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Step 1 of 4Internal Revenue Service · 4506-T · 2025-04

IRS Form 4506-T online — request a tax transcript by mail

This preparation-only workflow fills the current Form 4506-T for transcript types not covered by simpler IRS tools and sends the unsigned kit to the customer, not the IRS. After delivery, the customer reviews the form, hand-signs and dates it, verifies the current RAIVS destination, and personally mails or faxes it within 120 days of signing.

Prepare Form 4506-T, then add the handwritten signature it needs

We fill the form and mail an unsigned preparation kit to you. You complete the original signatures, physical enclosures, and final submission.

Current step
What you need
What is this transcript for?, Which transcript do you need?, and Tax form number
This step
5 fields · 4 required

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Step 1

What you need

Pick the transcript and the years. No IRS fee — transcripts are free.

4 required

This picks the right IRS mailing address and the right hints for the rest of the form.

Which transcript do you need? (check one) *

Available for up to 10 years — the way to reach data older than the return-transcript window. Current-year data generally is not available until the year after filing. Need W-2 details for Social Security retirement reasons? Contact the SSA at 1-800-772-1213. Need the actual copy of a W-2 you attached to a return? That requires Form 4506 (copy of return) instead.

One tax form number per request. Personal requests — including wage & income and non-filing letters — use 1040. Business examples: 1065, 1120, 941.

Which year(s)? Enter the end date of each *

Use the last day of the tax year — for a 2024 personal return enter 12 / 31 / 2024. Quarterly business returns: enter each quarter's end date. Up to four periods per request; return transcripts only reach the current year plus 3 prior processing years (older wage & income data: check that box above).

Need more context?

The form is ready to fill now. If you want supporting instructions, mailing notes, or source links, they are below.

Important details+

IRS online tools are faster for many transcript requests. When Form 4506-T is still the right route, we fill and print the official form and send the unsigned kit to you. After delivery, review it, hand-sign and date it, verify the current RAIVS address or fax number, and submit it yourself. There is no IRS fee.

What you need+
  • Name and SSN/ITIN (or EIN for a business) exactly as shown on the return
  • Transcript type, tax form number, and the end date of each year or period (up to four)
  • Current mailing address on file with the IRS — plus the previous address if you recently moved
  • The state you lived in (or the business operated in) when the return was filed, for IRS routing
  • Signature, date, and the checked attestation box
  • Hand-sign the printed form after the preparation kit is delivered
  • Authorization document (businesses, estates, and trusts only) (optional) — For entities other than individuals, attach the document that authorizes you to act — for example, a letter from a principal officer or letters testamentary. Use copies, not originals.
  • Form 2848 (only if a representative signs for the taxpayer) (optional) — A representative may sign Form 4506-T only if the taxpayer delegated that authority on Form 2848, line 5 — attach the Form 2848 showing the delegation.
Form summary+

This preparation-only workflow fills the current Form 4506-T for transcript types not covered by simpler IRS tools and sends the unsigned kit to the customer, not the IRS. After delivery, the customer reviews the form, hand-signs and dates it, verifies the current RAIVS destination, and personally mails or faxes it within 120 days of signing.

How it works+
  1. Prepare the form online
  2. Review the unsigned preparation kit
  3. Receive the single-sided kit at your address
  4. Add signatures and physical items, then submit it yourself
Where it gets mailed+

PostalForm mails the unsigned preparation kit to you. You complete the signatures, physical enclosures, and final submission yourself.

Packet order+
  • Customer assembly instruction cover (remove and keep before final submission)
  • Prepared unsigned form (signature and reserved third-party fields blank)
  • Printed reference attachments
Common mistakes+
  • Leaving the attestation checkbox unchecked — the IRS returns the form unprocessed.
  • Expecting the transcript to be sent to a lender or other third party. Since July 2019 the IRS mails transcripts only to your address of record; lenders use Form 4506-C through IVES instead.
  • Requesting a return transcript for a year older than the current plus 3 prior years instead of checking the wage & income box, which reaches back up to 10 years.
  • Entering more than one tax form number on a single request.
  • Not updating your address with the IRS first (Form 8822) after a move, so the transcript goes to the old address.
  • Letting the signed form go stale — the IRS must receive it within 120 days of the signature date.
FAQs+
Is there a fee for Form 4506-T?

No. IRS transcripts are free. Only Form 4506 — an exact photocopy of a filed return — carries a fee ($30 per return).

Is there a faster way than mailing Form 4506-T?

Usually, yes. An IRS Individual Online Account shows transcripts immediately for free, and the automated Get Transcript by Mail service (irs.gov or 800-908-9946) delivers return or account transcripts in 5–10 calendar days with no form at all. Form 4506-T is the route for wage & income (W-2/1099) history, verification of non-filing letters, business transcripts, or when the online tools don’t work for you.

Can the IRS send my transcript directly to my lender?

No. Since July 2019 the IRS mails 4506-T transcripts only to the taxpayer’s address of record. Lenders that need transcripts directly use Form 4506-C through the IRS IVES program — if a lender handed you a form to sign, check which one it is.

Which transcript type should I choose?

The IRS’s own tip: if you are unsure, request the Record of Account — it combines the return transcript and the account transcript.

How long does it take?

The IRS says most 4506-T requests are processed within 10 business days of receipt. Add mail time in both directions.

I moved recently — will my transcript find me?

Only if the IRS has your new address. Transcripts go to your address of record, so file Form 8822 (Change of Address) first if you haven’t updated it.

Sources+
Related+
Last verified+

Last Internal Revenue Service verification: July 12, 2026