Online AIR Systems

User Interface (UI) ACA Assurance Testing System (AATS)

Log in to upload your test forms or scenarios.

User Interface (UI) Production System

Log in to upload your 1094 and 1095 forms.

Automated Enrollment (AE) for ACA Providers

Upload your certificates when transmitting through the Application to Application (A2A) channel. See Publication 5308, Automated Enrollment for ACA Providers the Externals GuidePDF for all activities.

The IRS requires an ID.me account to access e-Services and other online services

E-Services transitioned the AIR Production application to a modernized sign-in system that requires users to register and sign in with ID.me to access the e-Services suite of online applications.  

ID.me is an account created, maintained, and secured by a technology provider. 

New User Interface (UI) ACA Assurance Testing System (AATS) URL

On September 25, 2022, the UI AATS URL changed to a new address. The existing UI AATS URL will redirect users to the new address until further notice. Please start using the new AATS URL effective immediately. 

The AIR Production URL address will remain the same.

 

AIR System Operational Status

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Overview

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), insurance companies, self-insured companies, and large businesses and businesses that provide health insurance to their employees must submit information returns to the IRS reporting on individual’s health insurance coverage. The electronic-filing threshold for information returns has been decreased to 10 or more returns. After January 1, 2024, you are required to file electronically if submitting 10 or more information returns.

The following can use the AIR System to electronically file ACA information returns to the IRS:

  • Software developers
  • Employers
  • Insurance Issuers or Carriers
  • Government Agencies
  • Third parties who would submit returns either for their own company and/or for other companies

The ACA information returns include:

  • Form 1094-B, Transmittal of Health Coverage Information Returns
  • Form 1095-B, Health Coverage
  • Form 1094-C, Transmittal of Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage Information Returns
  • Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage

New filers need to apply for the Affordable Care Act Application for Transmitter Control Code (TCC).

Apply Now

10/27/2023:

AATS WSDLs: Beginning November 2023, use AATS WSDLs package named “AIR FS24-TY23 AATS WSDL Package Nov 2023_v1.0”

Production WSDLs: Beginning January 2024, Use the package named “AIR FS24-TY23 Production WSDL Package Jan 2024_v1.0”

6/22/2022:

Transport Layer Security (TLS) versions 1.0 and 1.1 have been deprecated by the industry. According to NIST SP 800-52r2 guidelines, all government agencies, including IRS, should move off these versions and preferably move to TLS version 1.3 (TLS version 1.2 is also acceptable).

Based on these guidelines, beginning August 1, 2022, the encryption level for the User Interface (UI) and Application-to-Application (A2A) Channels, for the ACA Assurance Testing System (AATS) and Production Environments will be TLS versions 1.2 and 1.3 exclusively. 

If you are not currently using TLS version 1.2 or 1.3, we advise you to move to one of these versions as soon as possible (no later than August 1, 2022) to avoid any possible disruption of service.

10/4/2019:

AIR no longer supports SHA-1 from the accepted Signature and Digest methods used to digitally sign ISS-A2A transmissions. The ISS-A2A Gateway accepts SHA-256, SHA-384 and SHA-512 algorithms during the validation of WS-Security.

XML Schemas, Business Rules and other information for software developers and transmitters, who are interested in developing software for the AIR Program, is provided by Tax Year:

In Processing Years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 AIR will accept Forms 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C and 1095-C returns only.

Schemas and Business Rules for AIR by Tax Year

  • 2023: 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C
  • 2022: 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C
  • 2021: 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C
  • 2020: 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C
  • 2019: 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C
  • 2018: 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C
  • 2017: 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C
  • 2016: 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C
  • 2015: 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C
  • AIR TCCs for Transmitters and Issuers that are in Production status will remain in Production status. No additional testing is needed for Tax Year 2023
  • Software Developers need to update their ACA Application for TCC each year to obtain a new software identification number for the new tax year
  • Software Developers who passed testing for any tax year ending after December 31, 2014, do not need to test for the current tax year. Software IDs are scheduled to move to Production one week from the date the software IDs are assigned
    • When the 2023 software packages are added, Responsible Officials will need to re-sign the ACA Application for TCC
    • AIR Transmissions (both live and test) will reject if the ACA Application for TCC is not signed and in Completed status
  • Allow 48 hours before transmitting to Production after passing any required testing

Processing Year 2023 programming

  • AIR will accept Tax Years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 for Processing Year 2023
    • Processing Year 2023 programming in AATS is 11/1/2022 to 10/30/2023
    • Processing Year 2023 programming in Production is 01/13/2023 to 12/11/2023
    • All Manifest files (current and prior) must use TY2022 schema package
    • All Form Data files for TY2022 must use TY2022 schema package to generate Forms 1094/1095-B or Forms 1094/1095-C

    • All prior year returns, TY2015, TY2016, TY2017, TY2018, TY2019, TY2020, and TY2021, will use the latest schema package for that tax year for the Form Data file

      Example for TY2019:

      • Use the latest TY2019 schema package to generate Forms 1094/1095-B or Forms 1094/1095-C Form Data file for TY2019 returns
      • PaymentYr value “2019”
      • PriorYearDataInd value “1”
      • Software Id for 2019 (2019 software Ids start with 19XXXXXXXX)

Processing Year 2024 programming

  • AIR will accept Tax Years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 for Processing Year 2024
    • Processing Year 2024 programming in AATS begins 11/1/2023
    • Processing Year 2024 programming in Production begins 1/11/2024
    • All Manifest files (current and prior) must use TY2023 schema package
    • All Form Data files for TY2023 must use TY2023 schema package to generate Forms 1094/1095-B or Forms 1094/1095-C

    • All prior year returns, TY2015, TY2016, TY2017, TY2018, TY2019, TY2020, TY2021 and TY2022 will use the latest schema package for that tax year for the Form Data file

      Example for TY2021:

      • Use the latest TY2021 schema package to generate Forms 1094/1095-B or Forms 1094/1095-C Form Data file for TY2021 returns
      • PaymentYr value “2021”
      • PriorYearDataInd value “1”
      • Software Id for 2021 (2021 software Ids start with 21XXXXXXXX)

Contact and News Information

Contact Us
You can submit questions to the AIR Mailbox regarding electronic filing of Forms 1094-B, 1094-C, 1095-B and 1095-C. Include the Receipt ID, ACA TCC, and Year of the ACA forms if known.

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Keep up to date on the events that affect Authorized IRS e-file Providers and Issuers/Payers, Transmitters and Software Developers that will electronically file Affordable Care Act Information Returns.