The new PBJ login: how to access iQIES in 2026

If your team has used the same PBJ bookmark for years, this is a good time to replace it. iQIES is the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System, and PBJ submissions now belong there. CMS says the move leaves PBJ reporting requirements and quarterly deadlines unchanged. CMS launch details.

• August 17, 2026: PBJ launched in iQIES; the legacy QIES PBJ application became read-only.
• September 15, 2026: The legacy QIES PBJ application and its PBJ report functions are retired.

Existing CASPER inboxes and folders retain reports under their normal retention periods. Old QIES submission IDs do not work in iQIES submission-ID reports. Before relying on an old bookmark or report, check the CMS retirement and report-access notice.

Our PBJ deadline guide helps you match your work dates to the correct federal fiscal quarter.

1. Use your HARP account. HARP means HCQIS Access Roles and Profile System. If you already have an account, CMS says to use it. If you need one, follow the HARP registration link in the official onboarding instructions.
2. Open the official iQIES login. Use your HARP credentials, then request the access you need within iQIES.
3. Choose the PBJ role for your work. A person uploading staffing data needs submission permissions; a view-only role will not do.
4. Get facility approval. Your facility’s Provider Security Official (PSO) must approve your access before it becomes active. Vendors need approval for each facility they represent, using that facility’s CMS Certification Number (CCN).

These steps follow the CMS PBJ registration notice. Complete the access check before the day you plan to file, so your team has time to resolve a pending request.

• PBJ Submitter, provider or vendor: can view, upload, and edit PBJ data and run PBJ reports.
• Provider Security Official: can perform those PBJ tasks and approve user access.
• Provider Administrator or PBJ Viewer: can view PBJ data and run reports, but cannot upload or edit PBJ data under those roles.

A job title such as administrator does not determine your iQIES permissions. Confirm the assigned role and facility with your PSO. CMS role descriptions, page 2.

A successful login is only one part of access. Use these questions to narrow the problem before you contact support:

• No PBJ submission option? Check whether your PBJ role request was approved and whether the role permits uploads.
• Wrong facility or a missing facility? Confirm the CCN and approval for that specific facility. Access for one nursing home does not establish access for another.
• Only able to view reports? Check for a view-only role such as PBJ Viewer or Provider Administrator.

These are access checks based on the CMS permissions and approval requirements, not a diagnosis of every possible system error.

Have not logged in for a while? CMS warns that you lose iQIES access after 60 days without logging in. Quarterly filing alone can leave too long a gap. Our practical suggestion is to add an access check to your monthly PBJ routine; CMS does not require that particular schedule. CMS inactivity warning.

In iQIES, choose PBJ → Submissions → Upload File, complete the requested information, and attach the filing package. The current manual specifies ZIP files with a maximum size of 5 MB. A payroll spreadsheet needs preparation before this upload step.

Check the entry under My Recent Submissions. Then use Submission History → View Report to open the Final Validation Report. CMS says a single submission can include both accepted and rejected records, so an upload alone does not prove every intended record was accepted. CMS upload and validation instructions, sections 3–4.

For the next steps, use our PBJ submission and validation guide, including a free handoff sheet for your facility, quarter, revision, submission ID, and result.

For an unapproved facility role, start with your PSO. For technical help, the iQIES portal lists the Service Center at 800-339-9313 and iqies@cms.hhs.gov, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Eastern. Its Get Help area also links to CCSQ Support Central. HARP provides an account help page.

EasyPBJ support can help with the EasyPBJ preparation workflow. CMS account recovery and facility role approval must go through the appropriate CMS support or facility access process.

Getting into iQIES solves the access problem. Your team still needs to collect payroll and agency files, confirm job-code mappings, review staffing hours, and prepare the filing for the right quarter. If that work is spread across spreadsheets and email, EasyPBJ gives it a shared workspace.

• Import payroll and agency spreadsheets, then confirm how the columns and job codes should be interpreted.
• Review questions and reconcile hours with the source records before approving an export.
• Prepare PBJ XML and audit files, then retain the CMS result with the filing evidence.

An authorized person completes the CMS submission. EasyPBJ does not replace your HARP account, grant iQIES permissions, or guarantee CMS acceptance.

Explore the free EasyPBJ sample to see the preparation workflow with example data and no account. Ready to use your facility’s files? See EasyPBJ pricing and get started.