When it comes to payroll tax payments, it's important to stay up to date and informed. Learn how to enroll with the IRS' Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS), so you can review and pay federal taxes online or by phone.
In this article
Enroll online
To get started, go to https://www.eftps.gov/eftps/ and have the following business information ready:
- Employer Identification Number
- Banking account number and routing number
- Address and name as they appear on your IRS tax documents
Once enrolled, take the following steps:
- Click Enrollment > Select Business
- Enter the requested information > Click Submit.
- In seven business days, you will receive a PIN in the mail that allows you to log in to your EFTPS account.
Get your password
When you receive your PIN, call 1.800.982.3526 to get a temporary Internet password. The first time you log in to your EFTPS account, you'll be prompted to update the temporary password to a permanent password of your choice.
Make a payment
- Go to https://www.eftps.gov/eftps/ > Select Make a Payment.
- Log in with your EIN, PIN, and Internet password
- Follow the on-screen prompts to enter your payment information
- When you're finished, save a copy of the Payment Confirmation page. This contains your EFT Acknowledgment Number, which acts as a receipt for your payment instruction
The deadline for making tax payments through EFTPS is 8:00 p.m. EST, one calendar day before the payment due date. You may be able to do a same-day wire from your financial institution. Contact your financial institution for availability, cost, and cut-off times. Read more here.
Frequently Asked Questions
When making a payment, what type of payment do I select?
You are making a federal tax deposit. If you are a quarterly filer, select 941. If you are an annual filer, select 944.
How can I correct the period a payment has been applied to?
When you make a payment through EFTPS, you will be prompted to select the applicable payment period. If you make a payment against the wrong period, you may contact the IRS to have the payment moved.
I enrolled in EFTPS as requested, however I have not received a PIN yet. How will Wave submit my tax payments?
If you are enrolled in Wave's automated tax payment and filing service, your personal EFTPS enrollment will only be used for you to access and review your EFTPS account and federal tax payments. Wave does not require you to share your EFTPS enrollment information with us.
I don't remember my EFTPS pin and can't find the letter from IRS.
Call EFTPS at 1-800-555-4477. Be prepared to answer questions to verify your identity and EFTPS will resend your PIN to you by U.S. Mail. If you verify certain information, they will be able to schedule a payment over the phone in the meantime. For security reasons, your PIN must be mailed; EFTPS will not provide it over the phone. Learn more here.
What frequency should I pay employment taxes (federal income tax, social security, medicare)?
There are two deposit schedules, monthly and semi-weekly. Before the beginning of each calendar year, you must determine which deposit schedule you are required to use, by reviewing Publication 15 for Form 941 and Form 944. You can review and manage your deposit frequency in Wave by clicking your business name at the top right of your Wave account, clicking business settings, and then clicking Tax Profile.
I'm having trouble making a payment though EFTPS because "another agency is handling my payments"
Make sure you have registered for your own EFTPS enrollment/PIN, as you will not be able to submit payments using Wave's enrollment/PIN. Using the steps provided above, you can submit your own enrollment for EFTPS, ensuring you can make other federal tax payments for your business outside of Wave.