Ohio validation error: The school district code is invalid on the main return

At the top of the Ohio IT-1040 Individual Income Tax Return is a space to enter the code for the school district the taxpayer lived in for most of the tax year. This applies to both full-year and part-year residents. Full-year nonresidents enter the code 9999.

If the nonresident code 9999 is entered in a full-year or part-year resident's return, a validation error will be encountered en route to e-filing:

Ohio - The school district code is invalid on the main return.

Note that this error relates only to Form IT-1040 and not to any school district income tax returns completed (Form SD-100), if any.

To fix this error, from the Ohio Return menu select:

• Basic Information
• County and School District Information
• Using the dropdown menu, select the county the taxpayer lived in for most of the year.
• Indicate the school district using one, and only one, of the three methods shown:
  • Enter the 4-digit code, or
  • Select the school district from the county's school district list, or
  • Select the school district from the entire state school district list.
  Note: If the taxpayer lived in more than one school district, enter the code for the district in which they lived for the majority of the year.

Note: Specifying the school district here has no effect on the School District Income Tax Return (Form SD-100), which may or may not need to be completed for a school district depending on whether or not the district levies a separate tax.

Additional Information:

Ohio State Tax Information