Who Handles What: Three Offices, Two Funds
EPF and ETF are separate funds run by different bodies, so a single job change can mean two claims at two offices. Gratuity is a third payment that comes from your employer.
| What you want | Who handles it | Form |
|---|---|---|
| Check your EPF balance, or correct your name or NIC | EPF Department, Central Bank of Sri Lanka | Form AMD 1 (corrections) |
| Claim your EPF (retirement, migration, marriage and other refunds) | Department of Labour | Form K (Form L for a deceased member) |
| Take 30% of your EPF early for housing or medical treatment | Department of Labour (30% claim division) | Form S |
| Claim your ETF | Employees' Trust Fund Board | ETF benefit application |
| Get your gratuity | Your employer (complaints to the Department of Labour) | None |
Want to know how much goes in each month? Use the EPF & ETF calculator.
Sources: Central Bank EPF Department, Retirement Benefits and Amendments pages; Department of Labour 30% pre-retirement page; ETF Board Statutory Benefits (registry rows epf_refund_form_k_process, epf_name_nic_amendment, epf_30pct_submission, etf_claim_submission_rules). Last checked 28 Sep 2026.
Which Claim Applies to You? Document Checklist
Pick your situation to see the documents for that claim:
EPF refund when you reach retirement age and stop working. Your ETF can be claimed at the same time (see the Leaving a Job tab).
Fill in Part I legibly. It's also available free at any Labour Office, with its instruction sheet.
Download Form K (PDF)Your last employer completes and certifies Part II. If that workplace has closed, use the EPF 'Personal Details of the Member' form certified by the Grama Niladhari and countersigned by the Divisional Secretary, plus a letter of indemnity.
Download Personal Details of the Member form, for closed employers (PDF)The member card that carries your EPF member number.
Sent through your last employer, who must also certify in their own handwriting that the photocopy is a true copy of the original.
Applied but not received: Form 02 (white and pink copies). Loan fully settled: Form 14 in quadruplicate. Balance still owed: Form 14 in quadruplicate, certified by the lender and the District Assistant Commissioner of Labour.
You can claim your ETF balance once you've permanently left an employer. After one claim, the next is only allowed 5 years after the termination that claim was for, unless an exception applies. EPF generally stays in the fund until retirement age.
Usually handed over by your employer when you leave. You can also download it from your ETF online account. The ETF Board asks for it to be filled in accurately and legibly, and to read the instruction leaflet first.
Download ETF Claim Form VI (PDF)The ETF Board asks you to submit only after the employer has credited contributions up to your last month of work.
Required with every ETF claim.
The bank name, branch, account number and your name must be visible. Without a passbook, have the bank certify the account details on the application.
A B card, appointment letter, service certificate or EPF/ETF statement. Without these, complete a separate application for each earlier employer.
Complete Part 1 of the application and have this certified by the Grama Niladhari and Divisional Secretary for where you live, with proof you worked there.
Download ETF Form VI-D (PDF)Also certified by the Grama Niladhari and Divisional Secretary, and submitted with a copy of your NIC.
Download ETF Form VI-C (PDF)Leaving Sri Lanka for permanent residency is a ground for both an EPF refund and an ETF claim outside the 5-year rule.
Book by phone (011 220 1201) or online before you go. Migration claims are handled at No. 41, Kirula Road, Colombo 05.
Open the Department of Labour Appointment PortalBring both the originals and copies to the appointment.
Migration is an exception to the ETF 5-year rule, and it's one of the special circumstances the ETF Board processes under its expedited procedure (paid within 4 working days).
Download ETF Claim Form VI (PDF)A woman can claim her EPF if the marriage was registered within 3 months of leaving work, or if she left work within 5 years of registering the marriage.
Issued by the registrar who registered the marriage, or by the additional district registrar.
Countersigned by the District Secretary.
While you're still working: up to 30% of your EPF balance, at most Rs. 2,000,000, if you've contributed for at least 10 years and your audited balance is at least Rs. 300,000.
Download both from the Department of Labour. Your current employer must sign, seal and date the parts marked for them within 3 months before you submit.
Download Form S (PDF)Confirms you're employed now.
Include the B cards for earlier employers' membership numbers too. Damaged or unclear NICs aren't accepted.
