EPF Form 10C - Download, Meaning, & How to Fill it Online

EPF Form 10C refers to the withdrawal form EPF subscribers fill out and submit to the concerned authority to receive withdrawal benefits or scheme certificates.

The rules of Form 10C are contained in the Employees' Pension Scheme, 1995. However, this form cannot be used by subscribers whose membership has been active for under 180 days, excluding the period of non-contribution.

This article explains what EPF Form 10C means and how to download and fill it out online. You will also find information about the eligibility, content, benefits, rules, and documents required for claiming EPF withdrawal benefits or scheme certificates using Form 10C.

EPF Form 10C- Meaning

EPF, or Employees Provident Fund, is one of India's most popular government-backed investment schemes. This investment scheme aims to provide a lump sum amount to subscribers (read, salaried professionals) after their retirement. Both the employee and employer contribute a fixed sum to the EPF. A 12-digit Universal Account Number, or UAN, is assigned to each subscriber by the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) for the purpose. However, the employer's contribution gets deposited in two accounts - EPF and EPS. The full form of EPS is Employee Pension Scheme.

It is good to note that only employers can contribute to their employees' EPS accounts. EPF Form 10C means a form used by the employees to withdraw money from their EPS accounts. Employees can withdraw money from their EPS accounts by visiting an EPFO (Employees Provident Fund Organisation) branch office in their city or by downloading and submitting the EPF Form 10C online.

The Difference Between EPF and EPS

Before understanding EPF Form 10 in detail, let us briefly discuss the differences between EPF and EPS.

EPF, or Employees’ Provident Fund, refers to a retirement savings fund where an employer and an employee contribute 12% of the employee’s basic salary plus dearness allowance, or DA. So, the total contribution to the EPF is 24%. Employees can withdraw a particular amount from their EPF account before retirement, but the full amount can only be withdrawn after retirement.  

EPS, or Employees’ Pension Scheme, is another part of EPF. 8.33% of the employer’s contribution goes to EPS, while the rest goes to EPF. The maximum limit for contribution to EPS is INR 1,250.  

EPF/EPS Pension Form 10C - Who Can Apply For Withdrawal or Scheme Certificate?

Not every EPF subscriber is eligible to download the EPF/EPS pension form 10Cand submit it to receive withdrawal benefits or scheme certificates. The following are the categories of investors permitted by the EPFO to submit Form 10C online or offline:

• Any member of the Employees’ Family Pension Scheme, 1971 or Employees’ Pension Scheme,1995, who has resigned from their job within ten (10) years from the joining date is eligible to receive withdrawal benefits but not pension. The EPFO advises subscribers in this category to also apply for the Scheme Certificate. The Scheme Certificate enables the subscriber to club employment spells if they work in another establishment. Also, if the subscriber passes away before fifty-eight (58) years of age, their family will be eligible to receive a family pension. Also, the Scheme Certificate enables the subscriber to withdraw their PF accumulations without any bar.
• Any member of the Employees’ Family Pension Scheme, 1971 or Employees’ Pension Scheme,1995 who has reached fifty-eight (58) years of age before completing ten (10) years of service. Such a member might be in service or have left the service. 
• Any member who is less than 50 years old but has completed ten (10) years of service is eligible for the Scheme Certificate only. 
• Any member over fifty (50) years but under fifty-eight (58) years and unwilling to receive a reduced pension can get the Scheme Certificate. However, if subscribers want to receive a reduced pension, they must apply through Form 10D. 
• The legal heir, nominee, or family of a deceased subscriber who passed away after attaining 58 years of age but does not have ten (10) years of service is eligible for EPF/ EPS withdrawal.

EPF Form 10C - Scheme Certificate and Withdrawal Certificate

You might have heard the two terms, Scheme Certificate and Withdrawal Benefit, several times so far. The following paragraphs contain a brief description of both terms:

Scheme Certificate

Scheme Certificate refers to a certificate eligible subscribers get from the EPFO by submitting Form 10C. This certificate helps the subscriber (read, employee) to carry forward their recorded service period on rejoining the same or a different establishment. 

The Scheme Certificate also enables subscribers to withdraw whatever Provident Fund amount has been accumulated in their account. The Scheme Certificate contains an individual's employment details, including their service record and family members or nominee authorised to collect the accumulated funds in the event of the subscriber's unfortunate demise.

