The quickest way to get a copy of your tax return is to log in to the tax software or preparer you originally used, since they almost always keep a copy on file. If that isn’t an option, the IRS Individual Online Account lets you view and download a transcript in minutes for free, and a full photocopy of the filed return is available by mail for $30 per year through Form 4506.
Try Your Preparer or Tax Software First
The IRS itself recommends this step before contacting the agency. If you filed through TurboTax, H&R Block, or a similar service, sign in to that account and look under prior-year returns. Most providers keep filed returns available for several years at no extra charge.
If a CPA or enrolled agent prepared the return, call their office. Tax professionals are required to keep copies of returns they prepared, and most can email a PDF within a day or two. This route skips every IRS process below.
Transcript or Photocopy: Which One You Actually Need
A transcript is not a photocopy. It’s a reformatted summary the IRS generates from its own records, and it’s free. A photocopy is the actual return you filed, with attachments like W-2s, and it costs $30 per year and can take up to 75 calendar days to arrive.
For most purposes, the transcript is enough. Lenders, financial aid offices, and government agencies generally accept transcripts in place of the return. Only reach for the full photocopy when someone specifically requires it or you need the original attachments.
The Four Transcript Types
The IRS offers four transcript types. Picking the right one saves a second request.1Internal Revenue Service. Transcript Types for Individuals and Ways to Order Them
- Tax Return Transcript. Shows most line items from your original 1040 as filed, plus attached forms and schedules. It does not reflect changes made after filing. Available for the current year and three prior years.
- Tax Account Transcript. Shows filing status, taxable income, payment types, and any changes made after filing. Available online for the current year and nine prior years, or by mail for the current year and three prior years.
- Record of Account Transcript. Combines the return transcript and account transcript in one document. Available for the current year and three prior years.
- Wage and Income Transcript. Pulls data from information returns filed on your behalf, such as W-2s, 1099s, and 1098s. Available for the current year and nine prior years, with online access capped at roughly 85 documents per year.
If you filed an amended return and want to see how your account changed, choose the record of account transcript. Otherwise the tax return transcript covers most mortgage and financial aid situations.
Getting a Transcript Online
The IRS Individual Online Account is the fastest option. Once you’re signed in, any available transcript type can be viewed, printed, or downloaded on the spot. The account also shows your adjusted gross income, payment history, and any balance due.2Internal Revenue Service. Get Your Tax Records and Transcripts
First-time users have to verify identity through the IRS sign-in page, which requires a government-issued photo ID. Have your Social Security number, a phone number tied to your name, and an email address ready.
How and when you filed affects when the current-year transcript appears. E-filed returns with no balance due usually post within a few weeks of acceptance. Paper returns take longer to work through the system.
Getting a Transcript by Mail or Phone
If you’d rather not set up an online account, use the “Get Transcript by Mail” tool on irs.gov or call the automated line at 800-908-9946. You’ll need your Social Security number, date of birth, filing status, and the mailing address from your most recent return. The transcript arrives at your address on file within 5 to 10 calendar days.1Internal Revenue Service. Transcript Types for Individuals and Ways to Order Them
For more control over the request, submit Form 4506-T by mail. This form lets you pick any transcript type and specify the tax year. Processing generally takes up to 10 business days.3Internal Revenue Service. Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return
Mail and phone requests are capped at the current year and three prior years for return transcripts and account transcripts. The online account extends the account-transcript window to nine prior years.4Internal Revenue Service. Transcript Services for Individuals – FAQs
Requesting a Full Photocopy With Form 4506
When a transcript won’t do and you need the actual return with attachments, file Form 4506. It’s a paper-only process. The fee is $30 for each tax year requested, paid by check or money order to “United States Treasury,” with your Social Security number and “Form 4506 request” written on the payment.5Internal Revenue Service. Request for Copy of Tax Return
Mail the form and payment to the IRS processing center listed in the instructions for your state. Expect up to 75 calendar days. The IRS has to physically retrieve these records from storage, so there’s no way to speed the process up.6Internal Revenue Service. About Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return
If you’re up against a financial deadline, order a transcript first to cover the immediate need while you wait for the photocopy. Mortgage applicants have another option: ask whether the lender participates in the IRS Income Verification Express Service. Through IVES the lender submits Form 4506-C on your behalf and receives the transcript directly from the IRS, which is faster than a mailed photocopy.7Internal Revenue Service. Income Verification Express Service (IVES)
Business Returns
Corporate (Form 1120) and partnership (Form 1065) returns use the same Form 4506, at the same $30 per return and the same 75-day timeline. Enter the employer identification number on line 1b and specify the return type on line 6.5Internal Revenue Service. Request for Copy of Tax Return Signing authority is stricter than for individual returns: for a corporation, an officer with authority to bind the company must sign, and shareholders holding at least 1% of stock can request records with supporting documentation. For a partnership, any person who was a member during the tax period may sign.
If Someone Filed a Fraudulent Return in Your Name
If you need a copy of a return filed by an identity thief, use Form 4506 as usual but include a written statement explaining that you’re an identity theft victim. Form 14039 is the IRS Identity Theft Affidavit and can be filed alongside the request.8Internal Revenue Service. Identity Theft Affidavit For state-level identity theft, contact your state tax agency directly.
State Returns Are Separate
State tax records aren’t part of the IRS system. Each state’s Department of Revenue or equivalent runs its own portal or mail-request process, with its own fees and timelines. Two to four weeks is typical for mailed requests, though it varies. Check your state agency’s website for the correct form and address.
Information to Have Ready
Any request, online or on paper, needs these details to match IRS records:
- Social Security number or ITIN, matching the return you’re requesting.
- Date of birth.
- Filing status used for that specific tax year.
- The mailing address from your most recently processed return.
The address is what trips people up after a move. Mailed transcripts and photocopies go to the address on file, so update it with Form 8822 first, or use the online account, which shows transcripts immediately regardless of the address on record.3Internal Revenue Service. Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return