How to withdraw amount above ₹1,000 from your inoperative EPF account

These amounts will be instantly transferred to the bank accounts of EPF members whose accounts are Aadhaar-seeded. In case of the death of the account holder, the money will be paid to the nominee or legal heir.

However, what about accounts that are not in use but have balances of more than ₹1,000? After ₹1,000, what happens to inactive accounts?

Higher-value inactive accounts will not be immediately settled, in contrast to small-balance accounts.

As per EPFO’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) dated 2 August 2024, any EPF account that has not recorded any credit or debit for 36 months or more is classified as inoperative. Such accounts are automatically blocked to prevent unauthorised withdrawals.

Members must follow a verification and unblocking process before they can withdraw the funds.

When does an EPF account become inoperative?

“An employee's EPF account becomes inoperative after 36 months from the date of retirement on or after attaining the age of 55 years. Once the account becomes inoperative, it stops earning further interest.

If an employee retires at 58 years, interest is credited up to 58 years of age. If the employee retires voluntarily earlier, say at 50 years, interest will still be paid until he attains 58 years, as the account becomes inoperative only at 58. In case the employee retires at 60 years, interest is payable up to 63 years, and so on,” EPF said.

An account is also classified as inoperative if no contribution has been received for three years after retirement, permanent migration abroad, or in case of death.

How to withdraw an amount above ₹1,000

Ensure your UAN is active and KYC details (Aadhaar, PAN, bank details) are fully verified. Accounts without completed KYC cannot file claims or submit online unblock requests.

Since inoperative accounts are automatically blocked, members must first submit an unblock request through the EPFO Member Portal under Help Desk / Inoperative Account Assistance.

The request is routed to the last employer (if available) for approval. After employer verification, it is forwarded to designated EPFO officials (SS/AO/APFC) for final authorisation.

The SOP specifies that approval levels depend on the account balance. Higher balances require approval from senior officers.

Once the account is unblocked:

• Log in to the EPFO portal

• Navigate to Online Services- Claim (Form 19 / 10C / 31)

• Select Form 19 for full settlement

• Verify bank details via OTP

• Submit the claim and track it using the reference number

• Claims are processed as per the unblocking approval hierarchy before settlement.

If KYC is incomplete or the online claim is rejected:

• Fill Form 19 manually

• Visit the nearest EPFO office with ID proof, Aadhaar, PAN, and a bank passbook

• Officials will verify the documents and process the withdrawal manually.

If you are working, you should transfer your EPF account to your new employer. If you are not working, you should withdraw your EPF to avoid the account becoming inactive and losing interest benefits.