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Troubleshooting Tips to Fix QuickBooks Payroll Error 30159

fix error 30159 in quickbooks

QuickBooks Payroll Error 30159 occurs when trying to update an existing payroll subscription in QuickBooks Desktop. You might encounter a pop-up that states “Can’t Verify Payroll Subscription Error 30159”. This error generally occurs when QuickBooks fails to recognize your username.

It can be due to a number of reasons such as an expired QuickBooks or payroll subscription. Therefore, implement the tried and tested countermeasures mentioned in this blog and fix QuickBooks error 30159 swiftly.

Though the QuickBooks payroll error 30159 resolutions mentioned in this blog are unchallenging to follow, you may face complexities if you are new to QuickBooks. In that case, get in touch with our A2 Auto Care experts at +1(800) 780-3064 and get the error resolved in no time.

Troubleshooting QuickBooks Error 30159 with Proven Solutions

Here are the troubleshooting solutions to get past QuickBooks Payroll Error 30159. Implement these solutions in the given order.

fix error 30159 in quickbooks enterprise

1: Verify Your QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Subscription

verify your quickbooks desktop payroll subscription

It’s important to check whether your payroll service subscription is active or inactive. Let’s follow the steps below to verify the payroll subscription.

  1. Begin by closing all the company files and restarting the system.
  2. Open QuickBooks, move to Employees, select My Payroll Service, then Manage Service Key.
open employee then payroll service, then select manage service key to verify subscription
  1. Now, check whether the QuickBooks Desktop Payroll subscription is Active.
  2. The next step is to select Edit and verify the service key. If it is incorrect, enter the correct service key carefully.
  3. Further, hit Next, uncheck the Open Payroll Setup box, then 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.

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.

  1. Firstly, open the company file, go to Employees, and select My Payroll Service.
  2. Select Account/Billing Info and then sign in using your Intuit Account login. This opens the QuickBooks Account page.
go to employees, and select my payroll service ang get account/billing info
  1. 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.

  1. Sign in to your account using your Intuit account and choose Resubscribe under Status.
  2. Finally, follow the on-screen steps and reactivate the payroll service.

If reactivating the payroll service doesn’t work, move to the next 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.

  1. Firstly, right-click the paysub.ini file found and choose Rename.
  2. Further, consider adding.OLD to make every file name unique.

If this also doesn’t resolve the QuickBooks error 30159, move to the solution below.

4: Update Billing Info for Your Payroll Subscription

update billing your payroll subscription

It must be remembered that only authorized users can update billing info by implementing the detailed steps below.

  1. Sign in to QuickBooks, move to Employees, select My Payroll Service, and then select Account/Billing Information.
  2. Further, sign in using your Intuit Account login and verify your information. If you don’t see your name on the list, contact us.
  3. Next, opt for Billing Detail. It must be remembered 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.
  4. Select Edit billing info, enter your new billing information, and then select I Agree to conclude.

If trying this solution doesn’t help fix the QuickBooks payroll service error 30159, move to the solution below.

5: Download and Install the Latest QB Desktop Updates

Updating QuickBooks ensures that payroll features are seamless and effective to use. Let’s follow the detailed steps below to update QuickBooks to the latest release

install quickbooks desktop
  1. Firstly, close all the company files and QBDT.
  2. Click the Windows Start menu and search for QuickBooks Desktop.
  3. “Right-click the QBDT icon and opt for the Run as administrator option.”
  4. Further, open QuickBooks; while on the No Company Open screen, move to the Help menu and select Update QuickBooks Desktop.
update quickbooks desktop
  1. Further, move to the Options tab, select Mark All, and then hit Save.
  2. Next, move to the Update Now tab and mark the Reset Update checkbox.
reset update checkbox in qb
  1. Hit the Get Updates button, and when the update finishes, close and reopen QuickBooks Desktop. To install the updates, select Yes.
  2. Lastly, select Yes in order to install the updates. Then, restart the system when the installation finishes.

If updating QuickBooks also doesn’t help, move to the next solution.

6: Edit and Re-enter the Correct Payroll Service Key

The Incorrect Service Key is a leading cause of QuickBooks error 30159. Here’s how to rectify the incorrect service key.

  1. “Move to Employees and choose My Payroll Service.”
  2. Further, click Manage Service Key and then find & select your payroll service key.
  3. Select Remove, then click Add.
  4. Further, enter your active payroll service key.
  5. Select Finish and hit OK.

If rectifying the Incorrect Service Key also doesn’t help, move to the next solution.

7: Reinstall QuickBooks in Selective Startup

If none of the solutions work to 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 no other apps get in your way while reinstalling QuickBooks on the system.

