Skip to main content
101EINReject.US
102

IRS reference number 102

SSN/ITIN mismatch — responsible party

The taxpayer ID you entered for the responsible party does not match the IRS's records for that name.

Retry online with corrected inputciteIRS Pub 1635cite26 CFR §301.6109-1citeForm SS-4 Inst.

Plain-English meaning

What reference 102 means

The taxpayer ID you entered for the responsible party does not match the IRS's records for that name. [1]

For the IRS's own wording of this reference number, read the source directly: IRS Pub 1635 (PDF) and the Form SS-4 instructions.

Three patterns we see most

Most common causes

  • Typo in the SSN/ITIN.
  • Name spelling on application differs from name on file with SSA/IRS (e.g. legal vs. preferred name).
  • Recent SSA name change has not propagated to IRS records.

Step-by-step

How to fix it

  1. 1Verify the SSN/ITIN against the original Social Security card or CP565 ITIN notice.
  2. 2Use the legal name exactly as it appears on the SSA/IRS record — middle initial, suffix, hyphenation.
  3. 3If the mismatch is real (e.g. unrecorded name change): file SS-4 by mail or fax with supporting documentation.

Decoder pre-filled to this code

Try the decoder

Error code decoder
client-side · no logging
102
IRS reference number 102
SSN/ITIN mismatch — responsible party
Retry online with corrected inputImmediate retry
What it actually means

The taxpayer ID you entered for the responsible party does not match the IRS's records for that name. [1]

Most common causes
  • Typo in the SSN/ITIN.
  • Name spelling on application differs from name on file with SSA/IRS (e.g. legal vs. preferred name).
  • Recent SSA name change has not propagated to IRS records.
Step-by-step fix
  1. 1Verify the SSN/ITIN against the original Social Security card or CP565 ITIN notice.
  2. 2Use the legal name exactly as it appears on the SSA/IRS record — middle initial, suffix, hyphenation.
  3. 3If the mismatch is real (e.g. unrecorded name change): file SS-4 by mail or fax with supporting documentation.
citeIRS Pub 1635cite26 CFR §301.6109-1citeForm SS-4 Inst.

Informational, not tax advice. The IRS issues all EINs — we do not. Talk to a CPA or EA →

Expectation-setting
Only the IRS issues EINs. No service — formation operator, attorney, CPA, or EIN-resolution shop — issues EINs. What they sell is the labor of refiling SS-4 on your behalf, not a different outcome.
Z
ZenBusiness
SS-4 refile assistance
Affiliate
Formation, registered agent, and SS-4 refile assistance.
Price$0 + state fee — StarterProgram$100 CPA / 30-day cookie · Awin
Affiliate link pending
We earn a referral fee · Only the IRS issues EINs · They refile SS-4 on your behalf

Inline tooling

Hand off the SS-4 refile

B
Bizee
SS-4 refile assistance
Affiliate
Free LLC formation; per-tier CPA on referrals.
Price$0 + state fee — SilverProgram~16% rev share or per-tier CPA · Awin
Disclosure. We earn a referral fee if you use this service. They do not get you a different EIN — only the IRS issues EINs. They refile SS-4 on your behalf with corrected information.
Affiliate link pending
Expectation-setting
Only the IRS issues EINs. No service — formation operator, attorney, CPA, or EIN-resolution shop — issues EINs. What they sell is the labor of refiling SS-4 on your behalf, not a different outcome.

Closely related codes

Related

104Third-party designee conflict
109Technical / system error
110Technical issue with website