QuickBooks Payroll Error 30159 occurs when updating an existing payroll subscription in QuickBooks Desktop. Along with the error, you get a message that states, “Can’t Verify Payroll Subscription Error 30159”. This error generally occurs when QuickBooks fails to verify the subscription info. There are several possible reasons for error 30159, such as an expired QuickBooks Desktop or payroll subscription. Implement the tried and tested countermeasures in this troubleshooting guide and fix QuickBooks error 30159 swiftly.
Though the solutions to fix QuickBooks payroll error 30159 in this guide are easy to follow, you may face complexities if you are new to QuickBooks. In that case, get in touch with our experts at 1(800) 780-3064 and get the error resolved in no time.
Troubleshooting QuickBooks Payroll Error 30159 with Proven Solutions
Here are the troubleshooting solutions to get past QuickBooks payroll error 30159. Implement these solutions in the given order.
Solution 1: Verify Your QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Subscription
It’s essential to check whether your payroll service subscription is active or inactive. To verify the payroll subscription, follow the steps below.
- Begin by closing all the company files and restarting the system.
- Open QuickBooks, move to Employees, select My Payroll Service, then Manage Service Key.
- Now, check whether the QuickBooks Desktop payroll subscription is Active.
- The next step is to select Edit and verify the service key. If it is incorrect, enter the correct service key carefully.
- Further, hit Next, uncheck the Open Payroll Setup box, and hit Finish. QuickBooks will now download the entire payroll update.
Let’s assume your payroll subscription is inactive. In that case, move to the next solution and reactivate the QuickBooks Desktop payroll subscription.
Solution 2: Reactivate the Payroll Subscription
An inactive payroll subscription is a leading cause of QuickBooks error 30159. Therefore, reactivation of the payroll account is essential. Follow the detailed steps below to reactivate your payroll subscription.
Through the Company File
The best way to turn the payroll service back on is to use the QuickBooks Desktop company file.
- First, open the company file, click Employees, and select My Payroll Service.
- Select Account/Billing Info and sign in using your Intuit Account login credentials. This opens the QuickBooks Account page.
- Under Status, choose Resubscribe, and finally, follow the on-screen steps to reactivate the payroll service.
Through the Intuit Account
Another way to turn the payroll service back on is from the web.
- Sign in to your account using your Intuit credentials and choose Resubscribe under Status.
- Finally, follow the on-screen steps and reactivate the payroll service.
If reactivating the payroll service doesn’t work, move to the next solution.
Solution 3: Rename the Paysub.ini Files
Since the system does not permit the same name twice, you need to rename all the paysub.ini files found. Follow the detailed steps below to effortlessly rename the file.
- Firstly, right-click the paysub.ini file found and choose Rename.
- Further, consider adding .OLD to make the file name unique.
- Rename the other paysub.ini files by adding other words to the file names.
If this also doesn’t resolve the QuickBooks error 30159, move to the solution below.
You May Also Like to Read: What to Do When QuickBooks Stop Adding New Supplier Automatically
Solution 4: Update Billing Info for Your Payroll Subscription
It must be remembered that only authorized users can update billing info by implementing the detailed steps below.
- Sign in to QuickBooks, move to Employees, select My Payroll Service, and then select Account/Billing Information.
- Further, sign in using your Intuit Account login and verify your information. If you don’t see your name on the list, contact us.
- Next, opt for Billing Detail. Remember that the level of information may vary depending on your contact role. For instance, if you don’t see any information under the Billing Details box, this simply means that you’re not the current billing contact. In that case, you can change the holder or the billing contact. Contact us for the same.
- Select Edit billing info, enter your new billing information, and select I Agree to conclude.
If trying this solution doesn’t help fix the QuickBooks payroll service error 30159, move to the solution below.
Solution 5: Download and Install the Latest QB Desktop Updates
Updating QuickBooks ensures that payroll will work without obstructions. Follow the detailed steps below to update QuickBooks to the latest release.
- Firstly, close all the company files and QBDT.
