EPFO Guide: Steps to Merge Multiple PF Accounts Into One

Many employees have a Provident Fund (PF) account. However, when someone leaves a job and joins a new company, a fresh PF account is sometimes created. If an employee ends up with more than one PF account, it can lead to complications — so it’s important to know how to merge them.

If you don’t share your previous EPF account or your UAN (Universal Account Number) with your new employer after switching jobs, multiple UANs may be generated. While this might not seem serious at first, it can affect your PF interest calculations, tax planning, and even withdrawals later on. As per EPFO rules, every employee should have only one UAN. Therefore, merging multiple PF accounts becomes necessary.

Why do multiple UANs get created?

Each PF account is linked to a unique UAN. When an employee joins a new company and fails to provide the existing UAN, the employer creates a new one. This can also happen if the previous employer hasn’t updated the exit date, if Aadhaar or PAN is not linked, or if there are mismatches in personal details like name or date of birth. When such discrepancies exist, the EPFO system may generate a new UAN instead of linking it to the old one.