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Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Catalog Number 68747U
www.irs.gov

Publication 5248
IRS Form 990-N Electronic Filing System (e-Postcard)
User Guide
(Rev. 8-2023)

Steps for using the Form 990-N Electronic Filing System (e-Postcard)

REMINDER

An organization cannot file Form 990-N until after the end of its tax year. For example:

• Calendar Year Filers
If your organization uses a calendar year (a year ending December 31) as its tax year, it must wait until January 1, the day following the end of its tax year, to file.
• Fiscal Year Filers
If your organization uses a fiscal year (a year ending on a date other than December 31) as its tax year, it must wait until the day following the end of its fiscal year to file.

The IRS determines the filing year using the beginning date of the organization's tax year.

NOTE: BEFORE FILING

If technical issues prevent you from registering or filing with the Form 990-N electronic filing system, try the suggestions below. If the problem still exists after trying all the suggestions below, contact IRS Customer Account Services at 877-829-5500 (a toll-free number).

Telephone assistance is also available for individuals with TTY equipment at 800-829-4059. Take the following steps to prevent problems during the registration and filing processes:

• Do not use a smart phone or tablet to file your Form 990-N. 
• Close multiple browsers when registering.
Errors may occur if you have additional internet browsers open during the registration process. Please close other internet browser windows.
• Use correct text characters when registering and filing.
Ensure that you use only letters, numbers or a hyphen when entering text fields and limit your entries to 35 characters/spaces. These character limits do not apply to password fields. When choosing a password, use only letters, numbers and special characters except the caret (^).
• If the suggestions above don't resolve the issue, sign out of the filing system (if logged in), close all programs and shut down your computer. Wait a minute, restart your computer and try again.
This step is required before calling the Customer Account Services line (877-829-5500) for technical help.

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HOW TO SIGN IN

STEP 1 

Open the electronic filing page: 
https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/annual-electronic-filing-requirement-for-small-exempt-organizations-form-990-n-e-postcard.

After reviewing the information provided on the Form 990-N webpage, click the "Submit Form 990-N (e-Postcard)" link under the "Submitting Form 990-N (e-Postcard)" header.

STEP 2
Sign In or Create a New Account

• IRS offers sign-in options with Login.gov and ID.me. Both offer access to IRS online services through a secure account that protects your privacy.

HOW TO CREATE AN ELECTRONIC FORM SUBMISSION

STEP 1

Select MANAGE E-POSTCARD PROFILE to create a new Form 990-N electronic filing submission.

Home | Security Profile | Logout

Electronically file your Form 990-N (e-Postcard)

e-Postcard Profile

Before you can create a Form 990-N (e-Postcard), you must create your e-Postcard Profile. Your e-Postcard Profile allows you to: 

1. Designate your e-Postcard Profile as either a "Preparer" or "Exempt Organization"
2. Add EINs to your e-Postcard Profile
3. Remove EINs from your e-Postcard Profile

More information on who must file a Form 990-N.

Once created, you can update your e-Postcard profile at any time. Click the button below to get started.

MANAGE E-POSTCARD PROFILE clickable button

Manage Form 990-N Submissions

Once your e-Postcard Profile is created, you can use the Manage Form 990-N Submissions page to: 

1. Create a Form 990-N
2. View the status of your existing Form 990-N submission(s)
3. Edit an in-progress Form 990-N
4. Delete an in-progress Form 990-N

MANAGE FORM 990-N SUBMISSIONS clickable button

STEP 2

From the drop down shown below, select either Exempt Organization or Preparer in the "User Type" field.

• Exempt Organization: Select if you are only completing 990-N for your organization.
• Preparer: Select if you expect to help multiple organizations.

Example: A preparer can be a paid preparer, such as a CPA, volunteer or someone aiding exempt organizations at a local library. By selecting Preparer, you can use your login to add as many organizations as you wish.

After selecting the user type, select CONTINUE.

Home | Security Profile | Logout

e-Postcard Profile

A line is divided into the 5 segments listed below. The first one e-Postcard Profile is selected.

e-Postcard Profile
Select EIN
Organization Details
Contact Information
Confirmation

Please select Exempt Organization or Preparer

User Type

Select One Selected in drop-down menu
Exempt Organization
Preparer

PREVIOUS clickable button CONTINUE clickable button

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STEP 3

Enter an EIN for the organization you're filing for, then click ADD EIN. You may also delete EINs already associated with your profile by selecting DELTE EIN. To continue, select CREATE NEW FILING.