Housing: title deed, approved building plan, notary certification, or the bank's letter on the mortgage or housing loan. Medical: the medical certificate on the form, certified by the doctor and the hospital. The instruction sheet lists every document for each purpose.
Download the 30% instruction sheet (PDF)The 30% benefit is only paid to members registered with electronic fingerprints and their NIC number. If you aren't, submit the employer-certified registration form with your claim.
EPF goes to the nominee if there's a valid nomination. Otherwise each legal heir applies. The ETF balance is also payable to nominees or dependants.
Addressed to the Commissioner of Labour.
A certified copy.
Marriage certificate if the spouse applies, birth certificates of the children, and the member's own birth certificate if parents apply.
Certified by the Grama Sevaka (Grama Niladhari) and the District Secretary.
A letter to the Commissioner of Labour through the Grama Sevaka and District Secretary, naming the guardian and the minor children and their ages.
The ETF Board pays nominees or dependants. Where legal heirs claim, the Board takes its Legal Division's opinion and its decision is final. Read the Board's death-claim instructions before filling it in.
Download ETF Death Claim Form VIII (PDF)How to Claim, Step by Step
The same sequence works for most EPF and ETF claims:
Check your balances and records
Look up your EPF balance with the Central Bank's EPF Department and your ETF balance online at eservices.etfb.lk (or by SMS). Check that your name and NIC number match your NIC exactly.
Correct any name or NIC mismatch first
If they don't match your NIC, get the record corrected before you claim. From 1 October 2026, EPF corrections go only on the original Form AMD-1, with employer-certified copies of your NIC and B card, in hard copy by registered post or at the EPF Department counters (no letterhead letters, no email). If your employer has closed, ask at the District Labour Office.
Get the right form for each fund
EPF refund: Form K. EPF death claim: Form L. EPF 30% early withdrawal: Form S. ETF: the ETF benefit application, usually from your employer or your ETF online account.
Have your employer certify the forms
Your last employer certifies Part II of Form K and your NIC copy for the ETF claim. For the 30% claim it's your current employer, within 3 months of submitting. If an employer has closed, use the Grama Niladhari and Divisional Secretary certified forms plus an indemnity.
Wait until the ETF contributions are fully paid
For ETF, only submit once your employer has credited contributions up to your last month of work.
Submit your EPF claim to the Department of Labour
Hand Form K in at a District Labour Office, a sub office or the Labour Secretariat at Narahenpita, and keep the receipt. Migration claims go to the EPF Office at Kirula Road by appointment. 30% housing claims are submitted in person at the 30% division for your district.
Submit your ETF claim to the ETF Board
Apply through your employer, or in person at the ETF Head Office in Narahenpita or a Regional Office (Gampaha, Kandy, Kurunegala, Matara, Ratnapura, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya). You must be present. Applications you post yourself aren't accepted. Book a date on 0112103010.
Track the claim and receive the money
EPF refunds are paid by cheque or straight into your bank account. Track an ETF claim online or by sending ETFCHK and your Lot Reference Number to 1919. If contributions arrive after your EPF refund, claim them with a part-payment application.
The EPF 30% Early Withdrawal (Housing or Medical)
While you're still employed, you can withdraw up to 30% of your EPF balance, to a maximum of Rs. 2,000,000. To qualify you must:
- be employed now and contributing to the fund
- have contributed for at least 10 years
- have an audited EPF balance of at least Rs. 300,000
After a first 30% withdrawal, you can apply again only 10 years later.
What the money can be used for
| Housing | Medical treatment (you, your spouse or children) |
|---|---|
| Building a house on land you own | Heart surgery |
| Buying land to build a house | Bypass surgery |
| Buying a house | Cancer treatment, including surgery |
| Redeeming a mortgage on a house | Kidney transplant or surgery |
| Settling a housing loan from an approved bank | Caesarean operation |
| Hospitalisation of at least 14 days after an accident |
No other medical purpose qualifies. Claims for a spouse's or child's treatment must be made within 90 days of the treatment. You can't use the medical purpose if you already have a housing loan secured on your EPF.
Where to hand it in
- Housing claims: in person, at the 30% claim division at the Labour Secretariat, Narahenpita (Colombo District), or the zonal or district Labour Office for where you live.
