Fill Form 8879 online
IRS e-file Signature Authorization
or choose your own copy:
- ✓ Official current version
- ✓ Free download, no account
- ✓ No card, no trial
- ✓ Never uploaded
Form 8879 in short
Form 8879 is the signature authorization a taxpayer signs so a tax professional (an electronic return originator, or ERO) can e-file their individual income tax return. It is used when the ERO uses the Practitioner PIN method or enters or generates the taxpayer's PIN. The form is kept by the ERO and is not sent to the IRS unless the IRS asks for it.
| Issued by | Internal Revenue Service (IRS) |
|---|---|
| Current version | Rev. January 2021 (checked 2026-10-25) |
| Who fills it in | The ERO prepares the form and the taxpayer, and spouse on a joint return, checks the PIN box and signs it. It covers Form 1040, 1040-SR, 1040-NR, 1040-SS or 1040-X for tax years beginning with 2019. |
| Who receives it | The ERO, who must keep it. The form says not to submit it to the IRS unless requested. |
| Where to send it | Return the signed form to your ERO. The instructions allow hand delivery, U.S. mail, private delivery service, email, an internet website or fax. Do not send it to the IRS unless the IRS asks. |
| Deadline | The ERO must receive the signed form before the return is transmitted. The return will not be sent to the IRS until then. The ERO keeps the form for 3 years from the return due date or the IRS received date, whichever is later. |
| Official links | Official page · Official PDF |
What changed
None listed. The IRS about page shows Recent developments: None at this time. The current revision is January 2021.
How to fill out Form 8879, line by line
| Top of form | Submission Identification Number (SID) The 20-digit number the ERO enters after the return is filed, or the ERO keeps Form 9325 with the SID instead. |
| Top of form | Taxpayer and spouse names and SSNs The ERO enters the name and Social Security number of the taxpayer, and the spouse on a joint return. |
| Part I, lines 1 to 5 | Tax return information Whole-dollar amounts from your return: adjusted gross income, total tax, federal income tax withheld, refund and amount owed. Form 1040-SS filers use line 4 only. Check that they match your return. |
| Part II | Taxpayer PIN choice Check one box. Either authorize the ERO firm to enter or generate your five-digit PIN, or say you will enter your own PIN. The PIN cannot be all zeros. |
| Part II | Taxpayer and spouse signatures Sign and date after checking the return. The instructions allow a handwritten signature, or an electronic signature if the software supports it. |
| Part III | ERO's EFIN/PIN and signature Only for the Practitioner PIN method. The ERO enters its six-digit EFIN and five-digit self-selected PIN, then signs and dates. |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Signing before checking the return. The taxpayer must verify the return, including direct deposit details.
- Checking both PIN boxes in Part II. The form says to check one box only.
- Choosing a PIN of all zeros.
- Mailing Form 8879 to the IRS. The ERO keeps it unless the IRS requests it.
- Not getting a corrected Form 8879 after the return changes. The instructions say the ERO gives the taxpayer a corrected copy.
- Entering the preparer's own name instead of the ERO firm name on the authorization line in Part II.
- One spouse entering the PIN of an absent spouse. The instructions say this is not acceptable.
Questions about Form 8879
Do I send Form 8879 to the IRS?
No. The form says the ERO must keep it and you should not submit it to the IRS unless requested.
Do I need Form 8879 if I e-file myself with software?
Form 8879 is for returns filed by an ERO. The instructions say it is not completed when the ERO is not using the Practitioner PIN method and the taxpayer enters their own PIN.
Can I sign Form 8879 electronically?
The instructions say taxpayers sign by handwritten signature, or by electronic signature if the computer software supports it.
How do I get the form back to my preparer?
By hand delivery, U.S. mail, private delivery service, email, an internet website or fax.
When can I check my refund?
The instructions say you can check at irs.gov/Refunds once it has been at least 72 hours since the IRS acknowledged the e-filed return, or 11 weeks if you filed Form 8379.
Related forms
Tools for this form
Sources
Checked against the official sources on 2026-10-25. PDF Editor Hub is not affiliated with the Internal Revenue Service or any government agency. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.