How I Cracked the SEC EDGAR Form ID Upload Disaster (Step-by-Step) By Michael F. Schulze
Filing your Form ID with the SEC to access the EDGAR system sounds simple—until it isn’t. I just went through the process and ran into a ridiculous combination of bad design, missing instructions, and a trap that I’ll explain below.
So, here’s the step-by-step process that worked. No fluff, no guesswork, precisely what you need to do:
Step 1: Fill Out the Form ID (Online)
Go to the correct SEC EDGAR site. That means do NOT use anything with “bravo” in the URL. That’s the beta site, leading you straight into a black hole. Use this link:
https://www.filermanagement.edgarfiling.sec.gov
Step 1: Complete the application, review everything, and then proceed to the next step.
Step 2: Download the Completed Form ID (Unsigned)
At the end of the online application, you can download your completed Form ID. This is a non-notarized version that the system needs you to print and sign before a notary. Save the file exactly as it is. Don’t rename it or mess with the format.
Step 3: Print It and Get It Notarized
Take the downloaded Form ID to a notary public (I used UPS), sign it in front of them, and have it notarized. Then scan the notarized version back into your computer. This is the file you’ll upload later—but not just yet.
Step 4: Return to the EDGAR System — and Watch for This Screen
Go back to https://www.filermanagement.edgarfiling.sec.gov and log in using your Login.gov credentials.
This is where it gets confusing. You’ll land on a screen that asks:
“Is this application for a new EDGAR account or access to an existing EDGAR account?”
You’ll see three options like this:
☐ New EDGAR account
☐ Existing EDGAR account
☑️ Resume and submit application from previously saved and downloaded (.eis) file
Choose the third one. You are resuming the application using the original Form ID file you downloaded back in Step 2. Upload that file (the unsigned version) now, and the system will let you proceed to Part 6.
Step 5: Upload the Notarized Document in Part 6
Once in Part 6, the system will ask you to upload your notarized signature document. This is where most people get stuck because the system doesn’t give you any instructions and will silently reject your upload if you don’t follow an invisible naming rule.
Use lowercase letters only, no spaces, no file extension. Do not include .pdf, .eis, or anything else.
Just rename your scanned notarized document like this: secformid
Then upload it.
Step 6: Submission Confirmation
If you did everything correctly, the system will accept the file and give you a submission confirmation with an accession number.
In my case, I received:
Accession No.: 9999999996-25-027714
Now the SEC will review your application. If it’s approved, they’ll send you an email with your Central Index Key (CIK) and instructions to generate your EDGAR access codes.
Why Was This So Hard?
None of this is explained because there are no real instructions on the site. I copied every instruction I could find and ran it through AI. I Googled every variation of “how to upload notarized Form ID.” Nothing.
To make things worse, the SEC has a publicly accessible beta version of the entire EDGAR system—identical in design—that people are being linked to without knowing it. You can fill out the entire form on the beta site and submit it to nowhere. It looks official, but it’s a dead-end.
If the real EDGAR system is active and working, then why leave the beta version live and accessible? Take it down.
If this saves you from wasting a day, you’re welcome. If it didn’t work for you, go back and ensure you followed the exact file upload steps and that you’re not in the wrong environment.
Michael F. Schulze