"Return Locked on Current SSN by Service Bureau" refusal message when transmitting a tax return
SYMPTOM
When a return is transmitted it is refused with the following error:
- Return Locked on Current SSN by Service Bureau.
CAUSE
This refusal is found in a multi-office environment when one of the following is true:
- The Master User has e-filed the return.
- A sub-site has transferred a return to the Master User.
RESOLUTION
Method 1 – The Master User has e-filed the return:
- The return must be rejected by the IRS for the lock to be removed. Once it is rejected it will unlock automatically with no action needed by the Master User. This applies to state rejections as well.
Method 2 – The sub-site has transferred the return to the Master User:
- The Master User must unlock the return to allow the sub-site to make the necessary changes. For more information on this process please refer to How to unlock a return for a sub-site using Management Dashboard.