Withdrawal Benefit

Withdrawal Benefit refers to the accumulated pension amount that eligible subscribers can withdraw from their EPF account by submitting Form 10C. The withdrawal benefit is provided to employees ineligible for receiving a pension from the EPFO. However, a member/ subscriber cannot apply for withdrawal benefits if their EPF/ EPS account has been active for under 180 days, excluding the period of non-contribution.  

EPF Form 10C - Content and Descriptions

EPF pension form 10C contains the following sections. A subscriber willing to receive withdrawal benefits or scheme certificate must fill out the application using a blue or black pen. Also, ensure that the information you enter in the form is accurate and similar to the record available with the establishment you worked with.

•  (a) Name of the Member (In Block Letters) - The applicant must write the subscriber’s full name in capital letters. The name entered must match the name mentioned in the member’s or subscriber’s establishment’s service records.
•  (b) Name of the claimant (s) - This section must be filled by the subscriber’s nominee or family member if the subscriber is not physically available.  
•  Date of Birth (dd/mm/yyyy) - The date of birth must be the same as entered in the establishment’s service records.
•  Father’s/ Husband’s Name - The applicant must mention the subscriber’s father or husband’s name without cutting or overwriting.
•  Name & Address of the Establishment where the member was last employed - Here, the applicant needs to mention the name and address of the organisation where the subscriber was employed. 
•  Code No. & Account No. - The account number contains a 2-alphabet Region Code, a 3-alphabet Office Code, the code number (up to 7 digits), the extension or sub-code (up to 3 characters), and the account number (up to 7 digits). Check the Region Code before entering because the codes have changed due to the creation of several regions in states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Karnataka, Haryana, West Bengal, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh. You can find the correct Region Code and Office Code by visiting EPFO’s official website and clicking on ‘Establishment Search’ under Services’ and ‘For Employees.’ 
•  Date of Joining the Estt./ Reason for leaving service & Date of Leaving - Here, the applicant needs to enter the date on which the subscriber joined the establishment and the date until which they were employed. The reason for leaving the job must also be mentioned.  
•  Full Address (In Block Letters) - The applicant must mention the subscriber’s permanent address in capital letters. The address must match the address entered in the establishment’s employees register. 
•  Are you willing to accept a Scheme Certificate in lieu of withdrawal benefits - Here, the applicant needs to put a tick on ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ This option is for those employees who haven’t completed ten (10) years of service and are eligible to receive withdrawal benefits. However, this option is not for subscribers with 10+ years of service record since only the Scheme Certificate will be issued to them. 
•  Particulars of Family (Spouse & Children & Nominee) - The applicant must fill this section out if the subscriber is eligible to get the Scheme Certificate. The subscriber must enter details like the name, date of birth, relationship with the member, and the name of the guardian of the minor. 
•  In case of death of members after attaining the age of 58 years without filling the claim - This section has to be filled by the legal heir or nominee of the subscriber if the subscriber has died. Here, the applicant must enter the member's date of death and the name of the claimant(s)/and the relationship with the member.
•  Mode of remittance (put a tick in the box against the one opted) - The applicant can tick on any one of the two available options - (a) By postal money order at my cost to the address given against item No.7, or (b) By account payees cheque/ electronic mode sent Directly for credit to my S.B. A/C (Scheduled Bank /P.O.) under intimation to me. The EPFO directly credits the bank account of the subscriber or claimant. Generally, NEFT payments take place more quickly than other payment modes. The subscriber or claimant must attach a photocopy of a cancelled or blank cheque in which the account number and IFSC code are clearly visible. A subscriber or claimant can select the Money Order option if their total receivable amount is under INR 2,000. The applicant must correctly mention their postal address and PIN Code to receive the money without any hassle. 
•  Are you availing pension under EPS-95? - The applicant must tick on ‘Yes’ if s/he is eligible and willing to receive a pension or family pension as per the Employees’ Pension Scheme 1995. If the applicant ticks on ‘Yes,’ they have to the PPO Number and by whom it was issued.
• Signature or left-Hand Thumb impression of the Member/Claimant and Employer’s Signature - In the final section of EPF Form 10C, both the employee and the employer must put in their signature. 

EPF Form 10C - What is Claim Form Attestation?