- Medical claims: at any EPF 30% payment division.
- The Department of Labour says a claim with complete documents generally takes about 3 weeks.
The document list for each purpose is long (title deeds, approved plans, a title report and folio for land purchases, bank letters for loans). Read the Department's 30% instruction sheet before you start, and try its eligibility checker.
Source: Department of Labour, Payment of 30% Pre-Retirement Benefits page and Instruction Sheet (PDF dated 25 May 2026), under the EPF Act No. 15 of 1958 as amended by Act No. 2 of 2012 (registry rows epf_30pct_eligibility, epf_30pct_purposes, epf_30pct_submission). Last checked 28 Sep 2026.
ETF: When You Can Claim, and the 5-Year Rule
You can claim your ETF once you've permanently left an employer. After that, your next claim is only allowed five years after the termination your previous claim was for.
The 5-year rule does not apply if you:
- reach 60
- migrate permanently to another country
- join a pensionable government service
- leave work because of permanent disability
On a member's death, the balance is paid to nominees or dependants.
Source: ETF Board, Statutory Benefits (registry rows etf_withdrawal_conditions, etf_expedited_payment). Last checked 28 Sep 2026.
Why Claims Get Stuck, and How to Avoid It
- Your name or NIC doesn't match. Correct the EPF record first. From 1 October 2026 the Central Bank's EPF Department takes corrections only on the original Form AMD-1, with employer-certified copies of your NIC and B card, in hard copy (registered post or its counters); letterhead letters are no longer accepted. If your employer has closed, ask at the District Labour Office. The Department of Labour keeps its own records too; mismatches there are corrected at the District Labour Office.
- Your employer hasn't paid everything in. The ETF Board asks you to submit only after contributions up to your last month have been credited.
- Your old employer has closed. Both funds accept Grama Niladhari and Divisional Secretary certified forms plus an indemnity in place of the employer's certification, with proof you worked there.
- You have an EPF-backed housing loan. The loan has to be dealt with in the claim (Form 02 or Form 14). An account at the lending bank's branch reduces delays.
- Money arrives after your EPF refund. Your EPF account closes on payment. Claim later contributions with a part-payment application to the EPF Department.
Sources: Central Bank EPF Department, Amendments and Retirement Benefits pages; ETF Board, Statutory Benefits; Department of Labour 30% Instruction Sheet (registry rows epf_name_nic_amendment, etf_claim_submission_rules, epf_refund_housing_loan_forms, epf_refund_payment_and_part_payment). Last checked 28 Sep 2026.
Leaving Sri Lanka Permanently
Permanent migration lets you claim your whole EPF balance, and it's an exception to the ETF 5-year rule.
- EPF: book an appointment at the Labour Department's EPF Office, No. 41 Kirula Road, Colombo 05, by phone on 011 220 1201 or through the online appointment system. Bring Form K, your B card, and your permanent resident visa and passport (originals and photocopies).
- ETF: submit your application with your passport, visa and air ticket for expedited payment.
Neither fund says on its website whether a migration claim can be finished from abroad or through someone acting for you. Ask the office before you leave, and try to complete both claims while you're still in Sri Lanka.
Sources: Central Bank EPF Department, Retirement Benefits; ETF Board, Statutory Benefits (registry rows epf_refund_migration_process, etf_expedited_payment). Last checked 28 Sep 2026.
Claiming EPF and ETF for Someone Who Has Died
EPF: if the member made a valid nomination, the nominee claims. If not, the legal heirs claim under the law of inheritance. Each heir submits Form L, certified by the member's last employer, to the Commissioner of Labour, with:
- the member's death certificate
- the marriage certificate, if the spouse is applying
- the children's birth certificates
- the member's own birth certificate, if parents are applying
- Form L2, the member's personal details, certified by the Grama Niladhari and the District Secretary
- Form L3, naming a guardian, if any heir is a minor
ETF: the balance is paid to nominees or dependants. Where legal heirs claim, the ETF Board takes the opinion of its Legal Division and its decision is final. Contact the Board for its death-claim form.
Who counts as an heir depends on the law of inheritance that applies to the family. If that's in doubt, speak to a lawyer before submitting.
