Guides

EFTPS vs IRS Direct Pay: No New Individual Accounts

Checked October 17, 2026 · Educational summary

General information, not tax, legal or financial advice. We are not the IRS. Check IRS.gov or a qualified tax professional. Sources read on October 17, 2026. Dates for 2027 and later are expected. Examples use made-up numbers. This page contains no affiliate links.

Since October 17, 2025, individuals cannot create new EFTPS accounts (eftps.gov). Individuals already enrolled could keep paying, but the IRS says all individuals are expected to be required to transition from EFTPS later in 2026 (this may change); eftps.gov gave an anticipated date of September 2026, “though specific date may change”. The IRS EFTPS page we read (reviewed or updated June 28, 2026) says to pay most individual taxes through your Online Account, that Direct Pay accepts payments on additional forms for less common payment types, and that current users can still use EFTPS “for now”. Check eftps.gov before the January 15, 2027 payment and plan to use an IRS Online Account or Direct Pay instead.

What EFTPS offered (IRS page)

• A free Treasury system for federal income, employment, estimated and excise tax payments.
• Scheduling up to 365 days in advance; email notifications; 15 months of payment history.
• Tax professionals can pay for multiple clients with batch software.

What this means for estimated tax

If you already use EFTPS, the transition deadline may have passed or may be close, so do not rely on it for January 15, 2027. If you do not have an account, the IRS directs you elsewhere; our how-to-pay guide covers Direct Pay and other options.

What the pages do not say

• Whether the transition date has already passed: the IRS EFTPS page we read (updated June 28, 2026) still says current users can use EFTPS “for now”. Status on October 17, 2026 is not verified.
• How Direct Pay compares in scheduling limits (see the IRS Direct Pay page).

Related

How to pay estimated taxes · Due dates · January payment skip

FAQ

I used EFTPS last year; do I need to do anything?

The page says current users can still use it for now; check the page before each payment date.

Is this a rule change for payment deadlines?

No; it covers how you pay, not when.

What we could not verify