Online PTIN Application Now Available, But…

The IRS released the final regulations for the new PTIN process for tax professionals. There’s an FAQ available, too.

The first step of the process is too sign up for an account with the PTIN system. If my experience is typical, there are bugs to be worked out of the system. I signed up, and waited for the confirming email.

And I waited.

And I waited.

Maybe I entered my email address wrong, so I did it again (using a different email address).

And I waited.

And I waited.

Needless to say, I advise you wait, too, before applying for the new PTIN. My IRS Liaison has forwarded my issue on, but it may be a day (or two or three) before I move forward. There’s no rush; after all, I have to spend $64.25 for this. The deadline is year-end.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 28th, 2010 at 11:26 pm and is filed under IRS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

4 Responses to “Online PTIN Application Now Available, But…”

  1. Robert D Flach says:
    September 30, 2010 at 10:37 am

    RF-

    I had the same problem. I signed up for the “account” on September 28th but never received the email with my temporary password.

    Yesterday (9/29) I went on to sign-in and indicated that I forgot my password. I instantly received an email with a temporary password.

    However when I tried to register I had problems, initially with zip-code (I had used zip+4, as I had on my 2009 tax return). I think the real problem was that I had entered my full middle name when setting up the account, but had used only my middle initial on my tax return. By the time I had discovered this I had used up my alloted number of “retries” and was told I had to wait 24 hours to try again.

    Today will be the third day I attempted to register. Wish me luck!

    The other RF

  2. Aron says:
    October 5, 2010 at 3:32 pm

    I guess I am not the only frustrated individual. I also got locked out for 24 hours even though I typed in everything correctly….

  3. RONALD THOMPSON says:
    January 10, 2012 at 2:34 pm

    I started to apply November 1, 2011. I used the online method which is down most of the time. Received an error that my identity could not be verfied, I checked all my input and found nothing wrong, so I called the site 25 times, and no one would answer. So I tried the paper method again,, no response.

    I am being refused access, since they only allow 3 tries. Makes no sense.

    I’ve been preparing returns for 40years, and never had so much trouble, I’m suggesting my clients go to Turbo tax, or Efile.