Sources: Central Bank EPF Department, Retirement Benefits; ETF Board, Statutory Benefits and Benefits FAQ (registry rows epf_death_claim_form_l, etf_withdrawal_conditions). Last checked 28 Sep 2026.
Gratuity: What Your Employer Owes You
Gratuity isn't paid from EPF or ETF. Your employer pays it under the Payment of Gratuity Act No. 12 of 1983. You're entitled if:
- you have at least 5 completed years of service with that employer, and
- the employer employed 15 or more workers on any day in the 12 months before you left.
It applies however the job ends, including resignation, retirement, dismissal or death (when it's paid to the heirs). The employer must pay within 30 days.
How much
| If you're paid | Gratuity for each completed year | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | Half a month's salary, at your last salary | Rs. 150,000 × ½ × 12 years = Rs. 900,000 |
| Daily or otherwise | 14 days' wages, at your last rate | Rs. 2,000 a day × 14 × 8 years = Rs. 224,000 |
Only completed years count. If a collective agreement or an award gives you better gratuity terms, those apply instead, but you can't receive both.
Who isn't covered
- Domestic workers and personal chauffeurs in a private household
- Workers entitled to a pension under a non-contributory pension scheme
If you're dismissed for fraud, misappropriating the employer's money, wilfully damaging the employer's property or causing loss of it, you lose gratuity up to the amount of the damage or loss.
If your employer doesn't pay
Complain to the Commissioner of Labour at the Department of Labour. After an inquiry, the Commissioner can certify the amount due to a Magistrate, who can recover it from the employer.
Source: Payment of Gratuity Act No. 12 of 1983, sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 13, read on CommonLII (registry rows gratuity_eligibility, gratuity_rate, gratuity_exclusions, gratuity_recovery_default, gratuity_more_favourable_terms, gratuity_forfeiture). Later amending Acts were not checked. Last checked 28 Sep 2026.
Offices & Contacts
Where each kind of claim goes. Book ahead where an appointment system exists.
Department of Labour Head Office (Labour Secretariat, Narahenpita)
Appointments via appointment.labourdept.gov.lkLabour Secretariat, Narahenpita, Colombo 05
EPF Office, Department of Labour (Kirula Road)
Appointment required: 011 220 1201 or appointment.labourdept.gov.lkNo. 41, Kirula Road, Colombo 05
District and Zonal Labour Offices
Phone numbers are listed in the Department of Labour's 30% instruction sheetKurunegala, Anuradhapura, Ratnapura, Avissawella, Galle, Badulla, Kalutara, Kandy, Jaffna, Trincomalee, Gampaha (and sub offices)
Employees' Trust Fund Board Head Office
Reserve a date and time on 011210301019-23 Floors, "Mehewara Piyesa", Kirula Road, Narahenpita, Colombo 05
EPF Department, Central Bank of Sri Lanka
Email [email protected]Colombo 01
Official Links & Forms
Direct links to the EPF Department, Department of Labour, ETF Board and IRD pages this guide is based on:
Sources & last checked
Checked against EPF Department (Central Bank), Department of Labour and Employees' Trust Fund Board. Every source for this topic, with dates, is on our verified sources.
LankaSolve is an independent information service and is not affiliated with the Government of Sri Lanka, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the Department of Labour or the Employees' Trust Fund Board. Claim rules, forms and documents can change. Always confirm with the office handling your claim before you submit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I withdraw my EPF in Sri Lanka?
Fill in Form K, have Part II certified by your last employer, and hand it in with your B card and the documents for your claim reason at a District Labour Office, a sub office or the Labour Secretariat in Narahenpita. You'll get a receipt. The money is paid by cheque or straight into your bank account. Leaving Sri Lanka for good? That claim goes to the EPF Office at No. 41 Kirula Road, Colombo 05, by appointment.
Can I withdraw EPF before retirement?
Only in specific cases. While you're still working, you can take up to 30% of your balance (at most Rs. 2,000,000) for housing or listed medical treatment, if you've contributed for at least 10 years and have at least Rs. 300,000. The full balance can be claimed early if you migrate permanently, take a pensionable government post, become totally incapacitated, or, for women, leave work on marriage within the set time limits.
Can I withdraw 100% of my EPF before retirement?
