PF transfer made easy: All you need to know about EPFO’s revamped Form 13

The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) recently revamped Form 13, which is used for provident fund account transfers. When employees change jobs, they are required to transfer their PF accounts to accumulate funds. The PF organisation has made the process of provident fund (PF) transfer claims simpler by removing the need for employer approval in most transfer cases.

With effect from January 2025, the EPFO rolled out a new Form 13, incorporating many key changes to make the transfer claim process more efficient.

Revised Form 13: Key changes

Earlier, coordination between two EPFO offices, the source and the destination, was required for provident fund (PF) transfer claims, which often caused delays in transfers. The EPFO has now updated its system. Let’s see the major changes:

The three-level processing at the Destination Office (Transferee) has been eliminated.

Earlier, PF transfer used to need approval from two EPF Offices—the Source Office, from which the PF accumulation is transferred, and the Destination Office, the office in which the transfer is actually credited.

Now, under the revamped software, EPFO has removed the need for approval by the Destination Office. Once the claim gets approved by the Source Office (Transferor), the previous account will automatically get transferred to the new account at the Destination Office (Transferee), according to the EPFO circular dated April 25, 2025.

The revised process is expected to reduce the processing time of the transfer claims and enhance the efficiency in the field offices, providing seamless services to the beneficiaries.

Under the new form, the EPFO has provided a clear bifurcation of taxable and non-taxable components of PF accumulations. This ensures accurate Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) calculations on taxable PF interest.

As an enhanced security measure, a unique transaction ID is generated and utilised during the settlement process.

After approval from the relevant field office functionaries, the amount (with the taxable component) would be immediately added to the member's balance.

With the updated services, over 1.25 crore EPFO subscribers will enjoy a faster transfer process and nearly ₹90,000 crore in PF balances could be smoothly transferred every year.

This is expected to reduce backlogs and increase the operational efficiency of EPFO offices. This, along with the updated EPFO 3.0, is anticipated to make the PF organisation a digital-first, member-centric service provider. With greater transparency and efficiency, the EPFO will face fewer grievances and deliver a satisfying experience to its beneficiaries.