Four ways to order a transcript
Online. Sign in to your IRS Individual Online Account and open the tax records section. You can view, print or download transcripts at once, and also see your payment history and your prior-year adjusted gross income. The IRS calls this the fastest, easiest way. You need to verify your identity to open the account.
By mail, ordered online. Use Get Transcript by Mail on IRS.gov. You need the mailing address from your latest return. The transcript goes to the address the IRS has on file.
By phone. Call the automated transcript line at 800-908-9946 and follow the prompts. It is also mailed to your address on file.
Form 4506-T. Fill it in, sign it and mail or fax it to the IRS. It covers every transcript type, business returns, and older years than the online and phone services. Since July 2019 the IRS mails these transcripts only to your address of record, not to a third party; a lender uses Form 4506-C instead. The form says most requests are processed within 10 business days, and the IRS must receive it within 120 days of your signature.
Transcripts ordered through Get Transcript by Mail or by phone arrive in 5 to 10 calendar days. A transcript partly masks your personal details, such as your name and SSN, but shows the financial figures in full.
Which transcript do you need?
- Tax return transcript. Most line items of your Form 1040 as you filed it, without later changes. This is what most lenders and student aid offices ask for. Current year and three prior years.
- Tax account transcript. Basic data such as filing status, taxable income and payments, including changes made after you filed. Current year and nine prior years online; three prior years by mail or phone; older years with Form 4506-T.
- Record of account. The return and account transcripts combined. Current year and three prior years, online or with Form 4506-T.
- Wage and income transcript. Data from W-2, 1098, 1099 and 5498 forms the IRS received. Current year and nine prior years, online or with Form 4506-T. Online, it may not generate if you have more than about 85 income documents.
- Verification of non-filing letter. Says the IRS has no record of a processed Form 1040 for that year. It does not say whether you had to file. The current year is available after June 15.
When a lender asks: Form 4506-C
A mortgage lender, bank or other company that checks your income with the IRS usually asks you to sign Form 4506-C. The company must be registered in the IRS Income Verification Express Service (IVES). It fills in its own details, you fill in yours and sign, and the company sends the form and gets the transcripts directly. The IRS must receive it within 120 days of the date you sign.
You don't need a 4506-C to see your own records. See the Form 4506-C guide for each line.
A transcript is not a copy of your return
If you need an exact copy of a return you filed, with all its schedules and attachments, use Form 4506 instead. The IRS charges $30 for each return, copies of Form 1040 are generally kept for 7 years, and processing can take up to 75 calendar days.
The Form 4506-T guide walks through that form line by line. If you fill a form on your phone in PDF Sign & Fill, your documents are never uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
How can I get my IRS transcript without an online account?
Order it by mail with Get Transcript by Mail on IRS.gov, call 800-908-9946, or send Form 4506-T. Mail and phone orders go to the address the IRS has on file and arrive in 5 to 10 calendar days.
How do I get a transcript for my business?
The IRS page Get a business tax transcript lists the ways. On paper, use Form 4506-T: check the transcript type, enter the business name and EIN, the tax form number (such as 1120 or 1065) and the periods, and sign as an officer, partner or other person with authority.
Which transcript does a mortgage lender want?
Usually the tax return transcript, sometimes with the wage and income transcript, for the years the lender names. Most lenders get them themselves with Form 4506-C, which you sign.
Can I get a transcript for a deceased person?
Yes, with Form 4506-T signed by someone with authority for the estate, such as the executor or administrator. By signing, they certify that authority; the form's instructions say which documents to attach.
Is a transcript the same as a copy of my tax return?
No. A transcript lists the figures the IRS has on record. An exact copy of the return you filed, with its attachments, comes only through Form 4506, which has a $30 fee per return.
The form guides
Sources
Written from: Get your tax records and transcripts; Transcript types and ways to order them; About Form 4506-T; Income Verification Express Service (IVES); Form 4506 (Rev. April 2025).
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