No. As of 29 September 2026 there is no such rule in Sri Lanka, and the EPF Department has announced no change. You can claim your full balance only when you reach 55 (men) or 50 (women) and stop working; when a woman leaves work on marriage within the time limits; when you migrate permanently; if you become permanently and totally incapacitated; when you take up pensionable government or local government service; or, for your heirs, on your death. While you're still working, the most you can take is the 30% benefit, up to Rs. 2,000,000. Posts about withdrawing 100% usually refer to India's EPF.
How much can I take out under the EPF 30% scheme?
Up to 30% of your balance, capped at Rs. 2,000,000. You need at least 10 years of contributions, an audited balance of at least Rs. 300,000, and a current job. After a first 30% withdrawal, you can only apply again 10 years later.
How do I claim my ETF after leaving a job?
Complete the ETF benefit application, usually given to you by your employer, and wait until the employer has paid ETF up to your last month of work. Then submit it through your employer or in person at the ETF Board Head Office in Narahenpita or a Regional Office. You must attend yourself: applications you post aren't accepted. Attach an employer-certified NIC copy and a bank passbook or statement copy.
What is the ETF 5-year rule?
After you claim your ETF on leaving an employer, your next claim is only allowed five years after the termination that first claim was for. The rule doesn't apply at age 60, on permanent migration, on joining pensionable government service, on termination due to permanent disability, or on death.
How long do EPF and ETF claims take?
The Department of Labour says a complete 30% claim generally takes about 3 weeks. The ETF Board pays expedited claims (migration, medical, pawned gold, a child's marriage, education costs) within 4 working days. Neither fund publishes a standard time for an ordinary refund, so we don't quote one.
Can I claim my EPF if I'm migrating to another country?
Yes. Leaving Sri Lanka for permanent residency lets you claim your full EPF. Book an appointment at the Labour Department's EPF Office on Kirula Road (011 220 1201 or online) and bring Form K, your B card, and your permanent resident visa and passport, originals plus copies. Migration is also an exception to the ETF 5-year rule.
My name or NIC number is wrong in my EPF record. What do I do?
Correct it before you claim. From 1 October 2026, the EPF Department accepts name and NIC corrections only on the original Form AMD-1, with copies of your NIC and B card certified by your employer. Letters on company letterhead are no longer accepted. Send the hard copies by registered post to the EPF Department, Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Colombo 01, or hand them in at its counters; email isn't accepted. For a name change after marriage or an NIC mismatch, check the EPF Department's amendment guide for any extra documents. If your employer has closed, ask at the District Labour Office.
How is gratuity calculated in Sri Lanka?
Under the Payment of Gratuity Act, a monthly-paid worker gets half a month's salary for each completed year of service, at the last salary drawn. Other workers get 14 days' wages per completed year. For example, 12 completed years on a last salary of Rs. 150,000 gives Rs. 900,000.
Do I get gratuity if I resign?
Yes, if you qualify. The Act applies to any termination, including resignation, retirement and death, once you have at least 5 completed years with an employer who employed 15 or more workers at any time in the 12 months before you left. The employer must pay within 30 days.
Is gratuity taxed?
Only above a threshold. Under the Inland Revenue Department's APIT Table 03 (2025/2026), if your gratuity, ETF payout, commuted pension and approved loss-of-office compensation together exceed Rs. 5,000,000, the employer and the ETF each hold back 12% of the excess. You then have 90 days to get a direction from the IRD's Clearance and Directions Unit on what's finally due.
How do I claim the EPF of a parent who has died?
If your parent made a valid nomination, the nominee claims. Otherwise each legal heir submits Form L, certified by the parent's last employer, with the death certificate, proof of relationship (birth or marriage certificates), and Form L2 personal details certified by the Grama Niladhari and District Secretary. Form L3 is needed if any heir is a minor.
How do I check my EPF claim status?
EPF claims are processed by the Department of Labour. Its Digital EPF page has a Check Claim Status link. You can also ask at the District Labour Office where you handed in your claim.
How do I check my ETF claim status?
Online through the ETF Board's claim status page, or by SMS: send ETFCHK followed by your Lot Reference Number to 1919. The ETF Board also sends status SMS messages to the mobile number on your application.