Online Form 4868 Generator Get more time to file your return

Prepare IRS Form 4868 to request an automatic extension of time to file your individual income tax return. The official voucher fills in as you type, ready to download as a PDF or print and mail.

View the form on IRS.gov

How to fill it out: IRS specific instructions

Name and address

Line 1 of the voucher. Use the address where the IRS should send letters about this extension.

Your name(s)

Filing jointly? Enter both names in the order they’ll appear on your return, for example John and Jane Sample.

Street address

Apt, suite (optional)

City, town, or post office

State

ZIP code

My address is outside the United States The city, province, and country go on the city line, and the postal code in the ZIP box.

Send IRS letters to an agent Optional

Agent’s name

If someone acting for you should get the IRS’s letters about this extension, enter their name here and their address above. It prints as “c/o” on the first address line.

Social Security numbers

I don’t have an SSN or ITIN yet Line 2 then says “ITIN TO BE REQUESTED”, as the instructions ask. You’ll need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file your return.

I’ll file a joint return with my spouse Adds your spouse’s Social Security number on line 3.

Your SSN stays on this device. The PDF is created in your browser, and nothing you type is uploaded or saved.

Your tax estimate

Use the best numbers you have. Amounts can be rounded to whole dollars, but then round every amount.

Line 4 · Estimate of total tax liability

The total tax you expect on Form 1040, 1040-SR, or 1040-NR, line 24 (Form 1040-SS, Part I, line 7). Expect none? Enter 0.

Line 5 · Total payments

Withholding, estimated tax payments, and other payments you expect to report (Form 1040, line 33, without Schedule 3, line 10). Don’t include what you’re paying with this form.

Line 6 · Balance due

Filled in for you: line 4 minus line 5, or 0 if line 5 is larger. You can change it.

Line 7 · Amount you’re paying (optional)

What you’re sending with this form, if anything. A payment isn’t required for the extension, but tax paid late is charged interest and may be penalized.

Choose your state in step 1 to see where to mail this form.

Special situations

Most people skip this step.

Line 8 · I’m out of the country and a U.S. citizen or resident You live and mainly work outside the United States and Puerto Rico, or you’re on military or naval duty outside them, on your return’s due date.

Line 9 · I file Form 1040-NR and didn’t get wages with U.S. income tax withheld For returns due June 15.

Fiscal year filers Optional

Only if your tax year doesn’t end on December 31. Fiscal year filers must file Form 4868 on paper.

Tax year beginning (optional)

A date in 2025 (the year is printed on the form).

Tax year ending (optional)

0 of 6 required

Preview

0 of 6 required

Complete the required fields to download or print your Form 4868.

View the form on IRS.gov

How to fill it out: IRS specific instructions

Form 4868 at a glance

Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, gives you six more months to file Form 1040, 1040-SR, 1040-NR, or 1040-SS. For most people filing a calendar-year return, that moves the filing deadline from April 15 to October 15.

The extension is automatic: you don’t have to explain why you need it, and the IRS contacts you only if the request is denied. It extends the time to file, not the time to pay, so you estimate your tax on the form and should pay what you owe by the regular due date. You don’t need the paper form at all if you pay online and mark the payment as an extension, or if you e-file the request through tax software, a tax professional, or IRS Free File.

Getting your Form 4868 done in minutes

Enter your name and address, then your Social Security number, plus your spouse’s if you’ll file jointly. Next, add the total tax you expect for the year (line 4) and what you’ve already paid through withholding and estimated payments (line 5). The balance due on line 6 is worked out for you, and line 7 is whatever you’re sending with the form, if anything.

The official voucher fills in as you type, and the generator shows the IRS address for your state. Once the required fields are done, download the PDF or print it, then mail it by your return’s due date. Need a different form? Browse all tax form generators.

Form 4868 FAQ

When is Form 4868 due?

By the regular due date of your return. For a 2025 calendar-year return, that was April 15, 2026, for most people, and the extension runs to October 15, 2026. Fiscal year filers file by the due date of their fiscal year return, and people affected by a disaster may get more time to file it.

Does Form 4868 give me more time to pay?

No. It extends the time to file, not to pay. Tax not paid by the regular due date is charged interest until it’s paid, and a late payment penalty, usually 0.5% a month up to 25%, can apply. The IRS treats you as having reasonable cause for the extension period if at least 90% of your total tax is paid by the due date and you pay the rest with your return.

Can I get an extension without mailing this form?

Yes. If you pay all or part of your estimated tax electronically (IRS Direct Pay, your IRS online account, EFTPS, or a debit or credit card or digital wallet) and indicate the payment is for an extension, the IRS processes the extension automatically. You can also file Form 4868 electronically through tax software, a tax professional, or IRS Free File. Fiscal year filers must use the paper form.

Do I have to send a payment with Form 4868?

No, a payment isn’t required to get the extension. But pay as much as you can by the due date to limit interest and penalties. When you file your return, report the amount you paid with Form 4868 on Schedule 3 (Form 1040), line 10.

Where do I mail Form 4868?

It depends on where you live and whether you’re including a payment. Once you choose your state, the generator shows the IRS address from page 4 of the instructions. A different address applies if you live abroad or in certain U.S. territories, use an APO or FPO address, or file Form 1040-NR or 1040-SS. Don’t attach Form 4868 to your return when you file it later.

What if I live outside the United States?

If you’re a U.S. citizen or resident and out of the country on the due date, you automatically get 2 extra months, until June 15 for a calendar-year return, to file and pay, though interest still runs from April 15. File Form 4868 and check line 8 to get 4 more months on top of that.

How exact does my tax estimate need to be?

Make it as accurate as you can with the information you have. If you expect no tax, enter 0 on line 4. The IRS can treat the extension as void if it later finds your estimate wasn’t reasonable.

Is my information safe?

Everything stays in your browser. The PDF is created on your device, and nothing you type, including your Social Security number, is uploaded to or saved by forms.app. Closing the page clears it, so download or print your form first.

Is this Form 4868 generator free?

Yes. You can fill out, download, and print as many Forms 4868 as you need, with no account and no fee.