I can't e file my free state return

[ReginaM]

We don't have access to your TurboTax Account here on the community board, however maybe this will help you.

If you efiled the Federal return first, has it been accepted?   You can check this while you are in your Tax Home of your TurboTax Account.   If you efiled the Federal return first separately, you can't efile the state return until the Federal return has been accepted for processing by the IRS.

If  the Federal return has already been accepted, try this:

Go through the REVIEW tab and see if it tells you why you can't efile the state return.  Are there any messages there?

When you go to the FILE section to select to efile the state return, is there any message there about not being able to efile?

Has it been a while since you tried, and you want to try to efile again?  If you haven't actually printed and mailed your state return, here's how to open your return back up to try to efile again (if your Federal efile has already been accepted.)

If you haven't actually filed (mailed) the state return, you can open the return back up and change the filing method for the state return.  

[Jmancando]

I e-filed my federal returns and they have been accepted.  I followed these instructions because now TT won't let me e-file my state taxes. 

Everything is correct but when I choose to e-file the state, the following screen says, "E-file requires federal return.  To e-file you must also select the federal return.  Click Back to select federal and any other returns you'd like to file."

Like I said I have already e-filed the federal return.  I am only wanting to now e-file the state return.  How do I fix this so I can e-file the state?

[VolvoGirl]

Please sign up on this new error

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-topics/help/why-am-i-not-able-to-e-file-my-state-return-after-...

[Jmancando]

I had already signed up on that link.  Was hoping that someone had an answer.  It is weird because when I check the status, it comes back with a message that the federal was approved.  However, when I click FILE, it starts with the screen that says, "E-file your federal return for FREE."  If I select E-file on this screen, then the next screen allows me to select "E-file my state return now."  It also says on this screen that my federal return has been transmitted. From here when I hit continue, the error message comes up telling me I have to select a federal return.  I've rechecked the status several times thinking it needs to update.  I've also restarted TT as well as my computer.

[ExperiencedUser]

Hello.  I had the same issue with TurboTax Premier 2020 for Mac.  I spent an hour on the phone with 2 different support reps (two because the first one was neither helpful or knowledgeable).  I was told that because a copy of the federal return is required for some state returns (in my case it was Oregon), you can’t e-File federal and state separately.  They must be e-Filed together.  

I pointed out repeatedly too the support reps that the the software provided no instructions around this topic and it appeared to be an error that the program wasn’t allowing the state e-File as I had experienced in previous years.  When they had no further advice, I requested and received a refund for the extra state download.  

Just FYI.  I believe this is a programming bug and hope TT corrects it for next tax season.  (Or at least makes the software prompts more descriptive to explain the filing limitation.). Good luck everyone.