EPF Registration Process Online for Employer

What is the Meaning of Employee Under the Employee Provident Fund Registration?

According to section 2(f) of the Employees Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, an employee includes any form of individual who is carrying out any work with the objective of securing some form of wages. This would also include individuals who are considered as any worker getting some proportion of the wages either indirectly or directly.

The individuals who are considered as an employee under the employee provident fund registration are given below:

• Full-Time Employees: Full-time employees include any individual who has some permanent history of employment with the company. This would be decided on the basis of relationship which is existing between the Company and the worker. The appointment letter can be considered for verifying the employment provision.
• Part-Time Employees: Any employee who is working on a part-time basis for any establishment would be classified as a part-time employee and be registered under the EPFO. A part-time employee has lesser work hours in comparison with the full-time employee.
• Work From Home Employees: Any employee who is working from home for a fixed time period can also be considered for the employee provident fund registration by the organization.
• Contractors: Contractors are particular individuals appointed for carrying out particular projects according to the requirement of the business. EPF registration is necessary for establishments that recruit contractors.
• Consultants: Consultants are individuals as defined according to their experience. They are giving consulting-based services for a fixed time to an establishment and are neither contractor nor any part-time employee. They are considered as an employee under the PF employee registration.
• Freelancers: In the recent amendment to the Social Security Code introduced in September 2020, the Government of India has included individuals who are freelancers in the definition of an employee. Freelancers can also use the services provided by the employee provident fund registration.

EPF Registration UAN (Universal Account Number)

Once the establishment is registered in the EPFO portal, it updates the KYC paperwork of its employees by generating a Universal Account Number (UAN). Every employee can use their UAN number to claim PF fund, transfer of PF fund online to the bank account, etc. The only necessary step that an employee has to follow is to activate UAN through the following procedure:

• An employee can visit online for its UAN activation on the official website of EPFO https://unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in/memberinterface/
• Complete the details such as UAN, Member ID, Aadhar Number, PAN number, etc.
• After that mention your details such as name, address, contact details and complete the form by filling captcha on the screen.
• After completing these details, the employee will receive an OTP on his mobile number registered with UAN.
• Employee shall check the box 'I Agree' and validate the OTP for activating UAN.

For advisory and consulting support pertaining to EPF registration UAN, book an appointment with our experts.

Applicability of EPF Registration

Certain rules and regulations are made by the government of India that determine the applicability of EPF Registration for employers and employees. These are the following applicability criteria of EPF Registration in India –

• The employees are obliged to receive provident funds from the employer as soon as they join the organization (i.e. from the first day itself).
• To obtain EPF Registration from the government, the employer must have a minimum of 20 employees working under the organization. An entity with more than 20 employees must get the registration certificate since it is considered a ‘Compulsory Registration Firm’. 
• It is not necessary for an entity with less than 20 employees to obtain the company PF registration. However, they can voluntarily apply for registration directly to the EPFO (Employees Provident Fund Organisation) within 2 months of its establishment as an organization.
• The employees can register for PF Certificates irrespective of the mode through which they are commencing their work. Employees working from home, full-time employees, contractors, freelancers, etc., can register for the same.

To get expert advice and consultation on employees provident fund organisation registration and meet the compliance requirements, talk to our seasoned professionals.

Mandatory Requirements for EPF Registration

The employers need to maintain certain mandatory requirements for EPF Registration. These mandates are as follows –

• Schedule I of the Employees Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act of 1952 specifies the organizations that are required to obtain EPF Registration mandatorily.
• Organizations with employees and labours more than 20 in numbers need to obtain the registration certificate.
• If the Central Government issues any notification at any time regarding the addition of any industry in Schedule I of the Act.
• Entities with less than 20 employees can also voluntarily apply for the registration certificate.
• To be eligible for Employee Provident Fund registration, a society that is registered and founded under the Cooperative Society Act must have at least fifty workers.

Who cannot be Eligible for the Scheme?

Certain individuals are there who cannot be eligible to get benefits out of the PF scheme in India as per the Act. These individuals are listed below –

• An intern or apprentice
• Retired Employees
• Non-Resident Indians
• Individuals working abroad

Benefits Excluded from the PF

Provident Fund to employees is an extra benefit that they accrue while they are an employee in any organization. However, certain other benefits are also there that the employees receive but are excluded from the PF and the laws governing it. These benefits are as follows –

• Food Allowance
• Travel Allowance
• House Rent Allowance
• Bonus
• Overtime Allowance
• Dearness Allowance

Penalties to Employer for not registering with EPFO

The penalties imposed on the employer for not registering with the EPFO are as follows –

• The penalty rate per annum would be 5% if the applicant has delayed the registration by 2 months.
• The penalty rate per annum would be 10% if the applicant has delayed the registration by 2 - 4 months.
• The penalty rate per annum would be 15% if the applicant has delayed the registration by 4 - 6 months.
• The penalty rate per annum would be 25% if the applicant has delayed the registration by more than 6 months.

Validity of Employees Provident Fund New Registration

As soon as the organization is registered with the EPFO and gets the certificate of employees provident fund new registration, the entity is not required to apply for the registration certificate again. As long as the entity is in business, the EPF registration certificate is valid.

There is no need to renew the registration certificate as it comes with a lifetime validity. However, if the entity has not followed any compliance, then its registration certificate might be cancelled.

Timeline for EPF Registration

It requires around 10 – 15 days for the entities to obtain the EPF Registration certificate from the EPFO. The entity must apply for the same within one month of attaining the minimum strength of 20 employees to avoid penalties and fines. This time includes all the documentation and the filling of the application form with the EPFO.

Why Corpbiz is the Top Pick for EPF Registration in India?

In the last decade, Corpbiz has emerged as the most reliable partner for EPF registration in India. With a network of 10,000+ professionals, we are streamlining the employee provident fund registration process for your business at affordable rate. Furthermore, we help you register for UAN number.

Given below are the reasons why business owners trust us and consider us as the first choice for employee provident fund new registration in India-

• Proven Record of 5000+ Successful EPF registrations in India
• Company PF Registration Solutions for 10+ Industries
• Quick Turnaround Time, 5X Better than the Competitors
• Over 1 million Employees Covered through our UAN PF Registration Services
• 15+ Years of Experience in PF UAN Registration and Compliance Management
• We Help you Register for UAN Number
• Seamless Integration of Registration of EPFO with your Payroll System
• 24/7 Client Support for your Employees Provident Fund Registration Needs
• Guidance and Training on How to Register UAN
• Assistance in Updating EPFO UAN Register Mobile Number