Affordable Care Act information returns (AIR)
Find solutions on this page under Help topics: Acknowledgements for status checks.
You can submit ACA information returns electronically with the AIR system. If you have 10 or more returns, e-filing is required.
UI channel
Use the browser-based user interface (UI).
Upload Forms 1094 and 1095
Submit ACA information returns:
Upload test forms or scenarios
Use the UI ACA Assurance Testing System (AATS):
A2A channel
Use Application to Application (A2A).
Upload certificates
Enroll and maintain client application systems:
System status
About ACA information return reporting
Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), insurance companies, self-insured companies and businesses that provide health insurance to their employees must submit information returns to the IRS to report on individual health insurance coverage. If you have 10 or more information returns, you must submit them electronically.
You can electronically submit ACA information returns with the AIR system.
Who can use the AIR system
- Employers
- Software developers
- Insurance issuers or carriers
- Government agencies
- Third parties that submit returns for their own company or other companies
ACA information returns filed through AIR
- 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
If you’re a new filer, you must apply for an ACA Transmitter Control Code (TCC) before you can use AIR:
Help topics
Get help submitting ACA information returns with AIR.
Acknowledgements for status checks
Transmitters must submit a request to retrieve the processing status and error detail of their transmission which is known as the Acknowledgement.
When you retrieve Acknowledgements:
- Verify you’re in the correct environment: AATS or Production.
- Wait at least 10 minutes after the Receipt ID is provided to request the Acknowledgement for a transmission.
Acknowledgements via the UI channel:
- Check the environment you’re connecting to.
- Only check a Receipt ID starting “AATS109XXXXXXXXX” against the AATS application.
- Only check a Receipt ID starting “109XXXXXXX” against the AIR Production application.
Acknowledgements via the A2A channel:
- When retrieving acknowledgements use the correct endpoint.
- Only check a Receipt ID starting “AATS109XXXXXXXXX” against the AATS service endpoint.
- Only check a Receipt ID starting “109XXXXXXX” against the AIR Production service endpoint.
System updates
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”
6/2/2023:
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.
9/25/2022:
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.
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.
Schemas and business rules
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
- 2024: 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C
- 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
Tax year updates
