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Notice responses · SS-4 · 2848 · 8821

Fax the IRS without hunting down a fax machine.

The IRS still asks for documents by fax — notice responses, EIN applications, powers of attorney. When they do, the deadline is real and the library's fax machine is not the plan. Upload your document, enter the number from your notice, pay by card, and keep the delivery confirmation for your records. $2.99 for 1–5 pages, no subscription. Tax returns themselves are not faxed: see below.

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The important part

Use the fax number on your notice — not one from a random website.

IRS fax numbers vary by form, by department, and sometimes by the state you file from — there is no single "IRS fax number." The correct number is printed on the notice or letter you received, or listed in the official instructions for your form at irs.gov. Faxing the right document to the wrong department is the slowest way to respond to a deadline — always double-check the number against an official source before you send.

Notice in hand

Upload the response. Enter the number on the notice.

Save your response as a PDF or a photo of each page — several files become one fax — and type the fax number exactly as it is printed on your notice. The page count and the price are shown before you pay. An optional cover page can carry your name and notice number, and the delivery confirmation goes to your email and your fax history.

  • PDF, PNG, JPG or GIF, up to 25 MB per file. Save a Word file as PDF first.
  • $2.99 for 1–5 pages, no subscription. Pay by card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover).
  • Delivery confirmation by email, with the receipt kept in your fax history.
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Illustrative fax form for sending a generic tax notice to the number on the notice.
Returns are different

Can you fax a Form 1040 or tax return to the IRS?

No. The IRS does not accept individual income tax returns by fax. Form 1040 is filed electronically or mailed to the address for your state in the IRS where-to-file tables, and that page lists no fax option. Fax is for responding to notices and letters, and for the specific forms whose official instructions list a fax number, such as SS-4, 2848 and 8821. If a notice asks for a copy of a return you already filed, that copy is a notice response and goes to the fax number printed on the notice.

Number lookup

Which IRS fax number do I use?

The one printed on your notice, or the one in the official instructions for your form. The numbers below were read from the linked irs.gov pages on 2026-09-20; the IRS says they may change without notice, so open the link and confirm before you send.

What you are sending Fax number to use Official source
Reply to a notice or letter (CP2000, CP05, audit letters) The fax number printed on the notice. No other number. irs.gov: Understanding your IRS notice or letter
Follow the instructions in the notice
Form SS-4 (EIN application) 855-641-6935 for applicants in the 50 states or the District of Columbia. Applicants outside the 50 states or DC (US territories or international): 855-215-1627 from inside the United States, 304-707-9471 from outside the United States. irs.gov: Instructions for Form SS-4, Where To File or Fax
Checked 2026-09-20
Form 2848 (Power of Attorney) 855-214-7519 for the eastern states (Memphis CAF unit); 855-214-7522 for the western states (Ogden CAF unit); 855-772-3156, or 304-707-9785 from outside the United States, for international and APO/FPO addresses. State lists are below. irs.gov: Instructions for Form 2848, Where To File Chart
Checked 2026-09-20
Form 8821 (Tax Information Authorization) The same chart as Form 2848: 855-214-7519 eastern states, 855-214-7522 western states, 855-772-3156 (304-707-9785 from outside the United States) for international and APO/FPO addresses. irs.gov: Instructions for Form 8821, Where To File Chart
Checked 2026-09-20
Form 8822-B (business change of address or responsible party) Not a fax form. The IRS form page lists no fax number; follow the Where To File instructions printed on the form itself. irs.gov: About Form 8822-B
Checked 2026-09-20

Eastern states for Forms 2848 and 8821: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia. Western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

HelpMeFax is not affiliated with the IRS. Toll-free 855 numbers are sent at the same domestic price as any US or Canadian number.

Common IRS fax workflows

What people fax the IRS.

Notice & letter responses

The IRS asks for supporting documents by a deadline and prints the response fax number right on the notice.

Form SS-4 — EIN application

International applicants and some domestic cases apply for an Employer Identification Number by fax.

Form 2848 — Power of Attorney

Tax professionals fax POA authorizations to the IRS CAF unit listed in the form instructions.

Form 8821 — Tax Info Authorization

Authorize a person or firm to receive your tax information — commonly submitted by fax.

Audit & exam documents

Examiners frequently request records by fax during correspondence audits.

Identity verification documents

Some identity and dependent verification workflows accept documentation by fax per the notice.

HelpMeFax is an independent fax service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Internal Revenue Service. Always confirm fax numbers and filing methods against official IRS instructions for your form or notice.

Before you press send

IRS fax cover sheet checklist

Six things on the first page so the IRS can match the fax to your file. Put them in the optional HelpMeFax cover page when you send, or on your own first page.

  1. Your full name, and the business name for SS-4 or 8822-B, exactly as the IRS has it.
  2. Taxpayer identification number: the last 4 digits only, unless the notice or the form instructions ask for the full SSN or EIN.
  3. The notice or letter number (for example CP2000) and the date printed on it.
  4. The tax year or period the fax is about.
  5. Total page count, including the cover sheet, so a missing page is obvious on their end.
  6. A daytime callback number.

If the substantiation you are attaching includes someone's medical information — bills, treatment records, a provider letter — a different set of rules applies to that part of the packet. See faxing medical records under HIPAA before you send it.

FAQ

Faxing the IRS.

Yes, for many workflows the IRS accepts or even requests fax: responses to notices, Form SS-4 (EIN applications), Form 2848 (Power of Attorney), Form 8821 (Tax Information Authorization), and documents requested during an exam. Always use the fax number printed on your notice or in the official form instructions at irs.gov.
No. The IRS does not accept individual income tax returns by fax. Form 1040 is filed electronically or mailed to the address for your state in the IRS where-to-file tables. Fax is for responding to notices and letters, and for the specific forms whose instructions list a fax number, such as SS-4, 2848 and 8821.
On the IRS notice you received, or in the official instructions for your specific form at irs.gov. IRS fax numbers differ by form, department, and sometimes by your state. There is no single general-purpose IRS fax number, so never use a number from an unofficial website.
It depends on where you live. On 2026-09-20 the IRS Where To File chart for both forms listed 855-214-7519 for the eastern states (Memphis), 855-214-7522 for the western states (Ogden), and 855-772-3156, or 304-707-9785 from outside the United States, for international and APO/FPO addresses. The IRS says these numbers may change without notice, so confirm at irs.gov before you send.
HelpMeFax emails you a delivery confirmation when the receiving fax system accepts the transmission, and your fax history keeps the fax with its receipt. Save it with your tax records; it documents exactly what was sent, where, and when.
One flat price per fax: $2.99 for 1–5 pages, $4.99 for 6–10, $8.99 for 11–25, $14.99 for 26–50, $24.99 for 51–100, then $0.15 per page. No subscription. Pay by card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover).
Busy or unreachable lines are retried automatically up to 30 times over about 24 hours (3 attempts for international). If it still fails, the failure email lets you request a refund review; refunds are net of card-processing and attempt costs. Faxes rejected by the receiving machine or sent to a non-fax number are not refundable.
Your document is encrypted with TLS 1.2+ in transit and AES-256 at rest, and the fax transmission itself is a direct call to the IRS fax system, with no email inbox in the middle. Documents are stored encrypted for 365 days on every plan, then deleted automatically.

Deadline on the notice? Fax it today.

Upload, send, and keep the delivery confirmation with your tax records. $2.99 for 1–5 pages.

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