Struggling with EFIN application process - system keeps rejecting my company info

This happens more often than you'd think with EFIN applications. There are a few things that commonly cause these mismatches even when you're entering information exactly as it appears on your EIN letter. First, check if you're using the correct application. For tax preparers, you need to use the IRS e-services portal and complete the e-file application specifically. Some people mistakenly try to register through other IRS systems. Second, the issue might be with how the business name is formatted in the IRS master file versus your EIN letter. Try variations like removing "LLC" or "Inc." or entering them with/without periods. Sometimes the IRS internal records format business names differently than what appears on documents. Third, verify that your EIN is fully processed in the IRS system. There can be a delay between receiving your EIN letter and when it's properly indexed in all IRS databases. Sometimes waiting 10-14 business days after receiving your EIN can help. Lastly, if nothing works, call the IRS e-help desk directly at 866-255-0654. They deal with EFIN application issues specifically and can look up your information to tell you exactly what's happening.

I went through this exact EFIN application nightmare last year and wasted weeks going back and forth. After trying everything, I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which literally saved me from giving up. They have this document verification tool that analyzes your EIN letter and application info to find the exact discrepancies that the IRS system is flagging. I uploaded my EIN letter and entered the exact information I was submitting in the application, and it spotted that my business name formatting was different between what I thought was correct and what the IRS had in their system. Turns out I needed to use an ampersand instead of writing out "and" in my business name, even though my EIN letter had it written out. Fixed that one thing and my application went through immediately.

I was super skeptical about using a third-party service like taxr.ai when I commented earlier, but after spending THREE DAYS trying to get through to the IRS e-help desk and getting disconnected twice, I finally gave it a try. Can't believe I'm saying this but it actually worked! Uploaded my EIN letter and the system immediately flagged that I was using "LLC" in my business name but the IRS had me registered without the LLC designation in their master file. Made that one change and my EFIN application went through right away. The document analysis tool spotted something I would have never guessed was the issue. Now I'm back on track to get everything set up for tax season. Wish I hadn't wasted so much time being stubborn about it!

Another thing that might help - if you're still stuck with the EFIN application after trying different name formats - is getting someone from the IRS on the phone who can actually look at your records. I know it sounds impossible, but I used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through to an IRS agent after struggling for weeks. They have this system that basically waits on hold for you then calls when an agent picks up. You can see how it works in their demo video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was in the exact same situation with my EFIN application getting rejected. The IRS agent was able to tell me exactly how my business was listed in their system (turns out they had my business type wrong). Fixed that one thing and my application went through immediately. Saved me weeks of frustration!

I was skeptical about Claimyr when I commented earlier (thought it had to be a scam), but after another failed EFIN application attempt, I was desperate enough to try anything. I'm genuinely shocked - it actually worked! The system called me back after about 90 minutes when an IRS agent came on the line. The agent was able to look up my business in their system and told me that my EIN hadn't fully propagated to all their databases yet. She made a note in my file and told me to try again in 48 hours. Did that and my EFIN application went through without a hitch. Without getting someone on the phone who could actually check my records, I would have been stuck in that rejection loop forever. Definitely worth it for the time saved!

Another trick that worked for me with the EFIN application - try applying very early in the morning (like 5-6am EST) or late at night. The system seems less buggy during off-peak hours when fewer people are using it. Also, check if you have any special characters in your business name like hyphens, apostrophes, or periods. Sometimes those need to be entered differently or omitted entirely. I had to remove an apostrophe from my business name even though it was on my EIN letter.

Has anyone tried using a different browser? Sometimes these government sites work better in Internet Explorer (I know, ancient technology) or Edge rather than Chrome or Firefox. I had issues with another IRS application that were solved just by switching browsers.

One thing nobody mentioned - if you're applying as a sole proprietor, make sure you're using your personal info exactly as it appears on your tax return, not just what's on the EIN letter. The IRS cross-references both during the EFIN application process. My application kept failing until I realized I needed to use my full legal middle name instead of just the middle initial.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Been stuck in the EFIN application rejection loop for over a week. The most frustrating part is that I've checked my business name, EIN, and address multiple times against my EIN letter and everything matches perfectly. Reading through all these responses is actually really helpful - I had no idea there were so many potential causes for the mismatch. I'm going to try some of the suggestions here, starting with different formatting of my business name (removing "LLC" and trying variations with punctuation). @Ryder Ross - have you had any luck since posting this? I'm curious if any of these suggestions worked for you. The tax season deadline pressure is real! One thing I'm wondering - has anyone had success with the IRS e-help desk lately? I've been hesitant to spend hours on hold, but if it's the most reliable way to get this resolved, I might need to bite the bullet.

I've been following this thread closely because I'm in the exact same boat - multiple EFIN rejections despite triple-checking everything against my EIN letter. After reading all these suggestions, I wanted to share what worked for me after weeks of frustration. The key breakthrough came when I realized the issue wasn't just formatting, but timing. My business EIN was issued only 3 weeks ago, and apparently that wasn't enough time for it to fully propagate through all IRS systems. I called the e-help desk (finally got through after 2 hours) and the agent confirmed this - she said to wait at least 4-6 weeks after EIN issuance before attempting EFIN registration. In the meantime, I also discovered I was entering my business address with "Suite" spelled out, but the IRS system expected "Ste" - even though my EIN letter had it spelled out completely. These tiny formatting differences are apparently huge roadblocks. For anyone still struggling: document every variation you try, wait longer after getting your EIN than you think you need to, and don't be afraid to call the e-help desk during off-peak hours. The agents really can see what's causing the mismatch in ways we can't figure out on our own.

