IRS Form 4506-T, tax transcript request

Form 4506-T: what it does, where it goes, and how to fill it out

What is Form 4506-T used for?

Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return, asks the IRS for a transcript of your tax information, not a copy of the return itself. It covers five products: a return transcript, an account transcript, a record of account, a Verification of Non-filing letter, and a transcript of Form W-2, 1099, 1098, or 5498 data. The current version is the April 2025 revision (Rev. 4-2025).

Transcripts partially mask personal details such as your name and Social Security number, but the financial figures stay fully visible for tax preparation, representation, or income verification. Since July 2019, the IRS mails transcripts requested on this form only to the taxpayer’s address of record, not to third parties.

If you’re not sure which transcript you need, the form suggests asking for the record of account, since it combines the return and account transcripts.

• Form 4506 is for an actual copy of a filed return, including attachments such as W-2s. The fee is $30 for each return requested.
• Form 4506-T-EZ (Rev. 3-2025) is still current. It is a short form that requests only an individual tax return transcript.
• Form 4506-C is the IVES request form that lenders and other participants in the IRS Income Verification Express Service use to get transcripts with your permission.
• Taxpayers with a fiscal tax year (one that starts in one calendar year and ends in the next) must use Form 4506-T to request a return transcript.

Where do you mail or fax Form 4506-T?

Send the form to the IRS RAIVS team that serves the state you lived in, or the state your business was in, when that return was filed. The form has two charts. One is for individual transcripts (Form 1040 series, Form W-2, and Form 1099), and the other is for all other transcripts, such as business returns. Each address also has a fax number, and you can either mail or fax the form.

If you’re requesting more than one transcript and the chart gives you two different addresses, send the request to the address based on your most recent return. The IRS lists a separate Washington, DC address on the form for comments on the form itself and tells you not to send requests there.

How do you fill out Form 4506-T?

The form is one page, and the IRS may reject it if it’s incomplete or illegible. Work through it line by line:

1. Line 1a and 1b: the name shown first on the return, and the first Social Security number, ITIN, or, for a business return, the employer identification number (EIN).
2. Line 2a and 2b: the spouse’s name and SSN or ITIN, if it was a joint return.
3. Line 3: your current name and address, including any apartment, suite, or P.O. box. If you’re incarcerated, include your inmate identification number.
4. Line 4: the address on your last return, if it differs from line 3. If the two differ and you haven’t told the IRS about the move, the form points you to Form 8822 (or Form 8822-B for a business).
5. Line 5 (optional): a customer file number of up to 10 digits that prints on the transcript. Don’t use an SSN; if you do, the IRS replaces it with 9999999999.
6. Line 6: one tax form number (1040, 1065, 1120, and so on) and a box for a return transcript, account transcript, or record of account. Only one form number is allowed per request.
7. Line 7 or 8: check line 7 for a Verification of Non-filing, or line 8 for a W-2, 1099, 1098, or 5498 transcript.
8. Line 9: the end date of each tax year or period, in mm/dd/yyyy format, such as 12/31/2018 for a 2018 calendar-year Form 1040.
9. Signature: check the box confirming you have authority to sign, then sign, date, and add a phone number. For a joint return, one spouse’s signature is enough. Sign exactly as your name appeared on the return, and also sign your current name if it has changed.

How long does it take to get a transcript with Form 4506-T?

For every transcript type on the form, the IRS says most requests will be processed within 10 business days.

Timing also depends on the date you signed. The IRS must receive the form within 120 days of the signature date, or it will reject the request. The IRS also returns the form unprocessed if the authority checkbox in the signature area is blank.

Is there a faster way to get a tax transcript?

For individuals, yes. The IRS calls its Individual Online Account the fastest way to get a transcript. You can view, print, or download it there.

If you can’t register online, you can order a tax return or tax account transcript by mail through the IRS Get Transcript by Mail tool or by calling the automated line at 800-908-9946. The IRS says those transcripts arrive in 5 to 10 calendar days at the address it has on file. Businesses have a separate IRS page for business tax transcripts.

Form 4506-T remains the option for business transcripts, fiscal-year filers, and transcript types the mail-order tool doesn’t offer.

• IRS: Get your tax records and transcripts

How do you request a Verification of Non-filing letter?

A Verification of Non-filing letter is IRS proof that it has no record of a filed Form 1040-series return for the year you ask about. On Form 4506-T, check line 7 and enter the year on line 9.

Requests for the current year are available only after June 15. Prior years have no availability limit. As with other transcripts, the IRS says most requests are processed within 10 business days. The IRS says individuals can also get non-filing letters online or by mail.

Who can sign Form 4506-T for someone else?

A representative can sign only if the taxpayer delegated that authority on Form 2848, line 5, and the representative attaches that Form 2848. For a corporation, the form lists an officer with legal authority to bind it, a person the board designates, or an officer or employee authorized in writing by a principal officer. For a partnership, any partner during the requested period can generally sign. Entities other than individuals must attach the authorization document.

For an estate, the form refers signers to section 6103(e). Heirs at law, next of kin, and beneficiaries must be able to establish a material interest in the estate or trust.

Sources

• IRS Form 4506-T (Rev. 4-2025), Request for Transcript of Tax Return
• IRS: About Form 4506-T
• IRS: Get your tax records and transcripts
• IRS: About Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return
• IRS Form 4506 (Rev. 4-2025)
• IRS: About Form 4506-T-EZ
• IRS: Income Verification Express Service (IVES) FAQs

Checked against these sources: October 9, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.