What EFTPS Is and Who Uses It

EFTPS (Electronic Federal Tax Payment System) is the IRS's free online tool for sending tax payments directly from your bank account to the federal government. You use it to pay income tax, self-employment tax, estimated quarterly taxes, or back taxes you owe. The IRS operates EFTPS itself — it is not a third-party service — and it connects to your bank to move money electronically.

EFTPS works for individuals, sole proprietors, partnerships, corporations, and anyone else with a federal tax obligation. If you are self-employed and make quarterly estimated tax payments, EFTPS is the standard way to send them. If you owe taxes when you file your return, you can use EFTPS instead of mailing a check or paying by credit card.

The system is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for brief maintenance windows. You can schedule a payment up to 120 days in advance, which is useful if you know your tax bill but the payment is not due for several weeks.

Key Takeaways

  • EFTPS is a free IRS system that pulls money directly from your bank account and sends it to the federal government.
  • You must enroll in EFTPS before you can make a payment, and enrollment takes one to two business days by phone or up to five days by mail.
  • Payments made before 8 p.m. Eastern Time are considered paid on that day; payments after 8 p.m. are dated the next business day.
  • You can schedule payments up to 120 days in advance, which is helpful for estimated quarterly taxes or known future liabilities.
  • EFTPS does not charge a fee, but your bank may charge a fee for electronic transfers if your account is not set up for free bill pay.

How to Enroll in EFTPS

Before you can pay through EFTPS, you must create an account. The IRS offers three enrollment methods, and the one you choose affects how long enrollment takes.

Phone enrollment is the fastest route. Call the EFTPS enrollment line at 1-800-555-3453 and speak to an IRS representative. They will verify your identity using your Social Security Number or Employer Identification Number (EIN), your date of birth, and your filing status. If you pass verification, your account is active within one to two business days. You will receive a PIN by mail within two weeks.

Online enrollment through the EFTPS website (eftps.gov) takes up to five business days. You enter your tax identification number, date of birth, and bank account details. The IRS then verifies your identity by checking your information against IRS records. Once approved, you receive a temporary PIN by email and a permanent PIN by mail.

Mail enrollment is the slowest option. You print Form 9779 from the IRS website, sign it, and mail it to the address on the form. Processing takes up to two weeks, and you will receive your PIN by mail. Use this method only if you cannot access a phone or the internet.

What Information You Need to Enroll and Pay

Gather these items before you start the enrollment process. You will need your tax identification number — either your Social Security Number (SSN) if you file as an individual, or your Employer Identification Number (EIN) if you own a business. You will also need your date of birth and your filing status (single, married filing jointly, head of household, and so on).

For payment itself, you need your bank account number and routing number. Your routing number appears on the bottom left of any check you write; your account number is the longer number next to it. EFTPS accepts payments from checking or savings accounts. It does not accept payments from credit cards, debit cards, or prepaid cards.

You will also need to know the type of tax you are paying — for example, Form 1040 (individual income tax), Form 1120 (corporate income tax), or Form 1040-ES (estimated quarterly tax). If you are unsure which form applies to you, check your tax return or the notice the IRS sent you.

Making a Payment Through EFTPS

Once your account is active and you have your PIN, log in to eftps.gov with your tax identification number and PIN. The system will ask you to enter a new password and set up security questions. After that, you can make a payment.

Click "Make a Payment" and enter the payment amount, the tax type, and the tax year the payment covers. Then select your bank account and choose the payment date. If you want the payment to go out today, select today's date. If you want to schedule it for later, select any date up to 120 days away. Review the details, confirm the payment, and the system will show you a confirmation number. Write down this number or print the confirmation page.

The IRS processes payments submitted before 8 p.m. Eastern Time on the same day. Payments submitted after 8 p.m. are processed the next business day. Weekends and federal holidays do not count as business days, so a payment scheduled for a Saturday is actually processed on Monday.

