Online Form 8821 Generator Let someone see your IRS records
Use Form 8821 to let a person or company inspect or receive your confidential tax information. Watch the official IRS form fill in as you type, then download or print it.
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Understanding Form 8821
Form 8821, Tax Information Authorization, lets you name a person or organization, called a designee, who may inspect or receive your confidential tax information for the types of tax, forms, and years you list. It shares information; it doesn’t make the designee your representative.
Accountants, bookkeepers, payroll providers, and lenders often ask for one so they can see transcripts, notices, or balances. A designee can’t speak for you, sign agreements, or argue your case with the IRS; for that you need Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative. Most authorizations are recorded on the IRS Centralized Authorization File (CAF), and a new Form 8821 revokes the ones already on file unless you check line 5 and attach copies of those you want to keep.
Filling out Form 8821 step by step
Enter your name, address, and SSN, ITIN, or EIN, then up to two designees with their CAF numbers, or NONE if they don’t have one yet. On line 3, list the type of tax, the form number, and the specific years or periods; general entries such as “All years” get the form returned. Check line 4 only for a specific use the IRS doesn’t record on the CAF, such as a disclosure to a lender.
The official form fills in as you type. Sign on screen and upload the PDF at IRS.gov/Submit8821, or choose Sign on paper, print, and sign in ink if you’ll fax or mail it, since the IRS doesn’t accept electronic signatures on mailed or faxed forms. You’ll find more IRS forms in our tax form generators.
Form 8821 FAQ
What’s the difference between Form 8821 and Form 2848?
Form 8821 only lets your designee inspect or receive your tax information. Form 2848 authorizes someone who is eligible to practice before the IRS, such as an attorney, CPA, or enrolled agent, to represent you, and it also gives them access to your information. If you only need someone to see your records, Form 8821 is enough.
How do I submit Form 8821?
Online at IRS.gov/Submit8821, by fax, or by mail. The fax numbers and addresses depend on where you live and are listed in the instructions. If you checked line 4 for a specific use, mail or fax it to the IRS office handling that matter instead.
Can I sign Form 8821 electronically?
Yes, but an electronically signed Form 8821 can only be submitted online at IRS.gov/Submit8821. Forms you mail or fax need a handwritten signature in ink. That’s why the generator lets you choose Sign on paper, which leaves the signature and date blank for you to fill in by hand.
Is this Form 8821 generator free?
Yes. It costs nothing to fill out, sign, download, or print, and there’s no account to create.
Is my information safe?
Yes. Nothing you type is uploaded to or saved by forms.app; the PDF is put together in your browser, on your device. Nothing is kept after you close the page, so download your form first.
Does a new Form 8821 cancel my old ones?
Usually. Unless you check line 4, the IRS automatically revokes the tax information authorizations already on file. To keep one, check line 5 and attach a copy of each authorization you want to keep.
Is there a deadline after I sign?
If the authorization is for something other than resolving a tax matter with the IRS, such as income verification for a lender, the IRS must receive it within 120 days of your signature date. That limit doesn’t apply when the form is for help with a tax matter.
Can my spouse and I use one Form 8821?
No. Even if you filed a joint return, the designee is authorized only for the taxpayer who signs. Your spouse files a separate Form 8821 to authorize a designee for themselves.
Fill in the required fields on the page (taxpayer name and address, taxpayer ID number, designee, tax information, signature, and date), then print again.