Can I delete and restart my FAFSA application after processing if signatures won't work?

ya u can delete it and start over, i had to do this last yr when my dads info kept giving errors. just go to ur dashboard and look for delete option

Thanks! Did you have any issues after deleting it? Like did it affect your aid amounts or create problems with your school?

This is a common issue, but I'd advise caution before deleting a processed FAFSA application. When you delete your FAFSA, you're completely removing it from the system. All your data, school selections, and processing status will be lost. \n\nInstead of deleting, have you tried these troubleshooting steps first?\n1. Use a different browser (Chrome tends to work best with studentaid.gov)\n2. Clear your browser cache and cookies\n3. Try signing during non-peak hours (early morning)\n4. Make sure you and your parent are using separate accounts with different emails\n5. Verify your parent has created their own FSA ID and not just using yours

We've tried different browsers and times of day but not clearing the cache. I'll definitely try that! My dad does have his own FSA ID but maybe there's an issue with it? I'll have him check if it's fully verified.

DONT DELETE IT!!! omg that's the WORST advice ever!!! I deleted mine last year because of similar issues and it was a NIGHTMARE!!! Had to start ALL OVER and my school questioned why I submitted 2 applications and put me under review for fraud!! It delayed my aid package by 2 months and I almost lost my housing!!

I think this varies by school. My daughter deleted and resubmitted with no issues at all. The schools could see the previous submission was deleted, not that she was trying to submit multiple applications.

I work in a financial aid office, and I can tell you that deleting a FAFSA that's already been processed is generally not recommended, but sometimes necessary in specific situations. \n\nWhat specific signature error are you getting? There are different approaches depending on the error message. Also, have you tried the \

The error just says \

Not exactly the same but my mom's FSA ID kept having verification issues last year for like 2 weeks straight. We literally couldn't sign anything! So frustrating. Have you checked if your parent's FSA ID is fully verified? Sometimes there's a waiting period after creating one before it can be used for signatures.

That's a good point. My dad created his FSA ID right when we started the application. Maybe there's still some verification happening in the background?

I had this EXACT same problem last month. I spent HOURS trying different browsers, clearing cache, etc. Nothing worked. I finally was able to reach someone at Federal Student Aid after calling for three days straight. They fixed something on their end and suddenly the signatures worked fine.\n\nIf you need to get through to them quickly, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me skip the phone wait. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. It saved me so much time since I'd been hung up on multiple times after waiting over an hour.

Thank you for this! I've been trying to call them too with no luck. I'll check out this service - at this point I'm willing to try anything to get this resolved before my deadline.

have u checked ur internet connection? sometimes my signatures wouldn't go thru on my apartments wifi but worked fine at starbucks lol. also make sure ur using the right FSA ID password. I kept using an old password and got locked out 🤦‍♀️

Good idea about trying a different WiFi network! We've been doing this all from home. Maybe there's some weird firewall thing happening with our internet provider.

One more thing to try: The FAFSA form works best when your pop-up blocker is disabled, and the signature process specifically can fail if JavaScript isn't enabled. Double-check those settings in your browser.\n\nIf you absolutely must delete and start over, make sure to:\n1. Take screenshots of all your current info for reference\n2. Contact your school's financial aid office to inform them\n3. Complete and submit the new application in one sitting if possible\n4. Keep documentation of the technical issues you experienced

These are really helpful tips - thank you! I'll check our browser settings tonight and see if that resolves it. If we do need to delete, I'll definitely contact my school's financial aid office first.

Also check if ur using any browser extensions or ad blockers!! My FAFSA signature wouldn't work and it was because of my stupid adblocker the whole time!!! I was ready to throw my computer out the window by the time I figured it out lol

omg this happened to me too! stupid ad blocker lol

Update to my previous comment - I just checked with our processing team. If you do end up deleting and resubmitting, there's an important timing factor: if your original FAFSA was already sent to schools, you should immediately contact each school's financial aid office to explain the situation. They may need to manually clear the previous submission from their system to avoid conflicts when the new one arrives.\n\nOne other troubleshooting tip: make sure the parent signing is actually listed as a parent on the FAFSA. Sometimes people list a stepparent or guardian but then a different parent tries to sign.

This is super helpful information - thank you! We double checked and my dad is definitely listed as the parent on the form. If we do need to delete it, I'll immediately contact all my schools.

Just curious - has anyone actually tried calling the FAFSA helpline recently? I heard they've improved their wait times since the FAFSA simplification launch issues earlier this year.

LOLOLOL. I called yesterday and waited 97 MINUTES before getting disconnected. Their \

After reading through everyone's suggestions, I'd recommend trying these steps in order:\n\n1. Clear browser cache, disable ad blockers/extensions, enable JavaScript\n2. Try on a different network (mobile hotspot or public WiFi)\n3. Use the \

Thank you for summarizing all this! I'm going to try everything on this list tonight. I'll update this thread if we figure out what's causing our signature problems in case it helps anyone else!

Hey! I just went through this exact same nightmare a few months ago. Before you consider deleting (which can create more problems), try one more thing that worked for me: have your parent try signing from their phone using the mobile browser instead of a computer. For some weird reason, the mobile version of the site handled signatures better when I was having issues. Also make sure they're not copying/pasting their FSA ID password - type it manually. I know it sounds silly but that was actually part of my problem! If none of the troubleshooting works and you absolutely have to delete, definitely call your schools first like others mentioned. Good luck!