Form ID & EDGAR Access
Every SEC filer needs an EDGAR account before it can file, whether you're a company registering for the first time, an investment fund, a filing agent, or an individual insider. Form ID is how you get one, and the process changed substantially in 2025 with the SEC's new EDGAR Next system. Here's what's required now, and how we can take the whole thing off your plate.
We get you on EDGAR
Form ID is the SEC application that assigns your permanent EDGAR identity and the codes you need to file. It now sits inside EDGAR Next, which added individual logins, an account dashboard, and an annual check-in. For most filers, companies and individuals alike, the simplest path is to let us set everything up and file on your behalf.
Whether you're a company registering for the first time or a director who just needs to file a Form 4, we handle the application, the notarized paperwork, the EDGAR Next account setup, and the ongoing requirements.
Form ID setup, EDGAR Next enrollment, and ongoing account management, included when we file for you.
Who needs a Form ID?
Any filer, company or individual, that doesn't already have an EDGAR account. The most common applicants are:
A company applies as an entity (using its EIN); an insider applies as an individual (using their SSN/ITIN). The steps below cover both; the differences are noted as they come up.
What Form ID gives you
Your Central Index Key, the permanent, public account number that identifies you on EDGAR. It never changes.
Your CIK Confirmation Code, a confidential code paired with the CIK to authorize each filing. It can be shared with your filing agent.
Under EDGAR Next, each person who touches EDGAR signs in through Login.gov with multi-factor authentication, replacing the old shared passwords.
Two layers now work together: your Login.gov login proves who you are, and your CIK + CCC authorize the filing.
EDGAR Next: what changed in 2025
EDGAR Next modernized how filers access and manage their accounts. It is now fully in effect and mandatory; the old password-based access has been switched off. The key pieces:
How a new application works, step by step
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1
Create a Login.gov account. Each person who will access EDGAR sets up a personal Login.gov identity with multi-factor authentication. (If you fully delegate to us, we handle this; see below.)
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2
Start the Form ID in the EDGAR dashboard. Sign in to EDGAR Filer Management and begin the application for a new CIK.
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3
Complete the application. Provide the filer type (company or individual), legal name, Tax ID (EIN for a company, SSN/ITIN for an individual), and contact details, and name your account administrator(s).
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4
Sign & notarize the authentication document. The authorized person signs the generated document; it's notarized (the notary can't also be an account administrator) and uploaded as a PDF with the application. Individuals delegating to others also upload a notarized power of attorney.
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5
Submit and wait for SEC review. SEC staff review the application. On approval, your CIK and access code (CCC) are issued.
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6
You're live. Sign in through Login.gov, manage everything from the dashboard, and start filing, or hand it to us.
Filing Forms 3, 4 or 5? Let us do all of it
If you're an individual insider, you do not have to create a Login.gov account or learn the dashboard. EDGAR Next lets you entrust your entire account to a filing agent. In that case:
Essentially one thing: sign a notarized power of attorney naming us as your account administrator. That's it.
Everything else: the Login.gov credentials, the Form ID application, the dashboard, your CCC, the annual confirmation, and preparing and filing your Forms 3, 4, and 5.
Companies & funds: the setup is a little different. You keep at least one account administrator of your own, but you can still delegate all the actual filing to us, and we manage the EDGAR Next requirements alongside you.
Learn more about the insider forms on our Forms 3, 4 & 5 page.
The EDGAR Next roles, in plain terms
Runs the account: adds or removes people, manages the CCC, and delegates filing to an agent. Companies need at least two; individuals need at least one.
Can prepare and submit filings and see the CCC, but can't manage the account or delegate.
An authorized agent (that's us) who files on your behalf using our own EDGAR credentials. We can't take over your dashboard, and we can't pass the authority on to anyone else.
Only relevant if you connect to EDGAR's optional automated filing APIs. Most filers never need this.
Annual confirmation
EDGAR Next requires an account administrator to confirm, once a year, that the people authorized on your account are still correct. It's tied to a quarter-end date you choose. Miss it and filing access can be suspended, so we track and complete it for our clients.
How long does it take?
There's no official SEC turnaround. Plan for roughly one to two weeks, sometimes longer. Almost all delays come from notarization mistakes or name/Tax ID mismatches, so if a filing deadline is coming, start the Form ID early. We get the paperwork right the first time.
Already had EDGAR access before 2025?
If you completed EDGAR Next enrollment during the 2025 transition, you're all set; just keep filing through the dashboard. If you missed the enrollment window (it closed December 19, 2025), the simplified path is gone: you now have to re-apply for access through a Form ID with notarized paperwork, the same as a new filer. If that's you, we can sort it out quickly.
What slows people down
Official resources
- SEC: EDGAR Next, filer access & account management
- SEC: EDGAR Next FAQ
- SEC: EDGAR Filer Manual
- SEC: CIK & CCC access codes
SEC systems and pages change; we track them so your access and filings stay current.