PF & ESIC Registration
Get your employee compliance right from day one.
Once you cross the employee thresholds, provident fund and employee state insurance registration stop being optional. Both are administered through the unified Shram Suvidha portal, and both come with monthly filing obligations that carry real penalties when missed.
- Government fee
- Nil for registration — monthly contributions apply thereafter
- Timeline
- 7–15 working days for both registrations
Get started with PF & ESIC
Free eligibility check · No obligation
What PF & ESIC is, and who it applies to
The Employees' Provident Fund applies to establishments employing twenty or more persons. Both employee and employer contribute 12% of basic wages plus dearness allowance, with a statutory wage ceiling of ₹15,000 for mandatory coverage. Employees earning above that can be enrolled voluntarily, and many employers do so as a retention measure.
Employees' State Insurance applies at a lower threshold — generally ten or more employees, though some states set it at twenty. It covers employees earning up to ₹21,000 per month, with the limit raised to ₹25,000 for employees with disabilities. The employee contributes 0.75% and the employer 3.25% of wages, funding medical care, sickness benefit, maternity benefit and disability cover.
An establishment that once crosses a threshold stays covered even if headcount later drops below it. This catches out seasonal businesses in particular, who assume coverage lapses when the workforce shrinks. It does not.
Both schemes require monthly compliance. PF returns are filed through an Electronic Challan-cum-Return by the 15th of the following month, and ESIC contributions are due on the same date. Late deposit attracts interest at 12% per annum plus damages that can reach 25% of the amount, and PF dues are recoverable as arrears of land revenue — meaning the department has strong recovery powers.
Who needs PF & ESIC
- Establishments employing twenty or more persons — EPF mandatory
- Establishments employing ten or more persons — ESIC mandatory in most states
- Businesses voluntarily extending PF benefits below the threshold
- Companies where employees earn up to ₹21,000 monthly — ESIC applicable
- Contractors and manpower agencies supplying labour
- Any employer wanting to offer formal social security benefits
Why it matters
Legal compliance
Avoid interest, damages and prosecution under the EPF and ESI Acts, which carry unusually strong recovery powers.
Employee retention
Formal PF and medical cover is a meaningful differentiator when hiring, particularly for skilled workers.
Medical cover for staff
ESIC gives employees and their dependants access to the ESI hospital network, plus sickness and maternity benefits.
Tender eligibility
Government and large corporate contracts routinely require proof of PF and ESIC compliance.
Documents required
Scans on WhatsApp are fine. We check every document against the officer's checklist before filing.
Establishment documents
- PAN of the establishment
- Certificate of Incorporation, partnership deed or registration certificate
- GST registration certificate
- Cancelled cheque of the establishment's bank account
- Address proof of the establishment
- Shop and Establishment registration or factory license
- Digital Signature Certificate of the authorised signatory
Employee details
- Complete list of employees with date of joining
- Aadhaar and PAN of each employee
- Bank account details of each employee
- Salary structure showing basic wages and allowances
- Nomination forms — Form 2 for PF, Form 1 for ESIC
How we do it
- 1
Applicability assessment
We confirm which schemes apply based on your headcount, wage levels and state, and from what date coverage began.
- 2
Document collection
Establishment papers and the full employee list with salary structure assembled and checked.
- 3
Shram Suvidha filing
Registration filed on the unified portal for both EPFO and ESIC, with digital signature authentication.
- 4
Codes allotted
Your PF establishment code and ESIC employer code are issued, and employee UANs and insurance numbers generated.
- 5
Monthly compliance setup
We set up the ECR filing calendar and, on an ongoing plan, take over the monthly returns entirely.
What it costs
We do not publish a rate card, because the right fee depends on your entity type, turnover and how much of the groundwork is already done. Tell us what your business does and we will quote a fixed figure for your case — before you commit to anything.
We quote a fixed professional fee for your case before any work begins, and it excludes GST. Government fees, where applicable, are shown separately and paid directly to the department. Statutory fees and thresholds change by notification — we confirm the current position for your case before you commit.
What non-compliance costs
- Interest at 12% per annum on PF contributions deposited late
- Damages of 5% to 25% of the arrears depending on the period of default
- PF dues are recoverable as arrears of land revenue, with attachment powers
- Prosecution is possible for persistent default under both Acts
- ESIC non-compliance can make the employer personally liable for an employee's medical costs
PF & ESIC — frequently asked questions
At how many employees does PF become mandatory?
EPF applies to establishments employing twenty or more persons. Below that, an employer can still register voluntarily, and some do because it helps in hiring. Once you register — voluntarily or otherwise — the obligations are the same.
At how many employees does ESIC become mandatory?
Generally ten or more employees, though a few states set the threshold at twenty. ESIC covers employees earning up to ₹21,000 per month, raised to ₹25,000 for employees with disabilities. We confirm the threshold for your state.
What are the contribution rates?
For PF, employee and employer each contribute 12% of basic wages plus dearness allowance, with a statutory ceiling of ₹15,000 for mandatory coverage. For ESIC, the employee contributes 0.75% and the employer 3.25% of gross wages.
My headcount dropped below the threshold. Am I still covered?
Yes. Once an establishment is covered under the EPF or ESI Act, coverage continues even if employee numbers later fall below the threshold. This surprises a lot of seasonal businesses. Exiting coverage is a formal process, not automatic.
Do I have to enrol employees earning above the wage ceiling?
Not mandatorily. PF is compulsory for those earning up to ₹15,000 in basic wages, and ESIC for those earning up to ₹21,000 gross. Employees above those levels can be covered voluntarily with mutual consent, and many employers choose to for PF as a benefit.
Do you handle the monthly filings as well?
Yes. Monthly ECR filing, challan generation, new joiner enrolment, exit processing and annual returns are all available as an ongoing plan. Most clients take registration and monthly compliance together, since the monthly work is where the penalties actually arise.
PF & ESIC by city
Local fees, the specific authority handling your application and city-level timelines.
Ready to start your PF & ESIC?
Send us a message and we will confirm what you need, what it costs and how long it takes — before you pay anything.
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