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Gideon Transmitter

Transmit tax returns to the IRS using gideon-transmitter and our ETIN. Supports both ATS (Assurance Testing System) and production transmission.

$500 non-refundable application fee — one time, per firm

Every firm pays a $500 non-refundable application fee once, before transmitting anything — including ATS testing. One application per firm. There are no exceptions and no free tier for un-vetted firms.

Where the $500 goes

  • $200 — labor cost. Covers our actual vetting work: live interview, site verification, EFIN and state registration checks, OFAC screening, signed Transmitter Use Agreement, compliance review.
  • $300 — contribution toward Gideon Transmitter's $10,000 toll. When the toll is reached, the production transmission code is open-sourced under the Christian Open Source License. Every approved firm directly moves that forward.

Why the fee exists: Gideon Transmitter transmits real tax returns to the IRS under our ETIN. Transmitting for unvetted firms is a real legal and regulatory risk to us — a single bad actor can get our ETIN revoked and expose us to IRS sanctions. The labor portion funds the vetting that keeps us — and every other approved firm — safe.

Live video or in-person interview is mandatory before ETIN access. A principal or responsible official of your firm must sit for a live video call (or in-person meeting at our discretion) with us before your firm is approved. No firm uses our ETIN without a face we have seen and spoken with.

One application covers both ATS and production. After you pay the fee and are approved, you get ATS access. When you're ready for production on a given form, we will have a second live conversation to confirm your ATS results — but there is no additional charge for production approval. One application, one payment.

Per-return and per-form pricing below applies only after your firm is approved. Read the full firm onboarding policy →

Pricing below is for approved firms only. All firms pay the $500 application fee first.

ATS Testing
Free

Test your tax return transmissions against the IRS Assurance Testing System at no per-return cost. Requires approved firm status ($500 application fee).

Available now
Production
$0.50 / return

Transmit to IRS production. Requires approved firm status plus proof of passing IRS ATS for that particular form.

$10K toll target

How It Works

  1. 0Apply and get vetted — Pay the $500 non-refundable application fee and pass firm vetting. Required before any ATS or production access.
  2. 1Test on ATS — Once approved, submit your tax return XML to the IRS Assurance Testing System through Gideon Transmitter at no per-return cost.
  3. 2Pass ATS — Once the IRS accepts your test submission for a particular form, you receive proof of passing.
  4. 3Submit ATS proof — Upload your ATS passing evidence to unlock production transmission for that form.
  5. 4Transmit to production — Send real tax returns to the IRS at $0.50 per return using our ETIN.

Gideon Transmitter has a toll target of $10,000. $300 of each firm's $500 application fee, plus production per-return fees, go directly toward the toll. Once reached, the production transmission code is released under the Christian Open Source License.