I've been lurking on this thread for days as I've been dealing with the exact same EFIN rejection nightmare. Finally created an account to share what ended up working for me after trying literally everything mentioned here. My breakthrough came when I realized the issue was with my business formation date. I formed my LLC in December but didn't receive my EIN until January. When I was filling out the EFIN application, I was using the EIN issue date instead of the actual business formation date from my Articles of Organization. Once I switched to using my LLC formation date (which was earlier than my EIN date), the application went through immediately. Apparently the IRS cross-references your business formation documents with state records, and any date discrepancies can trigger the rejection. This might not apply to everyone, but for those who formed their business and got their EIN in different months/years, definitely check that you're using the correct formation date rather than the EIN issue date. It's such a subtle thing that I never would have thought to try without going through weeks of failed attempts first. Hope this helps someone else avoid the frustration I went through!

I went through this exact same EFIN rejection nightmare last year and it nearly drove me to give up on my tax prep business entirely. After weeks of failed attempts and trying every formatting variation I could think of, I finally discovered what was causing my issue. The problem was that I had recently changed my business from a sole proprietorship to an LLC after getting my original EIN, but before applying for the EFIN. Even though I had updated my business information with the IRS using Form 8822-B, the change hadn't fully propagated to the EFIN application system yet. What finally worked was calling the e-help desk during their least busy time (around 7 AM EST on a Tuesday) and explaining the situation. The agent was able to see the entity type mismatch in their system and made a note in my file to override the validation. She told me to wait 24 hours and try again, and it worked perfectly. The key lesson I learned is that any recent changes to your business structure, address, or ownership can cause these validation mismatches even when everything looks correct on your end. The IRS has multiple databases that don't always sync in real-time, especially during busy periods. For anyone still struggling - don't give up! Document everything you try, and if you've made any business changes recently, definitely mention that when you call the e-help desk. They can see things in their system that we can't, and they're usually willing to help once they understand the specific situation.

I'm going through this exact same issue right now and it's absolutely maddening! I've been stuck in the EFIN rejection loop for over two weeks now. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea there were so many potential causes for these mismatches. What's really frustrating is that the IRS system gives you such a generic error message ("information doesn't match IRS records") without any indication of which specific field is causing the problem. It could be business name formatting, address variations, entity type discrepancies, timing issues with new EINs, or apparently even the difference between business formation dates and EIN issue dates. I'm going to systematically try several of the suggestions mentioned here: first, I'll wait until my EIN has been active for at least 4-6 weeks (it's only been 3 weeks for me). Then I'll try different variations of my business name formatting, including removing "LLC" and testing different punctuation. I'll also double-check that I'm using my actual business formation date rather than my EIN issue date. If those don't work, I'm definitely going to bite the bullet and call the e-help desk during off-peak hours. The stories about agents being able to see specific validation issues and even make override notes in files is really encouraging. It sounds like they can resolve problems that would be impossible to figure out on our own. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here - this thread has been more helpful than any official IRS documentation I've found!

I've been struggling with this same EFIN rejection issue for the past month and finally got it resolved! After reading through this entire thread and trying multiple approaches, I wanted to share what ultimately worked for me in case it helps others. My situation was a bit unique - I had moved my business to a new state after getting my EIN but before applying for the EFIN. Even though I updated my address with the IRS using Form 8822-B, the EFIN system was still validating against my old state information. The breakthrough came when I called the e-help desk (got through in about 90 minutes calling at 6:30 AM EST) and the agent could see the address update was stuck in processing. She suggested I temporarily use my original EIN letter address for the EFIN application, then update it again after approval. It felt counterintuitive to use an "incorrect" address, but it worked immediately! Once my EFIN was approved, I was able to update my current address through the regular business update process. The key takeaway for me was that the EFIN validation system seems to be more strict and less up-to-date than other IRS systems. If you've made ANY changes to your business info after getting your EIN - address, entity type, business name, etc. - try using exactly what's on your original EIN letter first, even if it's technically outdated. You can always correct it after getting approved. Also, that early morning call time really does work better for reaching the e-help desk quickly. The agents have been incredibly helpful once you get through to them.

I'm going through this exact same frustration right now! Just got rejected for the fourth time despite triple-checking everything against my EIN letter. The generic "information doesn't match IRS records" error is driving me crazy because it gives zero indication of what's actually wrong. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea there were so many potential causes for these mismatches. I'm particularly interested in the timing issue several people mentioned. My EIN was just issued 2 weeks ago, so based on what others have shared, I should probably wait another 2-4 weeks before trying again to let it fully propagate through all IRS systems. The business name formatting variations also make a lot of sense. I'm going to try removing "LLC" from my business name and testing different punctuation when I apply again. It's frustrating that such minor formatting differences can cause complete rejections, but at least now I have specific things to test instead of just guessing. Has anyone had success with the IRS e-services chat function, or is the phone call to the e-help desk really the only way to get human assistance with these validation issues? I'm trying to decide if it's worth waiting in the phone queue or if there are other support channels that might be helpful. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences here - this is way more useful than any official IRS documentation I've found!

I've been dealing with this exact same EFIN rejection issue and want to add another potential cause that hasn't been mentioned yet - special characters in your responsible party information. I spent weeks trying different business name formats and address variations, but it turned out the problem was with my responsible party's name. I have a hyphenated last name (Smith-Johnson), and the EFIN system was rejecting it even though that's exactly how it appears on my EIN letter and all my tax documents. What finally worked was entering my name without the hyphen, just as "Smith Johnson" with a space instead. The IRS agent I eventually reached explained that some of their older validation systems don't handle hyphens, apostrophes, or other special characters consistently across all databases. This might seem like a minor thing, but if you have any special characters in your name, business name, or address (hyphens, apostrophes, periods, etc.), try variations with and without them. It's another formatting quirk that can cause these frustrating rejections even when everything looks correct on your documents. Hope this helps someone else avoid the weeks of trial and error I went through!