Why Won't the IRS Let Me Apply for an EIN Online?

Last updated November 10, 2026 · Written by the EIN Registration filing team

The IRS online EIN application turns people away for six reasons, and only two of them are fixed by trying again. It is closed overnight; the responsible party has no SSN or ITIN; the business has no U.S. address; the name conflicts with one in IRS records; you are locked out for the day; or an EIN was already issued to you today. For the others, Form SS-4 goes by fax.

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The six reasons

It is closed. The online application is open Monday to Friday 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. (into the next day), Saturday 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 6 p.m. to midnight, Eastern time. Outside those hours it will not start. Try again when it reopens.
The responsible party has no SSN or ITIN. The online application requires one. Without it the form goes by fax or mail. See how to get an EIN without an SSN.
The business has no U.S. address. The online application is for businesses whose principal place of business is in the United States or a U.S. territory.
The name conflicts with one already in IRS records. This is reference number 101. The online application will refuse the same name every time. It goes by fax, with the name unchanged.
You are locked out for the day. After several failed attempts the application shows reference number 105. Stop, and try the next day or fax the form.
An EIN was already issued to you today. The IRS issues one EIN per responsible party per day, and a second attempt shows reference number 114. Your earlier attempt probably went through.

If it shows a different reference number

Any refusal comes with a three-digit number. Why the IRS says it can't provide you an EIN lists what each one means, and whether you can apply again says which ones are worth a second try.

What the IRS manual says

The IRS's own procedures for EIN applications are in Internal Revenue Manual section 21.7.13. These passages are quoted word for word.

What the online application checks before it issues a number

“Only applicants who pass the validation receive an EIN during the online session.”

IRM 21.7.13.3.4.1, Modernized Internet EIN (10-01-2026)

What happens when you call the IRS about it

“Reference numbers 101 or 115 are directed to a CSR for assistance. All other reference numbers are routed to an automated message which provides instructions to correct invalid information and resubmit the application or submit Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number, by mail or fax.”

IRM 21.7.13.3.4.1, Modernized Internet EIN (10-01-2026)

What the IRS tells callers who hit a technical failure

“advise the taxpayer to apply online later in the day, or they can submit a Form SS-4 by fax or mail.”

IRM 21.7.13.3.4.1.1, Technical Difficulties with the Online Application (10-01-2022)

The manual does not publish what each reference number means: the tables that list them are withheld from the public copy. The meanings on this page are what each number has meant on the applications we file. Source: IRM 21.7.13, Assigning Employer Identification Numbers, read November 10, 2026.

Quick answers

Why won't it let me apply for an EIN online?

Either the application is closed for the night, or it is open and one of its checks failed: the responsible party has no SSN or ITIN, the business has no U.S. address, the name conflicts with one already in IRS records, you have been locked out for the day, or an EIN was already issued to you today.

Can I still get an EIN if I can't apply online?

Yes. Form SS-4 by fax or mail reaches a person at the IRS and has none of the online application's limits. It is the only route for an applicant with no SSN or ITIN, a business with no U.S. address, and a name conflict.

Who can use the IRS online EIN application?

An applicant whose principal business is in the United States or a U.S. territory and whose responsible party has a valid SSN or ITIN. Everyone else applies by fax, by mail or, from outside the U.S., by phone.

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Related guides

IRS EIN Online Application Not Working? Every Cause and Fix Closed hours, session timeouts, the one per day rule, browser traps and the reference numbers, in the order to check them. Plus the method that does not depend on the website at all.
Why Does the IRS Say It Can't Provide Me an EIN? The online application's refusal message is the same for every cause. What it means, what each reference number under it is, and what to do next.
How to Get an EIN Without an SSN Foreign founders can get an EIN with no SSN and no ITIN, just not through the IRS online tool. The route that works.
What Does EIN Reference Number 105 Mean? Too Many Attempts Reference number 105 is a lockout. Retrying makes it worse. What triggers it, how long it lasts, and how to get the EIN without waiting it out.
What Does EIN Reference Number 114 Mean? One EIN Per Day Code 114 means an EIN was already issued to this responsible party today. It often means your earlier attempt succeeded. How to recover that number instead of waiting a day to apply again.
How to Apply for an EIN by Fax: SS-4 Fax Numbers and What Comes Back 855-641-6935 for the 50 states and DC, two other numbers for everyone else. What to send, how long the IRS takes, the cover sheet it faxes back, the designee signature rule, and what to do when nothing comes back.

Sources

You can also apply for an EIN directly with the IRS at irs.gov at no cost.