EPFO ECR Deadline October 31: What Employers Must Know About The New PF Wage Ceiling

Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (Image Source: iStock)

Employers have until October 31, 2026, to submit the Electronic Challan-cum-Return (ECR) and pay provident fund (PF) dues for September. The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) extended the original October 15 deadline after revising the monthly EPF wage ceiling from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000, with the change taking effect from September 17, 2026.

The revised wage threshold has implications for payroll processing, contribution calculations and employee eligibility for EPF membership. Employers need to examine their existing payroll arrangements and verify whether the updated provisions affect their workforce before submitting the return.

The ECR records employee-level wage and contribution information for the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) and Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI). Accurate reporting and timely payment are essential to meeting statutory obligations under the revised framework.

EPF Deadline: What Employers Must Complete By October 31

With the extended deadline approaching, establishments should verify employee records, check contribution amounts and reconcile payroll data before filing the September ECR.

Both employer and employee contributions must be calculated according to the applicable rules. Businesses should also confirm that the correct amounts have been deposited and that the information reported for EPF…

Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/business-economy