How to Get IRS Form 4506-T: Online, Phone, or Paper Filing

To get IRS Form 4506-T, download the current April 2025 revision from irs.gov, fill it out, and mail or fax it to the IRS processing center assigned to your state.¹ The form is free, and the IRS typically processes requests within 10 business days. Before you print anything, though, check whether you can skip the paper form entirely.

Try Online or Phone First

The fastest way to get a tax transcript is through your IRS Individual Online Account, which gives immediate on-screen access to all five transcript types: tax return, tax account, record of account, wage and income, and verification of non-filing.² Signing in requires an ID.me account, which means uploading a photo of a government-issued ID and taking a selfie so the system can match your face to the document.³ If ID.me credentials from another agency already exist, they work here.

If online verification fails or you’d rather not set up ID.me, call the automated transcript line at 800-908-9946. Tax return transcripts and tax account transcripts ordered this way arrive by mail in 5 to 10 calendar days.² Phone orders are limited to the current year and three prior tax years.⁴

When You Actually Need the Paper Form

Form 4506-T is the right tool if you can’t verify your identity online, if you need a transcript for a business entity, or if you need a transcript type the phone service doesn’t offer, like wage and income data or verification of non-filing. Download the current April 2025 revision straight from irs.gov.¹ An outdated revision is an easy way to get your request rejected, so grab a fresh copy each time.

One thing to know before you start: since July 2019, the IRS mails transcripts only to your address of record. It will not send them to a third party, even if you write someone else’s address on the form.⁵ You’ll get the transcript first and forward it yourself.

Filling Out Lines 1 Through 5

Lines 1 through 4 establish who you are and where the transcript should go. On line 1a, enter your full legal name exactly as it appeared on the return you’re requesting. For a joint return, enter the first name listed on line 1a and the spouse’s name on line 2a.⁶

Line 1b takes your Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. For a business return, use the Employer Identification Number instead. Joint filers enter the spouse’s SSN or ITIN on line 2b.⁶ A single wrong digit will cause an automated rejection, so double-check every number.

Line 3 is your current mailing address, which is where the transcript will be sent. If you’ve moved since filing the return you’re asking about, put the old address on line 4. Address mismatches between the form and IRS records are one of the most common reasons requests get denied or delayed.⁶

Line 5 is optional. You can enter a customer file number up to 10 digits, which appears on the transcript and helps a lender match it to your file. Do not put your SSN here. If you do, the IRS replaces it with a generic “9999999999” to protect your data.⁶

Choosing the Right Transcript Type

The form offers five transcript options. Pick wrong and you’ll wait another 10 business days for the correct version.

Tax return transcript (line 6a). Shows most line items from the return as originally filed. This is what mortgage lenders typically ask for. Available for the current year and three prior tax years.²
Tax account transcript (line 6b). Shows filing status, taxable income, payment types, and any post-filing changes such as adjustments or penalty assessments. Available for the current year and nine prior years through the online account.²
Record of account (line 6c). Combines the return transcript and account transcript. Current year plus three prior years.²
Verification of non-filing (line 7). Official proof that no return was filed for a given year, commonly required for financial aid. Current-year requests are only available after June 15.⁶
Wage and income transcript (line 8). Shows data from W-2s, 1099s, 1098s, and 5498s reported to the IRS. Available for the current year and nine prior years, though current-year data generally isn’t ready until the following year.²

Enter only one tax form number per request on line 6. If you need transcripts for different form types (say, a 1040 and a 1065), file a separate 4506-T for each.⁶

Specifying Tax Periods and Signing

On line 9, enter the ending date of each tax year or period in MM/DD/YYYY format. For a standard calendar-year return, that’s 12/31/ followed by the four-digit year. You can request up to four periods on a single form.⁶ More than four years? File a second form.

Sign and date the form before sending. Either spouse can sign a joint-return request. The IRS accepts both handwritten signatures and electronic signatures created with a PIN or stylus device.⁶ The IRS must receive your form within 120 days of the signature date, or it will be rejected. If the form sits on your desk for months, re-sign and re-date it before mailing.

Where to Send It and How Long It Takes

The IRS processes Form 4506-T at three regional centers. Which one handles your form depends on the state where you lived when you filed the return, and the IRS publishes a state-by-state routing chart on its website.⁷ Individual return transcripts route to Austin, Ogden, or Kansas City, each with its own mailing address and dedicated fax number.

Faxing is faster than mailing. If you mail it, send it certified so you have proof of delivery. Most transcript requests are processed within 10 business days.⁶ Peak filing season (February through April) stretches that timeline, as do errors that force manual review. Account transcripts and records of account not available in the automated system can take up to 30 calendar days. There’s no fee for any transcript obtained through Form 4506-T.¹

Mortgage Applicants: Your Lender Uses 4506-C

If you’re applying for a mortgage, your lender probably won’t use Form 4506-T. Since May 2021, lenders participating in the IRS Income Verification Express Service (IVES) have been required to use Form 4506-C instead.⁸ IVES delivers transcripts electronically to the lender, typically within about three business days.

Your lender will hand you a 4506-C to sign. Both spouses must sign if both are listed, and electronic signatures require checking the box that confirms the form was signed electronically.⁸ If you’ve already signed a 4506-T for a loan application, your lender may ask you to sign an updated 4506-C before closing. That’s the form change at work, not a problem with your file.

If You Need a Full Copy Instead

A transcript is a summary of return data, not a photocopy. If you need an exact, complete copy of a filed return with all attachments and schedules, use Form 4506 (without the “-T”). That form costs $30 per return and the IRS considers the request overdue at 75 calendar days, so plan for a wait of several weeks.⁹ For most loan and financial aid purposes, a free transcript is enough.

What the Transcript Will Look Like

Transcripts arrive with sensitive information partially hidden. You’ll see only the last four digits of any Social Security Number, EIN, or account number. Names are truncated to the first four characters of the last name, business names to the first four characters, and street addresses to the first six characters including spaces. All dollar amounts, including balances due, interest, and penalties, display in full.¹⁰

This masking sometimes confuses lenders or schools trying to verify that a transcript belongs to you. The financial data is complete; the identifying details are redacted. When a third party needs to match the transcript to your application, the customer file number from line 5 is what bridges the gap.

1
Internal Revenue Service. About Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return
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Internal Revenue Service. Transcript Types for Individuals and Ways to Order Them
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Internal Revenue Service. New Identity Verification Process to Access Certain IRS Online Tools and Services
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Internal Revenue Service. Transcript Services for Individuals – FAQs
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Internal Revenue Service. IRS Takes Additional Steps to Protect Taxpayer Data, Plans to End Faxing and Third-Party Mailings of Certain Tax Transcripts
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Internal Revenue Service. Form 4506-T Request for Transcript of Tax Return
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Internal Revenue Service. Where to File Addresses for Filing Form 4506-T
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Internal Revenue Service. IRS Income Verification Express Service (IVES) FAQs
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Internal Revenue Service. Request for Copy of Tax Return – Form 4506
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Knowledge Center. IRS Announced Updated Tax Transcripts Redacting Sensitive Information