Reference number 105 does not describe a problem with your application at all. It means the system has seen too many attempts with the same SSN, ITIN, or EIN and has stopped accepting new ones for a while. The question that matters is not how to clear 105. It is what error you were getting before the lockout.
What reference 105 means
Too many online attempts in a short period, each one ending in an error, using the same identifying number. The assistant reads that pattern as either a stuck applicant or automated abuse, and it locks further tries. The standard advice is to wait 24 hours.
Why you get it
Almost nobody starts at 105. You hit another error first, usually 101 or 102, and kept resubmitting: a new session, a different browser, the name typed slightly differently. Each of those counted as an attempt, and the counter ran out.
There is also a hard ceiling worth knowing even on the successful path: the IRS issues one EIN per responsible party per day. Multiple applications under the same person on the same day do not work by design.
The fix, step by step
- Stop submitting. More attempts extend the problem.
- Write down the code you saw before the lockout. That code is the real diagnosis. 101 is a name conflict and closes the online route for your entity, so waiting will not help. 102 is a responsible party name and number mismatch you may be able to correct. 103 means a company was named where the IRS wants a person, and 104 is a designee contact clash.
- Wait a full 24 hours. That means a full day, not just until the evening.
- Retry once, and only if the underlying cause is fixable online. One corrected attempt, not a fresh round of variations.
- If the first error was 101, or the responsible party has no SSN or ITIN, skip the retry entirely. Fax Form SS-4 instead: 855-641-6935 with a US address, 304-707-9471 without one, with a return fax number on the form so the EIN comes back by fax rather than by mailed letter.
If you have no SSN or ITIN
Retrying is the wrong move altogether. The online assistant validates the responsible party's number in real time, so your application will keep failing whatever the code of the day is. The paper SS-4 with foreign on line 7b is the route, and we walk through it in getting an EIN without an SSN.
Locked out and still no EIN?
We diagnose the original error and file the SS-4 through the channel that actually works for your case. One submission, prepared properly, instead of another day of retries. Send us your formation documents.
Frequently asked questions
What does EIN reference number 105 mean?
It means too many online attempts were made with the same SSN, ITIN, or EIN, each ending in an error, and the system has stopped accepting new ones for a while. The standard advice is to wait 24 hours before trying again.
Does waiting 24 hours fix error 105?
It resets the attempt counter, nothing more. Whatever error you were getting before the lockout is still there. Fix that first, then make one retry. Otherwise you wait a day and land straight back in 105.
How many EINs can one person get per day?
One. The IRS limits issuance to one EIN per responsible party per day, across all application methods. If you legitimately need several, they have to be spread across days.
When should I stop retrying online and use fax instead?
When the underlying error is one the online tool cannot resolve: a 101 name conflict, or a responsible party with no SSN or ITIN. In both cases the online route is closed, and Form SS-4 by fax with a return fax number on it is the path.
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.