Extra Security

We have added an extra layer of security to Business Services Online (BSO).

• If you are a new user or you need to add wage reporting to your existing account, we will mail an activation code.
• The activation code is sent via the United States Postal Service (USPS) to the employer’s address registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Your employer will usually receive it within two (2) weeks.
• Your employer should give you the instructions and activation code as soon as received. You will need this information to complete your account registration or the change to your existing account.

We recommend registering for BSO before the 2022 W-2 reporting season.

BSO includes the following services:

• Reporting wages to us using W2/W3 Online or W2c/W3c Online or Wage File Upload.
• View name and Social Security number (SSN) mismatch.
• Social Security Number Verification Service.
• AccuWage.

Passwords

We recommend that you verify your BSO password now, before the W-2 reporting season. If you forget your password it can take up to 10 business days before you receive a new password in the mail. This will ensure you are ready before submitting W-2s.

Registering Without an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Currently, we are unable to mail an activation code to new users registering without an EIN. This includes Self-Employed and Household employers. Therefore, you are unable to file electronically. If you do not have an EIN, you will need to mail paper W-2/W-3 and W-2c/W-3c to our Wilkes-Barre Direct Operations Center. Visit the Paper Forms W-2 & Instructions page for address information.

Electronic Filing Options (EFW2)

Wage File Upload, available through BSO, processes your file and provides results in real-time. You will receive a receipt right away letting you know if it is successful or if there are errors. For more information about Wage File Upload, go to What's New for 2023 or view the video. W2 Online - Create, save, print, and submit up to 50 Forms W-2 for Tax Years 2022, 2021, 2020, or 2019. Electronic Wage Reporting Web Service (ERWS) – Developers of payroll and tax reporting software, as well as payroll service providers, can use this to create a web service client to electronically file wage reports.

No More Screen Scraping or Scripting in BSO

We do not allow screen scraping or scripting to upload files or to use W-2 Online. If you previously used these programming techniques to upload your W-2 forms, it will no longer work. 

Consider using our FREE web service if you want an automated process to upload multiple wage files to us.

Reminder: We no longer use our previous Wage File Upload system where you received a receipt but no additional information. Our new Wage File Upload system provides a receipt and an immediate notice whether your file passed our edits or if you must fix any errors. You will receive the results in less than 60 seconds.

For smaller businesses, we also have a
FREE W-2 Online service

Key up to 50 W-2s and 25 W-2cs and submit electronically. Review and print your completed report. No need to send paper! For more information watch our video, How to Use SSA's Free W-2 Online Website.

Truncated SSNs

• You may shorten the SSN on W-2s, except on Copy A.
• We will not accept shortened SSNs (XXX-XX-1234) on Copy A of Form W-2 or in the SSN field in EFW2. You must show all nine digits for proper processing.

IRS instructions on Truncated Taxpayer Identification Numbers

Verify SSNs

If you need information about whether your employee's reported name and SSN match our records, please visit our Verify SSNs page.