  1. Firstly, press the Windows + R keys together and open the Run command.
  2. Type in msconfig and hit OK to move further.
  3. A System Configuration window will open; move to the General tab, select Selective Startup, and Load system services.
  4. Further, move to the Services tab, then select Hide all Microsoft Services, then Disable all.
  5. Then, uncheck Hide all Microsoft services and select Windows Installer from the list of services.
  6. 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 for the same.

  1. Firstly, press the Windows Start menu, type in Control Panel in the search bar, and then click to open it.
  2. 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.
  3. Select Uninstall/Change, then select Remove, and finally hit Next. In case you are unable to see this option, sign out and then sign back into Windows as an admin.

Step 3. Install QBDT on the System Again

When you install QBDT again, it automatically installs new folders and renames your 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 the QuickBooks system requirements are appropriately met by your system.
  • Lastly, ensure to have the product and license number handy.

Now, let’s move forward and install QBDT again on the system.

  1. Launch the file QuickBooks.exe file and follow the on-screen instructions.
  2. Further, accept the software license agreement and then hit Next.
  3. Enter the product and license numbers, and then hit Next again.
  4. Further, select Express and then hit Next once again.
  5. 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 once the reinstallation process has been accomplished. Let’s follow the detailed steps below to switch the system back to Normal mode effortlessly. 

  1. Firstly, press the Windows + R simultaneously to open the Run command.
  2. Further, enter msconfig in the search bar and hit OK.
  3. Move to the General tab, select Normal Startup, and then hit OK.
  4. Lastly, on the System Configuration window, select Restart.

If reinstalling QuickBooks doesn’t help, move to the next 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 then run the Windows Malicious Software Removal tool by following the detailed steps given below.

  1. Click the Windows Start tab, move to All Programs, and click the Restore option.
  2. Further, open a new window, click the restore my computer tab, and hit Next.
  3. Next, select the most recent system restore point and hit Next again.
  4. Click on the confirmation window and then reboot the system. 
  5. Further, download and install the QuickBooks File Repair tool to proceed.
  6. Move to the Scan tab and select the Fix error option.
  7. 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 30159 message.

9: Run the QuickBooks File Doctor Tool

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 in the following way.

Step 1. Install QuickBooks Tool Hub

download qb tool hub
ways to download QB tool hub
  • First of all, you need to close QBDT. 
  • After that, download the latest version ( 1.6.0.3) of QuickBooks Tool Hub. Another key point is that you need to ensure that the downloaded file is saved somewhere you can easily access (such as the downloads folder or the Windows desktop).
  • Open the downloaded QuickBooksToolHub.exe setup file.
  • Moving further, follow the on-screen steps to install and agree to the terms and conditions 
  • 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. It must be remembered that the File Doctor tool may take up to a minute or so to open.
run quickBooks file doctor
  • In the QB File Doctor, find and select the company file you want to scan from the drop-down menu. If you can’t see the file, in that case, 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 after that, hit Next.

If the File Doctor tool doesn’t help resolve the QuickBooks Pro error 30159, try the next solution below.

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.

  1. Move to Company, then choose My Company.
  2. Further, select Edit from Company Information.
  3. Next, choose Company Information from the menu on the left.
  4. Lastly, in the Federal Employer Identification No. field, type in the new EIN, and then hit OK to conclude.

Conclusion

Hopefully, the resolutions provided in this troubleshooting blog have proved to be effective in fixing the QuickBooks Payroll Error 30159. If not, get in touch with our team of experts. They provide instance resolution of any QB error.

What Users Ask About Error 30159

1. What are the Leading Causes that Trigger QB Error 30159

Following are the leading causes of QuickBooks payroll update error 30159:
1. Having an inactive payroll subscription
2. In case having more than one active payroll agreement with an inactive Direct Deposit agreement
3. Due to a damaged QuickBooks Desktop file: paysub.ini
4. Due to data damage
5. When the product is not updated
6. When the Service Key is incorrect 
7. In case the Employer Identification Number (EIN) in the company file is invalid
8. PSID in the company file is incorrect 
9. The version of QBDT you are using is not compatible with the version of Windows
10. 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 must have figured out the exact reason for the error in your case.

2. If renaming the paysub.ini will ruin all of the 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 that are already added to your account

3. How can I easily resolve QuickBooks error code 30159?

In order to resolve QuickBooks Desktop error 30159, you must check if the payroll subscription is still active. If your subscription has expired, you will need to renew it to fix this error. However, for prompt results, you can also use the QuickBooks Tool Hub to diagnose the cause of this error.

4. 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. 

5. What error messages could I encounter if payroll is under the influence of 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”.

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