You’ve successfully completed a course, but your IRS credit submission was not accepted? Don’t worry—below you’ll find how to check the reason for the failure and what to do next.
How to Check Why Your IRS Submission Failed
- Go to your My Certificates page in your Portal.
- Find the course you completed that qualifies for IRS credit.
- Click the › (expand) icon next to the course.
- In the Status column, hover your mouse over the red Failed indicator.
A message will appear explaining why the IRS rejected the submission.
Common IRS Error Messages & How to Resolve Them
PTIN-Related Errors
PTIN is not of a valid format
What it means:
Your PTIN must start with a “P” followed by 8 numbers (example: P12345678).
How to fix it:
- Go to your Portal Profile.
- Open the Credential Details section.
- Locate your PTIN and click the three-dot (⋮) menu.
- Select Edit, update the PTIN, and click Save.
PTIN/name mismatch
What it means:
Your PTIN exists but does not match the last name on file with the IRS. This commonly affects users with multiple or hyphenated last names.
How to fix it:
Contact Customer Care to update your last name so it matches the IRS records exactly.
PTIN does not exist
What it means:
The PTIN entered is invalid or no longer active.
How to fix it:
- Go to your Portal Profile.
- Open the Credential Details section.
- Click the three-dot (⋮) menu next to your PTIN.
- Select Edit, update the PTIN, and click Save.
Name-Related Errors
First Name too long
What it means:
Your first name exceeds the IRS limit of 16 characters.
How to fix it:
Contact Customer Care to update your first name so it matches the IRS records.
Last Name too long
What it means:
Your last name exceeds the IRS limit of 40 characters.
How to fix it:
Contact Customer Care to update your last name so it matches exactly what the IRS has on file.
First Name contains invalid characters
What it means:
Your first name includes characters other than letters, hyphens, or apostrophes.
How to fix it:
Please contact Customer Care to update your first name. It must match exactly what the IRS has on file.
First Name is required
What it means:
A first name was not provided.
How to fix it:
Contact Customer Care to add or correct your first name to match IRS records.
Last Name is required
What it means:
A last name was not provided.
How to fix it:
Contact Customer Care to add or correct your last name to match IRS records.
Need Help?
If your error requires a name update or you’re unsure how to proceed, please reach out to our Customer Care team. We’re happy to help ensure your information matches IRS records so your credit can be submitted successfully.