TurboTax Business VALIDATION ERROR Code 54 so we cannot efile

[johnp317]

I am not able to eFile my return even though I have all updates.  I tried restarting TurboTax, the computer, turning off Norton firewall, and making sure I have all updates.  I still get this:

Checked for update shows no updates, but Transmit still gives error.

[KristinaK]

Try manually updating the software. Here is a Help Article that will walk you through it. 

[Embigginator]

I downloaded and installed the manual update and got the same error.

[Cannoneer7724]

Same issue here.  

[Cannoneer7724]

Also uninstalled and re-installed TT For Business 2025 and still get error.  Latest update is today and supposedly installed successfully...

[johnp317]

@KristinaK Thank you for the reply. Your link is for TurboTax Deluxe, but I have TurboTax Business.  I manually downloaded and updated from the TT Business page here:

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/update-products/manually-update-turbotax...

and I still get the same error.

[johnp317]

So far, I've tried:

1. Checking to make sure all update are installed (TurboTax says I'm up to date).
2. Manually updating TurboTax Business per instructions here.
3. Uninstalling all versions of TurboTax and TurboTax Business, downloading the latest TurboTax Business 2025 (on 2/1/2026) from my Products & billing and reinstalling it clean.
4. Uninstalling Norton 360, restarting TurboTax Business, checking for updates again, running smart checks again.

NONE of these solutions work.  I get the same error when trying to transmit every time.

INTUIT, we need your help on this.

[kevc219]

i am experiencing the same issue regarding e file of MA Trust 

[quattrocoupe]

Same issue here in CA. Spent 4 hours on the phone Friday with a rep who really tried to get this to work. Tried everything others have mentioned but no success. In the end she suggested it may be a form issue that is not ready on the turbotax servers but app shows otherwise.

will wait until the weekly update next Friday (Feb 6,2026)  before escalating further.

[quattrocoupe]

• Same issue here in CA. Spent 4 hours on the phone Friday with a rep who really tried to get this to work. Tried everything others have mentioned but no success. In the end she suggested it may be a form issue that is not ready on the turbotax servers but app shows otherwise.

This seems to be a common issue year in and year out. Will wait until the weekly update next Friday (Feb 6,2026)  before escalating further.

[Cannoneer7724]

Same here, trying to file for a Trust.  In the forms pull-down there are no warnings.  On respondent said he/she was on phone with INTUIT for 4 hours and rep suspected a form was not up-to-date but no solution.  Usually when a form is not up-to-date there is an obvious warning on the "forms" pulldown.

Hopefully there will be a fix in the next update ???

I have uninstalled and re-installed twice with no better results.  App tells me I'm up to date.  But when I attempt to file I get Error 54.

[Crew747]

Same for me, waiting to try on the next update 

[ib93]

Same here. This really needs to be fixed asap.

[ed2012]

I have the same problem and have tried EVERYTHING recommended. 
Search for updates.
turn off antivirus and firewall.
reinstall turbotax from scratch.
do the forced update with the exe file provided by turbotax,
and even did a fresh install on a different computer.
The system still 1) says I need to update, and then 2) says I am already updated, and 3) still refuses to do the efile of the 1041.

Has anyone yet figured this out?  It seems like many of us are having this problem with the turbotax Business desktop version and cannot efile our 1041.

[davetroup]

Although it doesn't solve the main problem, I thought I'd report that I WAS able to e-file my California state return (541) even though the federal return fails every time with the error 54.  You can do that by submitting the state return separately (i.e. uncheck the box next to "E-file my federal return" and only select the state return.  That submission went through and was later accepted by the state.

Still waiting for a fix to this problem that prevents submission of the 1041.