If you’re filing your Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOIR) with FinCEN and running into errors, you’re not alone! Two common issues come up when companies try to file either an initial report or an updated report. Let’s break down these BOI Filing Errors and how to fix them.
BOI Filing Error 1: Trying to File a Second Initial Report
When you attempt to file a second initial report for a company that has already submitted one, you might see this BOI Filing Error message:
“Initial BOIR already has been filed for the reporting company recorded in the initial BOIR filing. Please try again. If this problem persists, please contact the FinCEN Contact Center for assistance.”
This error happens because each company can only submit one initial report. If you try to file a second one with the same company name or EIN (Employer Identification Number), the system blocks it.
How to Fix It:
- If you already filed an initial report: You’ll need to submit an updated report if you’re trying to make changes.
- If you haven’t filed an initial report yet but get this error: It could be a system glitch, and you should contact FinCEN for help.
BOI Filing Error 2: Filing an Updated Report Without an Initial Report
The second common BOI Filing Error occurs when trying to file an updated report before submitting an initial report. You might see this message:
“Reporting Company information entered in Type of filing Items 1(e)-(h) cannot be matched to an existing Reporting Company. Please try again. If this problem persists, please contact the FinCEN Contact Center for assistance.”
This error happens because the system is looking for an initial report to link to. Without an initial report on file, it can’t match the updated report to anything.
How to Fix It:
- If you haven’t filed an initial report yet: You’ll need to file an initial report first. The system requires that step before any updates can be made.
🎯Pro Tip: Re-Using EINs for New Reports: If you need to file a new report but have already submitted an initial report for a previous company, you can use the same EIN. However, you will need to file the new report with a different company name to avoid errors.
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