If your organization has no EPF members to make contributions for a particular month and there are many employers who still unaware of how they can file EPF nil returns.

Usually, Every 15th of a month is deadline for every employer to make EPF payments by generating an ECR text file, uploading it into EPF unified portal and all entries of PF challan i.e filling PF challan account details like A/C No.1, A/C No.2, A/C No.10 & A/C No.21 . Do you want to know how to file EPF nil returns, then here the complete guide on how to file EPF nil returns step by step.

Does EPF Nil Returns Required ECR Text File?

When you file EPF nil returns then there is no need to prepare any ECR text file, you can directly start with Challan filling. Here is the process of EPF nil returns filing:

How To File Provident Fund Nil Returns?

Step – 1: In order to file EPF nil returns login to Employer EPF Portal and login using User Id and Password in order to start the process of file EPF nil returns .

Employer Login Page

Step – 2: When you’re on the main page of the Employer Portal, Search for “Payments” tab under the main menu. Now a drop-down menu will appear where one has to select “ECR/RETURN FILING”.

Employer Home Page

Step – 3: Now click on the “Challan Entry”.

ECR/Return Filing Page

Step – 4: Enter the wage month and select challan type as Administrative/ Inspection Charges Challan. Now enter Rs.75 in A/C No.2 and Rs.25 in A/C No.22 then click on “Next” button.

Challan Entry Page

Step – 5: Now verify and finalize the challan, After finalization, your EPF nil challan will generate and make the payment. If you find anything wrong then click on edit before finalize and make the changes.

Nil Challan Finalization Page

Note: The EPF admin charges of ₹75 are for Non-functional establishment when they don’t have any member for a contributing. Usually, in remaining cases minimum EPF administration charge is ₹500/-.

The EDLI admin charges of ₹25 are for Non-functional establishment when they don’t have any member for a contributing. Usually, in remaining cases minimum there is no need to pay EDLI charges.

You  may also like: UAN Registration Process for Employers

20 thoughts on “File EPF Nil Returns | EPF Nil Challan Filling – Complete Process Step by Step”
  1. Hello,
    We paid EPF contributions up to April’2022 month then after all employees got relieved due to the business issues we haven’t paid the EPF contributions for May’2022 and June’2022 months.
    Is my company is eligible to file Nil returns in EPF and ESIC until we recruit the new employees.
    Kindly help.
    Thanks.

    1. Hello,

      Yes you have to file Nil return. For nil return you have to do direct challan entry as A/c. No. 02 – Rs.75, A/c. No – 22 Rs. 25 need to pay.
      Thank you

    2. Hi,
      Thank you so much for your response and it helped a lot to us.
      Kindly look in to the following SMS we received after filed 3 months nil returns in the EPFO portal successfully.
      Please advice how to proceed further and awaiting for your urgent reply.
      Thanks.

      “” Dear Employer, as per our records you have failed to remit contributions of your employees due for 10 wage months. This prima facie shows willful default on your part. Failure to remit the contributions and interest due on such belated remittances within 15 days, may cause and invoke penal provisions of prosecution, complaint u/s 406/409 of IPC, and coercive actions for recovery of dues. “”

  2. I taken EPFO registration February 2020, but I don’t have any employees that time due to covid19, now my business started I start recruiting from July 2021,
    My question I was not file nill return since feb 2020 to June 2021,
    Now I start July 2021 return or from March 2020 with nill return

    1. In case EPFO will ask in future to make the Nil challan then make it nor you can Start making ECR from July 2021 onwards.

  3. I have incorporated a company pvt Ltd, and epfo and esi registration also, am I need to fill every month nill return at epfo and esic

    1. Company incorporation times I also get epf registration number, now at this time I have no employee .. so can be nil return filling is mandatory for epf?

  4. By mistake Administrative ki jagah Misc. challan selecet karke pay ho gaya kya karein

  5. I would like to firstly thank you for this vital and brief information and your approach towards attending all the queries of page visitors is appreciable.

  6. Thank u for the information sir. really very helpful but should we need to upload ECR list or any employees list while filing nil. will be any problem for employees at the time of claim withdrawal if we fill nil return.

    1. There is no need to upload any employees list while filing nil. There is no such issues for employees at the time of claim withdrawal.

  7. Hi! Is it mandatory to pay any kind of minimum charges for filing NIL return? like admin charges..

  8. I was searching for NIL PF return, 2 days I googled it, finally I got your page, really thanks a lot..:)

    1. Hellow,

      We would like to firstly thank you and we appreciate your interest in our content.

      Regards
      Admin

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