Form 4506-T - Request for Transcript of Tax Return

What Form 4506-T is

Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return, is the paper way to ask the IRS for tax transcripts, which are printouts of your tax information rather than a copy of the return itself. This template is the Rev. April 2025 edition, a 2-page PDF. As of October 3, 2026, it matches the current version on the IRS Form 4506-T page.

Transcripts partly mask personal information such as SSNs but show full financial data. The IRS provides them at no charge, according to its transcript types page. Most people can also get them faster online with Get Transcript or through the automated line at 800-908-9946. Form 4506-T is useful when those options don't work for you, for business transcripts, or for fiscal-year filers, who must use this form to request a return transcript.

Who uses it

Individuals who need a record of past returns, income, or payments, for example to verify income. People who need proof that they did not file a return for a year. Businesses requesting transcripts of business returns. Since July 2019, the IRS mails transcripts only to the taxpayer's address of record, not to third parties. Lenders that need transcripts directly use the IRS Income Verification Express Service (IVES).

What to have ready

• The name and SSN, ITIN, or EIN as shown on the return, plus your spouse's for a joint return.
• Your current address and the address on your last filed return.
• The tax form number (1040, 1065, 1120, and so on) and the years or periods you need.
• Which transcript type you need. If unsure, the IRS suggests the Record of Account.

How to fill out Form 4506-T online

Click "Fill Template Now," type into the fields on page 1, sign, and download the completed form to mail.

Lines 1 to 5, identification

Line 1a is the name shown first on the return, and line 1b is the first SSN, ITIN, or EIN. Use the EIN for a business return, or your SSN for a Form 1040 with Schedule C. Lines 2a and 2b are your spouse's name and number for a joint return. Line 3 is your current name and address, including apartment, suite, or inmate number. Line 4 is the address on your last return if it is different. Line 5 is an optional customer file number of up to 10 digits that prints on the transcript. It should not contain an SSN.

Lines 6 to 8, transcript type

Line 6 takes one tax form number per request, then a checkbox for the transcript type:

• 6a Return Transcript: most line items of the return as filed, for the current year and returns processed in the prior 3 processing years.
• 6b Account Transcript: payments, penalties, and adjustments made after filing.
• 6c Record of Account: the return and account transcripts combined, for the current year and 3 prior tax years.

Line 7 requests a Verification of Nonfiling. The form says current-year requests are available only after June 15. Line 8 requests a transcript of Form W-2, 1099, 1098, or 5498 data, available for up to 10 years. It does not include state or local information.

Line 9 and signature

Line 9 has spaces for the ending date of each year or period, in mm/dd/yyyy format. In the signature area, check the box confirming you have the authority to sign, then add the signature, date, phone number, and title if signing for an entity. One spouse's signature is enough for a joint return. Sign exactly as your name appeared on the return, and also sign your current name if it has changed.

Where to send it and how long it takes

Mail Form 4506-T to the IRS RAIVS Team address on page 2 for the state you lived in when the return was filed. Individual transcripts go to Austin, Kansas City, or Ogden, depending on your state, and a separate chart covers business transcripts. The IRS must receive the form within 120 days of the date you sign it. The form says most requests are processed within 10 business days, and the Get Transcript page says mailed transcripts arrive in 5 to 10 calendar days at your address on file. If you want to sign electronically, check the IRS e-signature rules in IRM 10.10.1 first.

Common mistakes

• Entering more than one form number on line 6.
• Leaving the attestation box unchecked. The form will not be processed.
• Expecting the IRS to mail the transcript to a lender. It only goes to your address of record.
• Using an SSN as the customer file number. The IRS replaces it with a generic number.
• Asking for a W-2 copy with this form. A transcript shows the data, but a copy of the actual W-2 filed with your return needs Form 4506.

For more detail, see our guide on how to request a tax transcript with Form 4506-T.