central Board of Trustees (CBT) took on 13 October 2025, when it merged 13 separate withdrawal provisions into three categories. Two days later the Labour Ministry explained it in plain numbers: about 75% of the balance can be withdrawn, and 25% stays to keep earning interest.

Two changes from the old rules matter most:

• The employer's share now counts. Under the 1952 scheme most advances were limited to your own contribution and interest. Now both shares are included.
• One service condition for everything. The old rules needed anything from a few months to seven years of service depending on the purpose. Now it is 12 months of total membership for every category.

The three categories

All three need 12 months of total membership. The counts start afresh from 29 June 2026, so withdrawals you made under the 1952 scheme don't use up the new limits.

"Special circumstances" used to mean a listed event such as a lockout, a natural calamity or an epidemic, and claims were often rejected because the reason didn't fit. The CBT removed the need to give any reason, which the scheme reflects.

How membership is counted

Paragraph 47 counts your membership across jobs: your time in the EPF, any time in an exempted employer's private PF trust, and service with the same employer before the scheme applied. It does not count a stretch for which you already took a final settlement. If you have old member IDs that were never transferred, the portal may not see your earlier service, so get them merged first. See PF transfer on a job change.

Worked example

Ravi has been in EPF for four years. His passbook shows:

He can claim up to ₹3,45,000 for any of the three categories. After a full withdrawal, his account keeps ₹1,15,000, which goes on earning interest. Every later contribution adds to both the balance and the 25% floor.

Two points to keep in mind:

• The pension part is separate. The 8.33% of your employer's contribution that goes to the Employees' Pension Scheme is not in your PF balance and can't be withdrawn this way. See EPS withdrawal now has a 36-month wait.
• The portal does the arithmetic. EPFO works out the eligible amount when you file. The figure on the claim screen is the one that counts. Treat the example above as a way to estimate it.

The ₹5 lakh auto-settlement limit

Since June 2025, EPFO settles advance claims of up to ₹5 lakh in auto mode, raised from ₹1 lakh. An auto-mode claim is processed by the system without an officer handling it, and EPFO says such claims are settled within three days of submission. Auto mode covers advances for illness, education, marriage and housing.

The ₹5 lakh figure is a limit on the claim amount for auto mode, and it does not cap what you can withdraw. If Ravi's eligible balance were ₹6,00,000 (on a total of ₹8,00,000), he could still claim it all. A claim above ₹5 lakh, or one that fails an automated check, goes to an officer.

Even then the scheme sets a time limit. Under paragraph 54, a complete claim must be settled and paid within 20 days of EPFO receiving it, and any deficiency must be told to you within those 20 days.

Final settlement when you leave a job

Partial withdrawal and final settlement are different claims:

• Full withdrawal of the whole balance (including the 25%) is allowed on retirement after 55, permanent incapacity, retrenchment, voluntary retirement, or before leaving India to settle or work abroad (paragraph 49).
• If you stop working in any EPF-covered job, you can withdraw the full amount only after 12 months without such employment. The 1952 scheme required two months. The 12-month wait does not apply to women members resigning to get married.
• While you wait, partial withdrawal stays open. Paragraph 46 also lets a member who leaves before completing 12 months withdraw up to the eligible balance.

How to file a partial withdrawal claim

1. Log in to the EPFO Member Portal with your UAN and password, or use the UMANG app.
2. Check under Manage > KYC that your Aadhaar, PAN and bank account are seeded and verified.
3. Open Online Services > Claim. The menu still carries the old form numbers (Form-31, 19, 10C and 10D) and its labels may change as EPFO updates the portal for the 2026 scheme.
4. Enter the last digits of your bank account to verify it, choose the advance (partial withdrawal) option, pick the purpose and enter the amount.
5. Submit with the Aadhaar OTP and note the claim reference.

Track the claim under Online Services > Track Claim Status. If it comes back rejected, PF claim rejected: the common reasons and the fix for each covers each reason.

Is the withdrawal taxed?

The income-tax rules on PF withdrawals, and the TDS on them, are written around the accumulated balance paid out when you leave, and a final withdrawal before five years of continuous service can be taxed. If you are unsure how an advance is treated in your case, ask a CA. See Is PF withdrawal before 5 years taxable? for the rules and a worked example.

FAQ

How much PF can I withdraw after one year of service?

Up to your Eligible Member Balance: the PF balance (both shares and interest) minus 25% that must stay in the account. On a balance of ₹1,20,000 that is about ₹90,000.

Can I withdraw 100% of my PF while still employed?

No. While you are a member, 25% stays as the minimum balance. The full balance can be withdrawn on retirement after 55, permanent incapacity, retrenchment, voluntary retirement, migration abroad, or after 12 months out of EPF-covered work.

Do I need documents for a medical or education advance?

The CBT said the new framework needs no documents, so that advances can be settled automatically. If an officer asks for something on your claim, the request must reach you within 20 days of filing.

Is ₹5 lakh the maximum I can withdraw?

No. ₹5 lakh is the limit for auto-settlement. Larger claims are allowed up to your eligible balance, and they go to an officer for processing.

Do my old withdrawals count against the 10 or 5 time limits?

No. Paragraph 46(6) says the count starts afresh from the date the 2026 scheme began, 29 June 2026.

Sources

• Gazette of India: Employees' Provident Fund Scheme, 2026, G.S.R. 525(E), 29 June 2026 (paragraphs 46, 47, 49 and 54)
• PIB, 13 October 2025: 238th CBT meeting approves simplified partial withdrawals
• PIB, 15 October 2025: Labour Ministry explains the withdrawal reforms (75% withdrawable, 25% minimum balance)
• PIB, 24 June 2025: EPFO raises the auto-settlement limit for advance claims to ₹5 lakh
• EPFO Member Portal