- Click the Windows Start menu and search for QuickBooks Desktop.
- Right-click the QBDT icon and opt for the Run as administrator option.
- Further, open QuickBooks; while on the No Company Open screen, move to the Help menu and select Update QuickBooks Desktop.
- Further, move to the Options tab, select Mark All, and then hit Save.
- Next, move to the Update Now tab and mark the Reset Update checkbox.
- Hit the Get Updates button, and when the update finishes, close and reopen QuickBooks Desktop. To install the updates, select Yes.
- Lastly, select Yes to install the updates. When the installation finishes, restart the system.
If updating QuickBooks also doesn’t help, move to the next solution.
Solution 6: Edit and Re-enter the Correct Payroll Service Key
An incorrect service key is a leading cause of QuickBooks error 30159. Here’s how to rectify the incorrect service key.
- Move to Employees and choose My Payroll Service.
- Further, click Manage Service Key and then find & select your payroll service key.
- Select Remove, then click Add.
- Further, enter your active payroll service key.
- Select Finish and hit OK.
If rectifying the incorrect service key also doesn’t help, move to the next solution.
Solution 7: Reinstall QuickBooks in Selective Startup
If none of the solutions resolve the QuickBooks payroll tax error 30159, consider reinstalling QuickBooks in Selective Startup mode by following the detailed steps below.
Step 1. Switch to Selective Startup
Switching the system to selective startup ensures that no other apps get in the way while you reinstall QuickBooks on the system.
- Firstly, press the Windows + R keys together and open the Run dialog box.
- Type in msconfig and hit OK to move further.
- A System Configuration window will open; move to the General tab, select Selective Startup, and Load System Services.
- Further, move to the Services tab, then select Hide all Microsoft Services, then Disable all.
- Then, uncheck Hide all Microsoft services and select Windows Installer from the list of services.
- Lastly, hit OK and then Restart.
Step 2. Uninstall QBDT
In this section, we’ll learn how to remove QBDT from the system. Let’s follow the detailed steps below.
- Firstly, press the Windows Start menu, type Control Panel in the search bar, and select it in the results.
- Further, select Programs and Features or Uninstall a Program, and from the list of programs on the screen, select the version of QBDT you want to remove from the system.
- Select Uninstall/Change, then select Remove, and finally hit Next. If you can’t see this option, sign out and then sign back into Windows as an admin.
Step 3. Install QBDT on the System
When you install QBDT, it automatically installs new folders and renames the old ones. Here are the detailed steps to install QBDT on the system.
Some Prerequisites to Consider Before Installing QuickBooks
- First of all, download the installer for your version of QBDT.
- Ensure that your system appropriately meets the QuickBooks system requirements.
- Lastly, ensure you have the product and license numbers handy.
Now, let’s move forward and install QBDT again on the system.
- Launch the file QuickBooks.exe file and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Further, accept the software license agreement and then hit Next.
- Enter the product and license numbers, and then hit Next again.
- Further, select Express and then hit Next once again.
- Lastly, select Install; when it finishes, select Open QuickBooks.
Step 4. Switch to Normal Mode
The final step is to switch back to Normal mode after reinstallation. Follow the detailed steps below to effortlessly switch the system back to Normal mode.
- Firstly, press the Windows + R simultaneously to open the Run dialog box.
- Further, enter msconfig in the search bar and hit OK.
- Move to the General tab, select Normal Startup, and then hit OK.
- Lastly, on the System Configuration window, select Restart.
If reinstalling QuickBooks doesn’t help, move to the next solution.
Solution 8: Restore the System and Run the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool
In this section, we’ll learn how to restore the system and run the Windows Malicious Software Removal tool by following the detailed steps below.
- Click the Windows Start tab, move to All Programs, and click the Restore option.
- Further, open a new window, click the Restore My Computer tab, and hit Next.
- Next, select the most recent system restore point and hit Next again.
- Click on the confirmation window and then reboot the system.
- Further, download and install the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool to proceed.
