Form 4506: How to Request a Copy of Your Tax Return

Form 4506 is how you ask the IRS for an exact photocopy of a tax return you already filed. If you only need your income figures for a loan, a free tax transcript is usually enough, so decide that first. If a lender or agency specifically wants a full copy, fill in the form, sign it, and mail or fax it to the IRS address listed for your state.

Copy vs Transcript: Which One Do You Need?

A copy (Form 4506) is a reproduction of the return as you filed it, with all forms, schedules, and attachments. A transcript is a text summary of the data on the return. The IRS says transcripts ordered by mail arrive in 5 to 10 calendar days, and you can also view them online through your IRS account. Transcripts are requested with Form 4506-T, which we cover in a separate guide.

• Mortgage or student aid verification: a transcript usually works.
• Court case, audit, or immigration filing that needs your actual signed return: request a copy.
• You lost your own file: check your tax software or your preparer first, since that costs nothing.

Before You Start

• You need the name and Social Security number (or ITIN) shown first on the return. For a joint return, either spouse can sign the request.
• Gather the address on the return you want, if it differs from your current address.
• Know the form number (usually 1040) and each tax year you want.
• Have a way to pay the fee, since the IRS charges per return copy.

Step by Step: Filling Out the PDF

You can fill the IRS PDF in your browser instead of printing it and writing by hand. PDF Editify has the form ready as a Form 4506 template, and you can also upload your own copy at /fill-pdf.

1. Open the form. Use the template or upload the current PDF from IRS.gov. The IRS page lists the form as an April 2025 revision as of this writing, so download it fresh rather than reusing an old file.
2. Taxpayer name and SSN. Enter the first name shown on the return and its Social Security number or ITIN. Click a field and type; the text sizes itself to the box.
3. Spouse name and SSN. For a joint return, enter the second person's details too. Leave blank for single filers.
4. Current name and address. Use your present mailing address. If your name or address was different on the return, also enter the one shown on that return so the IRS can match it.
5. Third-party delivery. If you want the copy sent to someone else, such as a lender or attorney, enter their name and address. Otherwise it comes to you.
6. Form number. Enter the form you filed, for example 1040. Only one form type per request.
7. Tax years. List each year or period you need. Enter the full four-digit year. Each year is a separate return copy and is charged separately.
8. Fee and payment. Enter the total and attach payment as the instructions direct (see below).
9. Sign and date. Use the sign tool to type, draw, or upload your signature and add the date. The form should be signed and dated, and the IRS must receive it within 120 days of that signature date, so do not sign months ahead.
10. Download. Save the completed PDF, print it if you are mailing, and keep a copy for your records.

Fee and Payment

The IRS charges a fee for each return copy requested. Recent revisions have listed $43 per return according to third-party summaries, but I could not confirm the figure on an IRS page today, so read the fee on the form instructions itself before you pay. Make the check or money order payable to "United States Treasury" and write your SSN or ITIN and "Form 4506 request" on it. The IRS says it can waive the fee in cases involving a federally declared disaster, so check the instructions if that applies to you.

Copies are generally available for the current year and the prior six years. Older returns may have been archived, so ask a tax professional if you need something further back.

Timing and Where to Send It

Plan on up to 75 calendar days for a copy, per several tax-help sources. That is much slower than a transcript, so file the request early if a closing date is close. The mailing address depends on the state you lived in when you filed, and the form instructions give a table of addresses. Send it to the address that matches your state, not to a random IRS office. Some versions also list a fax option for certain requests, so check the instructions.

Common mistakes that get requests rejected: unsigned forms, a missing SSN, a year written as "22" instead of 2022, requesting several form types at once, and a missing or wrong payment.

A Quick Example

Say Maria and Dan filed a joint 2023 return, and an attorney now needs the full signed copy for a court filing. Maria opens the template, enters her name and SSN as the first filer and Dan's as the second, and types the home address they use today. Because they moved in 2024, she also adds the address shown on the 2023 return. She enters 1040 as the form, 2023 as the year, and the attorney's mailing address for delivery. She signs and dates the PDF the same day, prints it, and mails it with a check for one return. Had they needed 2022 as well, the fee would double, because each year is its own return.

Special Situations

• Business returns: the same form covers corporate and partnership returns, but the person signing must have authority to act for the business, and the instructions describe who qualifies.
• A deceased taxpayer: the personal representative can sign and generally needs to include supporting paperwork. If you are also claiming a refund, see our guide to Form 1310.
• Amended returns: if you changed a return after filing, say so in your request or ask for each version, since the original and amended filings are different documents. Our guide to filing Form 1040-X explains the amendment process.
• Sensitive details: before sharing the finished copy with a third party, consider redacting account numbers you do not need to disclose, which you can do with the redact tool.

Cheaper Alternatives

• IRS online account: view and download transcripts at no charge.
• Your tax preparer or software: many keep prior-year PDFs for several years.
• Form 4506-T: free, and enough for most lenders. Our 4506-T template works the same way.
• Your state tax agency: for state returns, which are handled separately.

More IRS forms are collected in our IRS tax forms library.

Fill and Sign Without a Subscription

PDF Editify is a paid editor, but you can open the form and try it without a card. Exporting needs a plan. For a one-off request like this, the One Week Plan costs $3 one-time, expires on its own, and leaves nothing to cancel. Compare that with a monthly subscription you would forget to cancel. If you handle forms regularly, the Standard plan is $10 per month or $100 per year, and Lifetime starts at $99. See pricing for details. Files are deleted automatically after processing, which matters for a form containing your SSN.

This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Confirm the current fee, addresses, and deadlines on IRS.gov before you submit.