EPFO pushes September PF return deadline to October 31 after wage ceiling change

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation announced a 16-day extension for September ECR filing, moving the cutoff from October 15 to October 31. This follows a September 17 notification that raised the EPF wage ceiling from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000, creating a two-phase calculation for the month. Employers must apply the old ceiling for September 1-16 and the new ceiling for September 17-30, which may require revisiting payroll data.

The extra time is meant to aid accurate reconciliation of wages, contribution bases, and employee eligibility under EPF, EPS and EDLI schemes. Companies are urged to verify records before submission rather than delay until the final day. Employees should also review their PF passbooks to confirm correct crediting. Additionally, the EPFO’s Amnesty Scheme 2026 invites eligible establishments to regularise exempt PF trusts by December 28.