Money usually leaves your bank account within one to two business days of the payment date you selected. The IRS credits the payment to your account on the date you chose, not the date the money actually moves. This matters if you are trying to meet a important date — the IRS considers the payment made on the date you scheduled it, even if your bank has not yet withdrawn the funds.

Payment important date and Timing

The important date for paying your federal taxes depends on the type of tax and your filing status. For individual income tax, the important date is usually April 15 of the year after the tax year ends. For estimated quarterly taxes, there are four important date spread throughout the year: April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 of the following year.

Because EFTPS processes payments on the date you schedule them (not the date the money leaves your bank), you can schedule a payment for the important date date itself, as long as you submit it before 8 p.m. Eastern Time. However, this leaves no room for error. If your bank is slow to process the transfer, or if there is a technical problem, your payment might not reach the IRS in time. Most tax professionals recommend scheduling payments at least one business day before the important date.

If you miss a important date, you will owe a late-payment penalty and interest on the unpaid balance. The penalty is usually 0.5 percent of the unpaid tax per month, and interest compounds daily. Paying as soon as you realize you are late reduces the total interest you owe.

Fees and Costs

EFTPS itself charges no fee. The IRS does not charge you to use the system, and there is no hidden cost. However, your bank may charge a fee if you do not have bill-pay services included in your account. Most banks offer free bill pay to checking account holders, but some banks charge a monthly fee or limit the number of free transfers per month. Before you enroll, check with your bank to confirm whether electronic transfers are free on your account.

If you pay by credit card or debit card instead of EFTPS, a third-party payment processor will charge you a fee — usually 1.87 to 2.35 percent of the payment amount. EFTPS avoids this fee because it pulls money directly from your bank account.

Troubleshooting Common EFTPS Problems

If you forget your PIN, go to eftps.gov and click "Forgot PIN?" You will need to verify your identity using your tax identification number and date of birth. The IRS will email you a temporary PIN, which you can use to log in and create a new permanent PIN.

If your payment is rejected, check your bank account balance first. EFTPS will reject a payment if your account does not have enough funds. If your balance is sufficient, the problem may be that your bank account number or routing number is incorrect. Log in to EFTPS, go to "Manage Bank Accounts," and verify that the information matches your bank records exactly. If it does not, delete the account and add it again with the correct information.

If you need to cancel or change a payment you scheduled, log in to EFTPS at least one business day before the payment date. Go to "View Scheduled Payments," select the payment, and click "Cancel." You can then schedule a new payment with a different amount or date. You cannot cancel a payment on the day it is scheduled to process.

If you have a question about a payment you already made, call the EFTPS customer service line at 1-800-555-3453. Have your confirmation number ready. Customer service can tell you whether the IRS received your payment and when it was credited to your account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use EFTPS to pay state taxes?

No. EFTPS only handles federal tax payments. Each state has its own payment system for state income tax. Check your state's tax agency website to find the state-specific payment tool.

What if I schedule a payment but then realize I made a mistake with the amount?

If the payment has not yet processed, log in to EFTPS and cancel it at least one business day before the scheduled date. Then schedule a new payment with the correct amount. If the payment has already been processed, you will need to contact the IRS to request a refund or credit the overpayment to next year's tax bill.

Do I need to enroll separately for each type of tax I pay?

No. One EFTPS account covers all federal tax types — income tax, self-employment tax, estimated quarterly taxes, and back taxes. You select the tax type when you make each individual payment.

Can someone else use my EFTPS account to make payments on my behalf?

Only if you give them your PIN and password. EFTPS does not have a delegation feature that lets you grant limited access to another person. If you want a tax professional or accountant to make payments for you, you must share your login credentials with them, which carries a security risk. Many tax professionals recommend keeping your EFTPS account in your own hands and asking them to tell you when to make a payment instead.

What happens if my bank account is closed after I enroll in EFTPS?

Your next scheduled payment will be rejected because the account no longer exists. Log in to EFTPS, go to "Manage Bank Accounts," delete the closed account, and add your new bank account information. Then reschedule any payments that were rejected.