Life Certificate 2026: Deadline and Face App Steps
If you draw a central government pension, your annual life certificate is due in November 2026. The nationwide Digital Life Certificate (DLC) Campaign 5.0 runs from 1 to 30 November 2026, with camps at banks, post offices, railway offices and telecom exchanges. If you are 80 or older, you have been able to submit since 1 October. Here is who needs to submit, how to do it from home with the Jeevan Pramaan face app, and what happens if you miss the deadline.
Life certificate 2026: key dates
| Pensioner group | Submission window | Valid until |
|---|---|---|
| Pensioners below 80 | 1–30 November 2026 | 30 November 2027 |
| Super-senior pensioners (80+) | 1 October – 30 November 2026 | 30 November 2027 |
| EPS-95 (EPFO) pensioners | Any time of the year | One year from the date of submission |
The validity and the October window for 80-plus pensioners come from UIDAI’s Digital Life Certificate FAQ, which follows the CPAO Booklet Scheme, 2021. The EPS-95 rule comes from an EPFO announcement on PIB, which says EPS pensioners can submit at any time and the certificate stays valid for one year from submission. If your pension comes from a state government, check your treasury’s own schedule, because some states set their own.
What is DLC Campaign 5.0?
The Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) runs a month-long national drive every November. Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh released the guidelines for the fifth edition at the 9th National Anubhav Awards in August, as reported by the Daily Excelsior.
The previous edition shows how big the drive has become. According to PIB, DLC Campaign 4.0 in November 2025 generated 1.54 crore digital life certificates. Over 60% (more than 91 lakh) were done by face authentication, and over 11 lakh came from pensioners aged 80 and above. Around 75,000 camps were held in about 2,000 cities and districts, with 19 banks, 57 pensioner associations and 1.8 lakh postmen involved.
Camps already announced for November 2026
- Telecom pensioners, Delhi NCR: the Principal CCA, Department of Telecom, has published a camp schedule from 3 November (Yamuna Vihar) to 27 November (Narela), covering MTNL and BSNL exchanges in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad and Noida. All camps run from 11 AM to 4 PM. Bring a photograph and a copy of your Aadhaar, PAN or PPO.
- Railway pensioners: North Central Railway will run the campaign across all its divisions from 1 to 30 November. Other zones are announcing their own drives.
- Banks and post offices: pension-disbursing bank branches and post offices hold camps throughout the month.
How to submit your life certificate from home (face authentication)
Face authentication is now the most common way to submit, and you only need an Android phone. Per the UIDAI FAQ, the phone must run Android 9 or above, have a camera of at least 13 MP and 500 MB of free storage, and be connected to the internet. Your Aadhaar must already be registered with your pension disbursing authority (bank, post office and so on).
- Install the AadhaarFaceRD app and the Jeevan Pramaan Face app from the Google Play Store.
- Complete operator authentication with an Aadhaar number and OTP. One registered phone can generate certificates for many pensioners, so a family member’s phone works too.
- Enter the pensioner’s details: name, mobile number, PPO number, pension account number, and the sanctioning and disbursing agencies.
- Scan the pensioner’s face in good light, against a plain background, while they keep their face still and blink during the scan.
- On success you’ll get an SMS with a Jeevan Pramaan ID. Keep it safe. You can download the certificate PDF from jeevanpramaan.gov.in.
Why face scans fail
UIDAI lists the common reasons: poor lighting, a locked Aadhaar or locked biometrics, not blinking, a side-on pose, more than one person in the frame, a slow connection, or wearing glasses when the Aadhaar photo was taken without them (or the other way round). If it still fails, call 1947 or go to a camp.
Who cannot use the face app
Per the UIDAI FAQ, re-employed pensioners and pensioners who have remarried can’t submit through face authentication. They must give the life certificate in the conventional way to their pension disbursing authority.
Other ways to submit
- Doorstep through India Post Payments Bank: a postman or Gramin Dak Sevak comes to your home and generates the DLC. IPPB charges ₹70 (including GST) per successful certificate and nothing extra for the doorstep visit, whether or not you hold an IPPB account.
- Bank branch, post office or Common Service Centre: you can use a fingerprint or iris scanner there.
- EPFO pensioners: you can also submit at EPFO offices or through the UMANG app.
- Paper certificate: the physical form can still be submitted in person at your disbursing bank.
What happens if you miss the 30 November deadline?
The UIDAI FAQ is clear: if the life certificate isn’t submitted by the end of November, your pension for December onwards is held back. It isn’t lost. Once you submit, the pension restarts and the arrears are paid with the next payment. If no certificate is submitted for three years or more, your pension can only restart after sanction through the CPAO, which takes much longer.
Pensioners also get higher Dearness Relief this year: see our explainer on the DA hike for July 2026, which takes DR to 63%.
If you or a family member get a social-assistance pension, there are related changes to track too. Our explainer on the new NSAP rules for pensioners and families covers the old-age and disability pension updates. Our roundup of government schemes for seniors and families in 2026 lists other benefits worth checking. Farming families waiting on the next PM-Kisan payment can track the 24th instalment date.
Frequently asked questions
What is the last date to submit the life certificate in 2026?
30 November 2026 for central government pensioners. DLC Campaign 5.0 runs from 1 to 30 November.
Can pensioners above 80 submit in October?
Yes. Super-senior pensioners aged 80 and above can submit from 1 October. Their certificate is valid until 30 November of the following year.
Can I use my son’s or daughter’s phone for the face scan?
Yes. Once a phone is registered for operator authentication, UIDAI says it can generate DLCs for a large number of pensioners.
Do EPS-95 pensioners have to submit in November?
No. EPFO’s EPS-95 pensioners can submit at any time of the year, and the certificate is valid for one year from the date of submission.
What is the Jeevan Pramaan helpline number?
The Jeevan Pramaan portal lists 1800 111 555. UIDAI’s FAQ also points to 1947 for help with face authentication.
Featured image: Yolanda / Pixabay / Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
