The IRS online EIN assistant stopped you with reference number 102. This one is less final than 101. It usually points at a detail on the responsible party that did not line up with IRS records, and details can be fixed. Here is what the code means and the order in which to try things.
What reference 102 means
Reference 102 signals a mismatch between the responsible party's name and the SSN or ITIN entered for them. The online assistant checks that pairing against IRS records in real time, and when the two do not agree it stops the application and shows this code.
The responsible party is the individual who controls the entity. For a single-member LLC that is you, so in practice 102 means the system did not accept your own name and number as a pair.
Why you get it
- A digit wrong in the SSN or ITIN. The most common cause and the easiest to fix.
- The name entered in a different form than the IRS holds. A middle name added or dropped, or initials where the record has the full name.
- A maiden name still in official records. If you married and never updated your name with the Social Security Administration, the IRS still holds the old one.
- Non-English names entered in a different order or spelling than the original SSN or ITIN paperwork used.
None of these look like errors from your side of the screen, which is why 102 catches people who filled in the form carefully.
The fix, step by step
- Find the document the number came from. The Social Security card, or the CP 565 notice if it is an ITIN. Enter the name exactly as it appears there, not as you write it today.
- Check the number digit by digit. Read it from the document, not from memory.
- Make one careful retry online. If the cause was a typo or a name form, this usually clears it.
- Do not keep resubmitting. Repeated failed attempts trigger reference 105, which locks you out for a day.
- If 102 comes back, move to paper. Complete Form SS-4 and fax it: 855-641-6935 with a US address, 304-707-9471 without one. Put a return fax number on the form so the IRS can fax the EIN back, commonly in about four business days, longer in practice.
If you have no SSN or ITIN at all
Then 102 is not really your error. The online assistant validates the responsible party's number in real time, and an application without one fails, sometimes with this code and sometimes with another. The online route is simply closed to you.
Skip the retries. Complete Form SS-4 on paper, write foreign on line 7b, and fax it to 304-707-9471. You do not need an ITIN first, and applying for one adds weeks for no benefit at this stage. The whole process is in our guide to getting an EIN without an SSN.
The other reference numbers
102 sits in a family of codes, and they do not share a fix. Reference 101 is a business name conflict and closes the online route entirely. Reference 103 appears when a company rather than a person is named as the responsible party. Reference 104 is a third-party designee contact clash, 105 means too many attempts, and 109 and 110 are faults in the IRS system itself. If your screen showed a different number, the fix on this page may not be the right one.
Getting 102 and not sure which record is wrong?
We prepare and fax SS-4s for founders every week, including applications the online assistant has already refused. If you would rather have it handled than diagnosed, send us your formation documents.
Frequently asked questions
What does EIN reference number 102 mean?
It means the responsible party's name and their SSN or ITIN did not match IRS records. The online assistant checks the pairing in real time and stops the application when the two disagree. It is usually a typo, or a name entered in a different form than the one the IRS holds.
Can I fix error 102 and apply online again?
Often, yes. Check the number digit by digit and enter the name exactly as it appears on the Social Security card or the ITIN notice, then make one careful retry. If 102 comes back, file Form SS-4 by fax instead. Do not keep resubmitting, because repeated attempts trigger reference 105 and a day-long lockout.
My name changed after marriage. Is that why I got 102?
It can be. If you never updated your name with the Social Security Administration, the IRS still holds the old one, and entering your current name produces a mismatch. Either enter the name as the records hold it, or take the fax route, which a person reviews. Updating SSA records is worth doing but takes weeks.
I have no SSN or ITIN. Is that why I got 102?
Yes, that will do it. The online assistant cannot validate an application without one, and it fails with various codes, 102 among them. Skip the online tool, complete Form SS-4 on paper, write "foreign" on line 7b, and fax it. You do not need an ITIN to get an EIN.
Sources: IRS Instructions for Form SS-4 and IRS EIN application guidance; error code behavior cross-checked against LLC University, TRUiC, and Clerky documentation of IRS EIN reference numbers. Current as of 1 August 2026. IRS numbers, hours, and processing times change; confirm on irs.gov before filing.