IRS fax numbers by form, with the source for each

IRS fax numbers by form

Checked on 2026-10-10. Every number on this page was copied on that date from the irs.gov page or form linked beside it. The IRS says these numbers can change without notice, so open the link and confirm the number before you send.

This is not tax advice. PBXflex is not affiliated with or endorsed by the IRS.

The CAF numbers for Forms 2848 and 8821 are not for a form with line 4 checked. That form goes to the IRS office handling the matter.

IRS fax numbers by state

The IRS splits these forms between offices by state. Find the state, then read across.

• Forms 2848 and 8821 share one chart. Use the state the taxpayer lives in.
• Form 2553: use the state where the corporation's principal business, office or agency is located.
• Form 4506-T: this column is for individual transcripts (Form 1040 series, W-2 and 1099), by the state you lived in when the return was filed. Other transcripts are covered further down.

Sources: the Form 2848 instructions, the Form 8821 instructions, Where to file Form 2553 and Form 4506-T, page 2.

Faxing Form 2848 or 8821 to a CAF unit

A CAF unit records authorizations on the IRS Centralized Authorization File. Form 2848 is a power of attorney for a representative. Form 8821 lets a person or firm see tax information without representing the taxpayer.

• Sign in ink. By fax or mail, Forms 2848 and 8821 need a handwritten signature. Electronic signatures are accepted only online.
• Line 4 changes the destination. A specific-use form, with line 4 checked, goes by fax or mail to the IRS office handling that matter. The IRS says never to send a specific-use Form 2848 to a CAF unit.
• Send it once. If you already faxed or mailed a form, do not also submit it online.
• Form 8821 for a non-tax purpose, such as a lender checking income, must reach the IRS within 120 days of the taxpayer's signature.

If you need to discuss a case before the form is processed, the IRS suggests faxing the ink-signed form to the IRS employee handling the matter, or calling the Practitioner Priority Service.

Submitting Form 2848 or 8821 online

Both forms can be submitted at IRS.gov/Submit2848 with an IRS Secure Access account. A form with line 4 checked cannot be submitted online. Fax or mail it to the IRS office handling the matter. You upload one form at a time, as a PDF, JPG or GIF. You get an email when it is received. The IRS does not tell you when it is processed.

Online is the only route for a form signed electronically, such as with a typed name or a pasted signature image. For individual authorizations, Tax Pro Account offers real-time processing.

Faxing Form 2553 and keeping proof

Form 2553 is how an eligible corporation elects to be an S corporation. The instructions say to mail the original or fax it. If you fax it, keep the original with the corporation's permanent records.

The IRS should generally decide within 60 days. If you hear nothing within 2 months of the date you faxed it, or 5 months if box Q1 is checked, the instructions say to call 1-800-829-4933.

If the IRS questions whether you filed, the instructions accept four proofs: a certified or registered mail receipt (or a designated private delivery service equivalent), a Form 2553 with an accepted stamp, one with a stamped IRS received date, or an IRS letter accepting the election. A fax transmission report is not on that list. Keep it, and keep the acceptance letter when it arrives.

Faxing Form SS-4 for an EIN

Online is faster. Applicants based in the US or a US territory can apply at IRS.gov/EIN, and the EIN is issued once the application is validated.

By fax, the Fax-TIN program generally returns the EIN within 4 business days. Put your fax number on the form, because the IRS faxes back a cover sheet with the EIN. Fax-TIN numbers take EIN applications only. Use one method per entity, so you do not end up with two EINs.

Faxing Form 4506-T for a transcript

Form 4506-T requests a transcript of a return or an account. Page 2 of the form (Rev. 4-2025) has two charts, keyed to the state you lived in, or your business was in, when the return was filed.

• Individual transcripts (Form 1040 series, W-2 and 1099): use the 4506-T column in the state table.
• All other transcripts: fax 855-821-0094 if the Form 2553 column shows 855-887-7734 for that state. Otherwise fax 855-298-1145, which also covers US territories, APO and FPO, and addresses abroad.
• More than one transcript: if the chart gives two different numbers, use the one for the address on your most recent return.

The IRS must receive the form within 120 days of the date it was signed. The form also points to a quicker route: the IRS Get Transcript tool, or 1-800-908-9946.

Faxing Form 911 to the Taxpayer Advocate Service

Form 911 asks the Taxpayer Advocate Service for help, for example when a tax problem is causing financial difficulty. Form 911 (Rev. 6-2026) lists fax (855) 828-2723, or 1 (304) 707-9793 from overseas, which is not toll-free for US taxpayers. It also lists email, which it notes is not encrypted, and a mailing address. Send one Form 911 per issue, because duplicates may cause delays.

The IRS Document Upload Tool

The IRS Document Upload Tool lets you answer an IRS notice or letter online instead of by fax or mail. You need the notice's access code or its number, the name on it, and the SSN, ITIN or EIN. It takes JPG, PNG or PDF files and confirms that the IRS received them.

It does not take tax returns. If a notice includes a link, check that it includes "https" and "irs.gov" before you use it.

How to fax the IRS, step by step

1. Open the form's page on irs.gov and confirm the fax number. If you are answering a notice or letter, follow its instructions.
2. For Forms 2848 and 8821, sign the paper form in ink, then scan it. Do not paste a signature image into the PDF. The IRS accepts that kind of signature only online.
3. Add a cover sheet with your name, a reply number and the page count. Keep Social Security numbers and EINs off it. Our cover sheet for the IRS, above, has these fields, and the fax cover sheet guide has more templates.
4. Send each form once, by one method.
5. Keep the delivery confirmation and note the date. For Form 2553, the date you fax it starts the 2-month follow-up window.

Faxing the IRS from PBXflex

Fax is included on every PBXflex plan. You send and receive in the PBXflex app, with no fax machine and no dedicated line.

• Upload the signed, scanned form, add a cover page or use your default one, and send.
• Each fax you send produces a PDF delivery confirmation for the client file. Failed faxes retry automatically.
• Faxes the IRS sends back, such as an EIN from Fax-TIN, arrive as documents in a shared inbox.
• A fax page uses 2 credits, sent or received. One credit is one cent. A two-page form with a cover sheet uses 6 credits. Plans include credits every month (see plans).
• If you keep a fax machine, it can connect as a shared-device line, a $10 monthly add-on.

If you keep your current phone system, the Text & Fax plan adds business texting and fax in the PBXflex app alongside it. More on the fax extension.