As you're reading this, you have just one more day before the deadline for getting your tax return completed and filed. For many, electronic filing options make getting your return to the IRS as easy as clicking a mouse button.
Those who file paper returns have to figure out the right mailing address to send in their tax returns. That can be trickier than you'd think because rather than having just one address, the IRS maintains a number of different offices across the country. Which address you use depends on several factors, and it's important to use the right one to make sure your return gets processed in the most timely manner possible.
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How do I figure out where to mail my tax return?
There are three things that matter in figuring out which IRS mailing address to use. They are the state in which you live, the type of 1040 form you're using to file, and whether or not you need to enclose a payment with your return.
If you don't have a payment enclosed with your tax return, then the mailing address will always include the first line "Department of the Treasury" and the second line "Internal Revenue Service." The only thing that will differ is the city, state, and zip code. The table below shows the appropriate information depending on type of return and state of residence.
No payment enclosed
|
State where you live |
City/State/Zip for 1040 |
City/State/Zip for 1040A |
City/State/Zip for 1040EZ |
|---|---|---|---|
|
AL, DE, GA, KY, MA, ME, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, SC, TN, VA, VT |
Kansas City, MO 64999-0002 |
Kansas City, MO 64999-0015 |
Kansas City, MO 64999-0014 |
|
AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OH, OK, OR, SD, UT, WA, WI, WY |
Fresno, CA 93888-0002 |
Fresno, CA 93888-0015 |
Fresno, CA 93888-0014 |
|
FL, LA, MS, TX |
Austin, TX 73301-0002 |
Austin, TX 73301-0015 |
Austin, TX 73301-0014 |
|
CT, DC, MD, PA, RI, WV |
Ogden, UT 84201-0002 |
Ogden, UT 84201-0015 |
Ogden, UT 84201-0014 |
Data source: IRS.
If you live outside the United States, such as in a foreign country or a U.S. possession or territory, then use Austin, TX 73301-0215 as the city, state, and zip code as the address regardless of which type of return you're filing.
If you DO have a payment to enclose with your return, then the process is a little simpler. In that case, the address is the same regardless of whether you file Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ. The only thing that matters is where you live. All returns with payments should have "Internal Revenue Service" on the first line of the address, followed by the information below.
Payment enclosed
|
State where you live |
Address for all tax returns |
|---|---|
|
AL, GA, KY, NC, NJ, SC, TN, VA |
PO Box 931000 Louisville, KY 40293-1000 |
|
DE, MA, ME, MS, NH, NY, VT |
PO Box 37008 Hartford, CT 06176-7008 |
|
AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY |
PO Box 7704 San Francisco, CA 94120-7704 |
|
AR, IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MT, ND, NE, OH, OK, SD, WI |
PO Box 802501 Cincinnati, OH 45280-2501 |
|
FL, LA, MS, TX |
PO Box 1204 Charlotte, NC 28201-1214 |
|
CT, DC, MD, PA, RI, WV |
PO Box 37910 Hartford, CT 06176-7910 |
Data source: IRS.
Those outside the 50 states and D.C. should mail their returns to Internal Revenue Service, PO Box 1303, Charlotte, NC 28201-1303.
Get your return there
Finally, keep in mind that even with the correct address, your return won't get to the IRS if it doesn't have the right postage. Tax returns can be heavier than the bills and letters that you typically send in the mail, and depending on the type of envelope you use, you might have to pay a surcharge compared to traditional mail. If you're not sure what the right amount of postage is, go to your post office with your return and have a postal worker figure it for you.
With the hassle of figuring out how and where to send your tax return by mail, it's not surprising that electronic filing has gotten so popular. Those who still do things the old-fashioned way need to make absolutely sure that all their hard work doesn't land in the lost-mail pile at the post office.