Home | Security Profile | Logout

e-Postcard Profile

A line is divided into the 5 clickable buttons listed below. The first button is selected.

e-Postcard Profile
Select EIN
Organization Details
Contact Information
Confirmation

You are logged in as: Exempt Organization Edit user type

EIN
XX-XXXXXXX ADD EIN clickable button

Currently Associated EIN(s)

EIN Organization Name Date Added Delete

No EINs are currently associated with your ID

DELETE EIN clickable button CREATE NEW FILING clickable button

STEP 4

Select the EIN you wish to file for from the drop-down menu. Once you have selected the EIN, select CONTINUE.

Home | Security Profile | Logout

Select EIN

A line is divided into the 5 segments listed below. The first two are dark blue, the rest are light blue.

e-Postcard Profile
Select EIN
Organization Details
Contact Information
Confirmation

Please select EIN for which you want to file for

EIN

Select EIN Selected in drop-down menu

MANAGE E-POSTCARD PROFILE clickable button CONTINUE clickable button

STEP 5

Complete the "Organization Details" page. If you don't understand the request, click the question mark icon (?) for an explanation. When you have completed each line, select CONTINUE.

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Organization Details

A line is divided into the 5 segments listed below. The first three are dark blue, while the rest are light blue.

e-Postcard Profile
Select EIN
Organization Details
Contact Information
Confirmation

Electronic Notice-Form 990-N (e-Postcard)
Organization Information

For the tax year ending

---- ? Nothing selected in drop-down menu

Has your organization terminated or gone out of business?

---- ? Nothing selected in drop-down menu

Are your gross receipts normally $50,000 or less?

---- ? Nothing selected in drop-down menu

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STEP 6

Complete the "Contact Information" page. If you don't understand the request, click the question mark icon (?) for an explanation. When you have completed each line, select one of the following:

• SAVE FILING: Select if you are missing any requested information. This will allow you to return to complete it later.
• SUBMIT FILING: Select when you are sure all required information has been input.

NOTE WHEN REGISTERING OR FILING: TText fields cannot exceed 35 characters and must contain only alphanumeric characters. Periods, slashes and most special characters will cause registration or filing errors. Hyphens are permitted.

Also, enter website addresses using "www." - not "http://www."

Home | Security Profile | Logout

Contact Information

A line is divided into the 5 segments listed below. The first four are dark blue, while the last one is light blue.

e-Postcard Profile
Select EIN
Organization Details
Contact Information
Confirmation

Electronic Notice-Form 990-N (e-Postcard)
Organization Address and Principal Officer Information

Organization's legal name: ---- Empty field
If your organization conducts business using another name (DBA), enter other name:
* = required field

Organization: 

DBA Name

---- ? Nothing selected in drop-down menu

STEP 7

The filing CONFIRMATION will display the filing status as "Pending."

Click on the word PRINT in the bottom paragraph to print a copy for your records. 

Note: Once you leave the page, you won't be able to print this filing.

Select MANAGE FORM 990-N SUBMISSIONS to view or submit additional filings.

Home | Security Profile | Logout

Confirmation

A line is divided into the 5 segments listed below. All are dark blue.

e-Postcard Profile
Select EIN
Organization Details
Contact Information
Confirmation

Your Form 990-N(e-Postcard) has been submitted to the IRS

• Organization Name: XXXXXXXXXX
• EIN: XX-XXXXXXX
• Tax Year: XXXXXXXXXX
• Tax Year Start Date: XXXXXXXXXX
• Tax Year End Date: XXXXXXXXXX
• Submission ID: XXXXXXXXXX
• Filing Status Date: XXXXXXXXXX
• Filing Status: Pending

A red arrow points to the following Note.
Note: Print a copy of this filing for your records. Once you leave this page, you will not be able to do so.

MANAGE FORM 990-N SUBMISSIONS clickable button

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MANAGING FORM 990-N SUBMISSIONS

On the "Manage Form 990-N Submission" page, your submission will show the status of "Pending."

• After seven minutes, refresh the page (F5 key for Windows, Command-R for Mac) and the GET UPDATED STATUS button will be visible.
• The status will change from "Pending" to "Accepted" or "Rejected."
• If your submission was rejected, select the submission ID hyperlink for additional details.
• After the status is updated, the only valid statuses are "Accepted" or "Rejected." If your status displays any other text (like "submitted" or "MeF failed"), contact Customer Account Services at 877-829-5500.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Annual electronic filing requirement for small exempt organizations - Form 990-N (e-Postcard)
• Form 990-N FAQs
• StayExempt.IRS.gov/workshop - Free online courses to help organizational leadership and volunteers understand the benefits, limitations and expectations for exempt organizations.


                             