What is the e-Shram card?
The e-Shram card is your entry in the national database of unorganised-sector workers, run by the Ministry of Labour & Employment at the official portal eshram.gov.in. Registration is free and gives you a permanent 12-digit Universal Account Number (UAN) printed on the card. The aim (as of 2026) is to give India's roughly 30-crore-strong unorganised workforce a single, portable identity through which welfare and social-security schemes can be delivered.
"Unorganised worker" covers anyone earning a living outside the formal, EPFO/ESIC-covered sector — construction labour, street vendors, domestic help, farm labour, gig and platform workers, drivers, and home-based workers.
Benefits of the e-Shram card
- Permanent UAN — one number that ports across states and jobs for your whole working life.
- Database inclusion — being on the register is how future and existing welfare schemes reach you; new benefits are routinely mapped onto e-Shram data.
- Accident insurance cover as notified by the Government (PMSBY-linked) for registered workers.
- Single identity for accessing schemes without re-proving who you are each time.
Exact benefit amounts and the linked-scheme list are set by the Government and updated periodically — always confirm the current benefits on eshram.gov.in.
Eligibility
| Requirement | Detail (as of 2026) |
|---|---|
| Age | 16 to 59 years |
| Work type | Unorganised-sector worker (no formal PF/ESIC employer) |
| Not a member of | EPFO or ESIC |
| Tax status | Not an income-tax payer |
| Documents | Aadhaar with Aadhaar-linked mobile; bank account (IFSC) |
How to register (free, by mobile)
- Open eshram.gov.in (or the e-Shram app) and choose "Register on e-Shram" / "Self Registration".
- Enter your Aadhaar-linked mobile number and verify the OTP.
- Aadhaar details are fetched and verified online; fill in occupation, address, and education/skill details.
- Add your bank account number and IFSC.
- Submit — your UAN is generated instantly and you can download the card straight away.
No smartphone or Aadhaar-linked mobile? Visit a nearby CSC (Common Service Centre) with your Aadhaar and bank details and an operator will register you.
How to download the e-Shram card by mobile number
- On eshram.gov.in, choose "Already Registered → Update / Download UAN Card".
- Enter your registered mobile number and verify the OTP (you do not need the card number).
- Open your profile and click Download UAN Card to save the PDF.
About the e-Shram UAN
The 12-digit UAN on your e-Shram card is not the same as the EPFO UAN given to organised-sector employees with a Provident Fund. The e-Shram UAN identifies you on the unorganised-worker database; the EPFO UAN tracks your PF account. Being an EPFO member generally makes you ineligible for e-Shram, because the scheme is meant for workers outside EPFO/ESIC.
Pair it with the right savings
An e-Shram registration is a good moment to add a guaranteed pension: the Atal Pension Yojana is built for exactly this audience (₹1,000–₹5,000/month guaranteed, as of 2026). Farmers should also check their PM-Kisan installment status, and parents saving for a daughter can look at the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana. For a full menu of low-risk government savings, see post office schemes.