Forgot to sign date on SS4 form for EIN application - should I resubmit?

When it comes to the SS4 form for an EIN application, the date is actually not as critical as your signature. The IRS is primarily concerned that the form is signed to verify you're authorized to request the EIN. In my experience, they'll likely still process your application even without the date. The date field is more for record-keeping purposes than a technical requirement for processing. However, if you want to be absolutely certain, you have a few options. You could fax a new, fully completed form with a cover sheet explaining that this replaces your previous submission. Or you could call the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933 to check if your application has already been processed or if you should resend it.

I went through something similar last year when setting up my LLC! I was stressing about mistakes on my SS4 form and found this awesome service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that saved me tons of time. It's basically an AI tool that reviews your tax forms before submission to catch these exact kinds of mistakes. I uploaded my draft SS4 form and it flagged several issues I'd missed - including the date! What I really liked is that it explained why each field matters and the potential consequences of errors. Definitely worth checking out if you're doing any tax paperwork yourself.

Just wanted to follow up about taxr.ai - I decided to try it after my last comment. I was preparing my EIN application and used it to check my SS4 form before sending. It actually caught that I had listed myself as the wrong type of responsible party and explained how that could cause issues later. Super helpful and definitely more thorough than I expected! The explanations actually taught me stuff about business tax requirements I didn't know. Definitely recommend it if you're doing these forms yourself.

If you need to talk to someone at the IRS about your EIN application (good luck waiting on hold forever...), I highly recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation with my SS4 form and needed to confirm it was received. Instead of wasting hours on hold, Claimyr held my place in line and called me back when an actual IRS agent was on the line. Saved me literally 2+ hours of hold music! You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent was able to check if my application was in their system and told me exactly what to do. For me, they said they were processing it despite the minor error, but your situation might be different.

I need to eat crow here. After posting my skeptical comment, I was desperate to resolve an issue with my business taxes so I tried Claimyr against my better judgment. Holy crap it actually works! I was expecting to get scammed but instead, I got a call back in about 45 minutes with an actual IRS agent on the line. The agent confirmed my SS4 form was in the system and being processed (I had a similar date issue as the OP). Saved me from submitting a duplicate and potentially causing confusion. Never thought I'd say this, but totally worth it just to avoid the hold time torture.

Another option nobody mentioned - you can apply for an EIN online at the IRS website and get it instantly! Much easier than faxing forms and dealing with these kinds of issues. I've done it for three different businesses now. The online application is pretty straightforward and you get your EIN right away instead of waiting. Just google "apply for EIN online IRS" and it'll take you to the right page.

Just wanted to add that I work with a lot of small business clients, and most of the time the IRS will process the SS4 form without the date as long as it's signed. The signature is what legally matters most. However, the IRS is currently experiencing significant processing delays for paper forms - we're seeing 4-6 week waits for EINs submitted by fax or mail.

I had almost the exact same situation last month! Forgot to date my SS4 form and was panicking about it. I ended up calling the IRS Business line (used that Claimyr service someone mentioned to avoid the hold time nightmare) and the agent told me they received my form and were processing it despite the missing date. She explained that as long as the form is signed and all the key business information is complete, they'll usually process it. The date field is more for their internal tracking than a requirement for approval. My EIN came through about 5 weeks later, so you should be fine! I'd recommend calling to confirm they received it rather than sending a duplicate form, just to avoid any potential confusion in their system.

I can relate to this stress! I made a similar mistake on my SS4 form about 6 months ago - forgot to include the date and spent days worrying about it. From my experience, the IRS processed my application just fine despite the missing date. Like others have mentioned, they're more concerned about having your signature and complete business information than the date field. The signature is what legally validates your request. That said, if you're really anxious about it (like I was), calling the IRS to check the status is your best bet. I ended up calling after about 3 weeks and they confirmed my application was in the system and processing normally. The agent mentioned that missing dates are pretty common and rarely cause rejections. One thing to keep in mind - if you do decide to resubmit, make sure to include a cover letter clearly stating it's a corrected version of your previous submission. This helps them avoid any confusion about duplicate applications. Good luck with your new business! The EIN process always feels more complicated than it needs to be, but you'll get through it.

Adding to what others have shared - I'm a CPA and deal with EIN applications regularly for my clients. The missing date really isn't going to be an issue for processing. The IRS SS4 form has evolved over the years, and while the date field exists, it's not one of the critical validation points they use. The most important elements they look for are: complete business information, proper entity type selection, valid responsible party details, and that signature. Your application will almost certainly process normally. That said, if you're concerned about timing (especially since you mentioned needing it for a bank account), I'd suggest calling the IRS in about 2-3 weeks to check status rather than immediately resubmitting. Duplicate applications can sometimes cause more delays than missing dates. One pro tip for the future - if you ever need to submit tax forms again, consider reviewing them the next day with fresh eyes before sending. I catch way more errors that way than trying to proof everything in one sitting. Good luck with your new business venture!