Form 4506-T lets you select a tax return transcript, an account transcript or a combined record of account. Those selections answer different questions: the original return’s figures, later account activity, or both. The April 2025 form also offers wage and income information and verification of nonfiling.
Who uses Form 4506-T?
Use Form 4506-T to request tax information rather than a photocopy of the original return. Taxpayers using a fiscal tax year must use this form to request a return transcript, according to its instructions. The IRS also provides online transcript access through its tax-records service.
A return transcript shows most lines as filed but excludes later changes to the account. An account transcript shows activity such as payments, penalty assessments and adjustments. Select the record of account when you need the combination; the instructions also recommend it when you are unsure which transcript type to request.
How to fill in the transcript choices
Enter the taxpayer’s name and identification number on line 1, with spouse details on line 2 for a joint return. Line 3 is the current address; line 4 records the last return’s address if different. Enter only one tax form number per request on line 6.
| Line or box | Selection or entry | What it provides |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | An optional customer file number of up to 10 digits. | A matching reference printed on the transcript. Do not use an SSN. |
| 6a | Return transcript. | Most original return entries, without adjustments made after processing. |
| 6b | Account transcript. | Account status, payments, assessments and adjustments. |
| 6c | Record of account. | Return and account transcript information combined. |
| 7 | Verification of nonfiling. | A letter showing that the IRS has no record of a filed return for the requested year. |
| 8 | Wage and income transcript. | Reported W-2, 1099, 1098 and 5498 information. W-2 state and local information is excluded. |
| 9 | The tax period’s end date in mm/dd/yyyy format. | Identifies the calendar year, fiscal year or quarter. Enter each quarter needed. |
Delivery address and records you can request
The IRS mails requested transcripts to the taxpayer’s address of record. Line 5 is a customer file reference, not a place to designate a lender or other recipient. Personal identifiers are partly masked on transcripts, while financial information remains visible.
If lines 3 and 4 differ and you have not updated your address with the IRS, follow the form’s instruction to file Form 8822 for an individual address or Form 8822-B for a business address. Simply naming a new recipient on this transcript form is not an available delivery option.
Line 6a describes return transcripts for the current year and returns processed during the previous three processing years. Line 6c gives the current year and three prior tax years for a record of account. Line 8 says wage and income information may be available for up to 10 years. Availability depends on the product selected; these are not interchangeable lookback periods.
For a missing W-2 or 1099 copy, the form directs you to contact the payer first. Form 4506 is the route for a copy filed with your return, including attachments. A wage and income transcript contains reported data rather than an image of the original document.
When and where to send the signed request
Complete all applicable fields before signing, and check the authority attestation box. The IRS must receive Form 4506-T within 120 days of the signature date. Either spouse may sign a request for a joint return. For an entity or representative request, read page 2’s authorization and documentation requirements before submitting.
Mail or fax the request using the page 2 charts. Choose the chart for individual transcripts or the chart for all other transcripts, then use the state where you lived or the business was located when the return was filed. If multiple periods point to different destinations, follow the address on the most recent return.
The April 2025 form says most requests for the listed products are processed within 10 business days. Download the full PDF for its current mailing addresses and fax numbers; the comments address for the Tax Forms and Publications Division is not a filing destination.