California Business Entity ID Numbers: What Changed and How to Enter Them on Tax Returns
- Viktoriya Barsukova, EA, MBA
- 3 minutes ago
- 2 min read
If you formed a business in California recently, you may notice something new on your paperwork: a longer identification number from the California Secretary of State.
Starting in 2025, the Secretary of State began issuing a 12-digit alphanumeric entity identification number to newly registered corporations, LLCs, and limited partnerships.
This change can cause confusion when filing tax returns or making payments—especially because most tax systems do not accept the full number exactly as issued.
Here is what business owners and tax professionals need to know.
What Changed in 2025
Newly registered California business entities now receive an identification number that contains both numbers and letters.
This number is issued by the California Secretary of State and appears in formation documents and entity records.
However, when filing California tax returns or submitting payments, the entire alphanumeric number is not always used.
How to Enter the Number When Filing Taxes
When preparing California tax filings using tax preparation software—whether filing electronically or on paper—you should enter only the numeric digits from the Secretary of State number.
Do not enter:
• Letters
• Dashes
• Spaces
Most software platforms automatically expect the numeric portion only.
Entering the full alphanumeric code may cause validation errors.
How to Enter the Number When Making Payments
The same rule applies when making payments through the California Franchise Tax Board’s Web Pay system.
Only the numeric digits should be entered.
If you attempt to enter letters, spaces, or dashes, the Web Pay system will reject the entry and display an error message.
Why This Matters
This is a small technical detail, but it can easily create filing or payment problems if entered incorrectly.
Common issues include:
• Web Pay rejecting the payment submission
• Tax software validation errors during e-filing
• Delays in processing returns or payments
If your entity ID includes letters, simply remove them and use only the numbers when entering the information for tax purposes.
Who Is Affected
This update primarily affects businesses formed in California beginning in 2025, including:
• Limited Liability Companies (LLCs)
• Corporations
• Limited Partnerships
Older entities that received numeric-only identification numbers will not see a change.
What to Do If You’re Filing Now
If you are preparing a California business tax return or making a payment:
Locate your Secretary of State entity number.
Remove any letters, spaces, or dashes.
Enter only the numeric digits into the tax software or Web Pay system.
Following this step will help avoid common filing errors.
Final Note
This update is mostly procedural, but small formatting rules like this can interrupt filings if overlooked. When in doubt, double-check the entry format required by the software or payment system you are using.
California Business Entity ID Numbers: What Changed and How to Enter Them on Tax Returns:
General information, not tax advice.
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