e-Shram Card 2026: Worker Registration and 2 Lakh Cover

Direct answer. e-Shram is India's universal worker e-card for the unorganised sector — domestic workers, farm labour, gig workers, construction labour, hawkers, drivers, MSME workers. Register free at https://eshram.gov.in or any CSC. Get a 12-digit UAN (Universal Account Number), ₹2 lakh accident cover, and auto-eligibility for several scheme DBT credits. 30+ crore registered as of 2026 — but most still don't claim downstream benefits.

• Free registration at eshram.gov.in or any CSC.
• Eligible: anyone aged 16–59 in unorganised work (no PF/ESI).
• Aadhaar mobile-linked + bank account required.
• 5-minute online registration, instant card download.
• Helpline: 14434 (toll-free).
• Stuck? 🪄 RTI in 60 sec.

e-Shram launched 26 August 2021 by the Ministry of Labour & Employment as the National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW). Goal: comprehensive worker database to deliver social security + scheme benefits + crisis response.

• PMSBY ₹2 lakh accident cover — automatic upon registration, from age 18 (first-year premium paid by the Labour Ministry).
• Universal Account Number (UAN) — works as worker's identity for any scheme.
• Disaster compensation — the e-Shram database is used to pay ex-gratia DBT to registered workers hit by natural calamities (cyclone, flood).
• Migrant worker tracking — when you move state, your UAN moves with you.
• Auto-eligibility flag for: PMSYM (pension), Ayushman Bharat (if SECC-listed), state-specific welfare boards.
• Future-ready — Code on Social Security mandates platform companies (Swiggy, Uber, Ola) to contribute social security based on your UAN.

• Age 16–59.
• Indian resident.
• Unorganised worker (key criterion):
  • Self-employed (street vendor, hawker, domestic worker, farm labour)
  • Wage worker without PF/ESI
  • Migrant worker
  • Construction worker
  • Gig / platform worker (Swiggy, Uber, Amazon delivery, etc.)
  • Plantation worker
  • MSME workers without PF/ESI

• EPFO members (formal sector with PF)
• ESIC members (formal sector with ESI)
• Central / state government employees
• Income-tax payers — an e-Shram registrant should not be an income-tax payee (the portal sets no monthly income cap)

1. Aadhaar card (mobile-linked, mandatory)
2. Mobile number for OTP
3. Bank account (Aadhaar-seeded, your name)
4. Self-declaration of occupation (one of 30+ categories)

That's it — no income proof, no caste, no photo upload (Aadhaar photo used).

1. Visit https://eshram.gov.in.
2. Click “Register on e-Shram”.
3. Enter Aadhaar number + mobile linked → OTP.
4. Confirm Aadhaar details (auto-populated).
5. Bank account: A/C number + IFSC.
6. Personal info: education, skill, monthly income (estimate).
7. Occupation: pick from 30+ categories (domestic worker, agricultural labour, construction worker, driver, etc.).
8. Optional: NCO code for nuance (use search box).
9. Submit → e-Shram card generated instantly with your UAN.
10. Download PDF.

1. Visit any Common Service Centre (CSC) — registration is free; do not pay any charge.
2. Operator does eKYC + form fill.
3. Card printed + delivered same day.

1. e-Shram card (downloadable PDF + physical printable).
2. PMSBY ₹2 lakh accident cover auto-active for first year. Renewable annually at ₹20.
3. UAN valid for life — write it down + save.
4. Linked to all future DBT schemes that auto-credit unorganised workers (e.g., COVID-style direct transfers).

• Aadhaar mobile not linked — registration blocked. Fix at UIDAI Seva Kendra first.
• Already EPFO member — system rejects. e-Shram is only for unorganised. If you have PF, you can't have e-Shram.
• Two registrations — system de-dupes via Aadhaar; second blocked.
• Income-tax payer status — e-Shram guidance says registrants should not be income-tax payees; the portal uses no monthly income cap.
• Forgetting UAN — write it on bank passbook OR DigiLocker for safe storage.

• Gig worker welfare laws — Rajasthan (2023) and Karnataka (2024) have enacted platform gig-worker welfare laws that set up welfare boards funded by a levy on aggregators; registration under them is separate from e-Shram.
• Code on Social Security 2020 in force — the labour Codes came into force on 21 November 2025; the Code requires aggregators and platform companies to contribute to a social security fund for gig and platform workers.
• DigiLocker integration — e-Shram card auto-pulled into DigiLocker.
• Direct DBT during emergencies — the Ministry has issued ex-gratia guidelines for using the e-Shram database to pay affected workers directly after cyclones and floods.

Yes — gig/platform workers are explicitly covered. Pick “Platform & Gig Worker” category.

No — if any active EPFO/ESI membership exists, e-Shram blocks. Either close the EPFO membership (post-job-exit) or skip e-Shram.

Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana — ₹2 lakh accident cover for ₹20/year. Free for first year when you register on e-Shram. To continue beyond year one, give consent for auto-debit before each cycle (1 June–31 May).

Visit eshram.gov.in → Already Registered → Update / Download → enter UAN + Aadhaar OTP → re-download PDF. Free.

Common reasons: (a) you joined EPFO formal employment, (b) Aadhaar discrepancy detected, © your profile is out of date — the portal asks registrants to keep details updated for continued benefits. The card itself never expires and needs no renewal.

Yes for some welfare schemes that recognise UAN. Not for banking KYC, govt office attestation, etc. — Aadhaar is still the primary ID.

Yes — registration is open from age 16. But the PMSBY cover through e-Shram applies only from age 18, so the ₹2 lakh accident cover attaches once you turn 18.

Government uses e-Shram database + Aadhaar-bank linkage for direct, fast DBT during cyclone/flood/heat-wave responses. No application needed — auto-credit if you're in the affected area.

• PMSYM — ₹3,000/month pension after 60 (₹55–200/month contribution)
• PMJJBY — ₹2 lakh life cover ₹436/year
• Atal Pension Yojana — ₹1k–5k/month after 60
• Jan Dhan — bank account first
• Ayushman Bharat — if SECC-listed
• MGNREGA — for rural workers
• 💼 All employment schemes * The RTI Playbook

• e-Shram official
• Ministry of Labour & Employment
• Code on Social Security 2020
• Helpline: 14434

Last reviewed: 1 September 2026.