Generally, EPF Form 10C must be submitted by the employer with whom the subscriber worked before submitting the claim form. However, if the applicant downloads the form from EPFO’s official website, they must ensure that the claimant and the employer sign all pages.

 If the establishment where the subscriber worked has shut off its operations, the claimant must get the documents signed by an authorised official with a seal. All Gazetted Officers, Magistrates, Post and Sub Post Masters, Village Union’s President, Municipalities’ Chairmen and Secretaries, Member of Parliament or Legislative Assemblies, etc., are considered eligible for signing EPF Form 10C. 

Epf Form 10C - How to Fill It Out Online?

Thanks to the super-responsive and easy-to-understand EPF website, you can quickly fill out EPF Form 10C online. The following are the steps to fill out Form 10C online: 

• Step 1: Visit the EPF website.
• Step 2: Enter your UAN, Password, Captcha, and click on ‘Sign In.’
• Step 3: Click the tab ‘Online Services,’ and click on ‘Claim(Form-31 ,19, and 10C).
• Step 4: Check your KYC, member, and employment details, enter your bank account number’s last four (4) digits and hit the ‘Verify’ button.
• Step 5: Read the ‘Certificate of Undertaking’ and hit the ‘Yes’ button if you agree to the terms and conditions.
• Step 6: Visit the ‘I want to apply for’ section and click on ‘Only Pension Withdrawal (Form 10C).’
• Step 7: Enter your registered postal address, and accept the disclaimer by putting a tick. Then click on ‘Get Aadhar OTP.’
• Step 8: Check the OTP and enter it in the appropriate box. Then click on ‘Validate OTP and Submit Claim Form.’
• Step 9: Your EPF pension form 10C is submitted. The EPFO will verify your application and transfer the amount directly to your bank account. 

EPF Form 10C - Documents Required

For smooth processing of withdrawal benefits and scheme certificate, an EFP subscriber needs to submit the following documents along with Form 10C:

• The photocopy of a cancelled or blank cheque
• If you or your nominee is applying for the scheme certificate, the applicant has to provide their birth certificate.
• If a deceased subscriber's legal heir applies, s/he must submit the subscriber's death certificate and succession certificate.
• A 1 Rupee revenue stamp must be pasted on Form 10C.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is EPF pension form 10C?

Form 10C in EPF refers to a form employees (read, EPF members) use for withdrawing employer-deposited amounts from their EPS accounts. Employees can visit an EPFO (Employees Provident Fund Organisation) branch office in their city to withdraw money from their EPS accounts. Alternatively, they may download or fill out and submit the EPF Form 10C online.

Which documents should I submit with EPF Form 10C?

To avail of the EPF withdrawal benefits or scheme certificate, you need to submit a photocopy of a cancelled or blank cheque, and 1-rupee revenue stamps on Form 10C. 

It is good to note that if the subscriber or their nominee applies for the scheme certificate, they must provide their birth certificate. Also, if the applicant is the legal heir to a deceased subscriber, the applicant must submit the member’s succession and death certificate.  

What is a ‘Scheme Certificate’ in EPF Form 10C?

Scheme Certificate means an EPFO-issued certificate that enables members to carry forward their recorded service period on rejoining the same or a different establishment. The Scheme Certificate is also essential to withdraw whatever Provident Fund amount is accumulated in their account. 

The details contained in the Scheme Certificate include the member’s employment history, service record, and nominee or family members. It is worth noting that the nominee or family member filling out the form must be authorised to collect the accumulated funds in the event of the subscriber's unfortunate demise.

What is ‘Withdrawal Benefit’ in EPF Form 10C?

‘Withdrawal Benefit’ refers to the money eligible members get from the EPFO by submitting Form 10C. The accumulated pension amount is provided to employees ineligible for receiving a pension for a lifetime from the EPFO. 

However, members or subscribers cannot submit Form 10C if their Employees’ Provide Fund (EPF) or Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) account has been active for under 180 days, excluding the period of non-contribution. 

Can I fill out Form 10C if my employment tenure is 150 days?

According to the Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995, an EPFO member can withdraw the pension amount from their EPF/ EPS account if they have completed 180 days of service in an establishment. 

However, the member cannot seek withdrawal benefits if their duration in the establishment is less than 180 days, excluding the period of non-contribution. But, the member can apply to withdraw 75% of the EPF amount after the first month of unemployment and 25% after two months of unemployment.