- Move to the Scan tab and select the Fix error option.
- Lastly, reboot the system once again to conclude the process.
Move to the next solution if this solution doesn’t help eliminate the QuickBooks error message 30159.
Solution 9: Run the QuickBooks File Doctor Tool
QuickBooks File Doctor tool is designed to fix data damage or corruption. Let’s first download and install the QB Tool Hub and then access the File Doctor tool.
Step 1. Install QuickBooks Tool Hub
- First of all, you need to close QBDT.
- After that, download the latest version ( 1.6.0.3) of QuickBooks Tool Hub from HERE. Another critical point is that you must save the downloaded file somewhere you can easily access (such as the downloads folder or the Windows desktop).
- Follow the on-screen steps to install it and agree to the terms and conditions.
- Open the downloaded QuickBooksToolHub.exe setup file.
- Once the installation is done, double-tap the Tool Hub icon on the Windows desktop to open it.
Step 2: Run the QuickBooks File Doctor Tool
- Move to the Company File Issues tab after accessing Tool Hub.
- Further, click the Run QuickBooks File Doctor button. The File Doctor tool may take up to a minute to open.
- Select the company file you want to scan from the drop-down menu in the QB File Doctor. If you can’t see the file, choose Browse and Search to find it.
- Hit Check your file, which is the middle option, and then click Continue.
- Lastly, enter your QuickBooks admin password, and then hit Next.
If the QuickBooks File Doctor tool doesn’t help resolve the QuickBooks Pro error 30159, try the next solution below.
Solution 10: Update EIN (Employer Identification Number)
Incorrect or invalid EIN under the company settings may trigger QuickBooks payroll error 30159. Follow the detailed steps below to update the EIN.
- Move to Company, then choose My Company.
- Further, select Edit from Company Information.
- Next, choose Company Information from the menu on the left.
- Lastly, in the Federal Employer Identification No. field, enter the new EIN, and then hit OK to conclude.
Having the correct EIN in the company file will help resolve error 30159 and avoid getting other banking errors like QuickBooks error 88888.
Conclusion
Hopefully, the resolutions provided in this troubleshooting blog have effectively fixed QuickBooks Payroll Error 30159. If not, get in touch with our team of experts. They can give instance resolution of any QB error.
FAQs on QuickBooks Payroll Error 30159
What are the Leading Causes that Trigger QB Error 30159
Following are the leading causes of QuickBooks payroll update error 30159:
• Having an inactive payroll subscription
• In case having more than one active payroll agreement with an inactive Direct Deposit agreement
• Due to a damaged QuickBooks Desktop file: paysub.ini
• Due to data damage
• When the product is not updated
• When the Service Key is incorrect
• In case the Employer Identification Number (EIN) in the company file is invalid
• PSID in the company file is incorrect
• The version of QBDT you are using is not compatible with the version of Windows
• In case the status of the payroll subscription in the QuickBooks Desktop Service Keys screen appears as “Invalid number or EIN.”
These are the leading causes that trigger error code 30159 in QuickBooks. Hopefully, you figured out the exact reason for the error in your case.
If renaming the paysub.ini will ruin all other EINs added to the existing subscription, or will it go by FEIN only?
Renaming the paysub.ini doesn’t affect the other tax IDs already added to your account.
What are the common situations where I can encounter error code 30159 in QuickBooks?
QuickBooks error 30159 Windows usually occurs when opening the Payroll Account Maintenance page, validating the payroll subscription, activating Direct Deposit, and getting payroll updates.
What error messages could I encounter if payroll is influenced by QuickBooks payroll error 30159?
Error messages such as “ERROR 30159 – Unable to load account for PSID null : Entitlement is Enabled, but Entitlement Unit is deactivated” can be seen if this payroll update error occurs. Moreover, you can also encounter another error message that reads “Can’t Verify Payroll Subscription Error 30159”.
Gabby Taylor, combines financial expertise with literary prowess. With over a decade in finance, she crafts insightful narratives on navigating fiscal complexities