IRS Form 4506-T: Get a Verification of Non-Filing

An IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter is an official document that confirms the agency has no record of a processed Form 1040 series tax return for a specific individual for a given year. This letter does not, by itself, confirm whether a person was required to file a return; it only states that one was not filed or processed. Lenders or student financial aid offices often require this proof when an applicant indicates they did not file taxes. For instance, a mortgage underwriter may need the letter to verify income information, or a university might request it to process an application for financial aid.

Required Information and Form Completion

To request a Verification of Non-filing Letter, you must complete and submit IRS Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return.

The first step is to enter your name and Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) on lines 1a and 1b. If you would have filed a joint return for the year in question, you must also provide your spouse’s name and SSN or ITIN on lines 2a and 2b. Only one signature is required on the form, even for a joint request.

Next, on line 3, provide your current mailing address. This must be the address on file with the IRS, which is typically the one used on your most recent tax return. If your address was different during the tax period for which you are requesting the verification, you must enter that previous address on line 4. This information is important for the IRS to locate any relevant records associated with your name and taxpayer identification number from that specific time.

You must check the box for “Verification of Nonfiling” to signal to the IRS which document you need. Finally, on line 9, you will specify the tax period for which you need the letter. The date must be entered in a mm/dd/yyyy format, so for the 2023 tax year, you would enter “12/31/2023”. You can request verification for multiple years on a single form.

Submitting the Form and Receiving the Letter

The fastest way to obtain a Verification of Non-filing Letter is through the IRS’s “Get Transcript” online service. After creating an account on the IRS website, you can immediately view, print, or download the letter.

If you prefer, you can submit Form 4506-T by mail or fax. The correct address and fax number are listed in the form’s instructions and depend on your location. There is no fee for the request, but this method is slower. The IRS processing time of 5 to 10 days begins only after the form is received and validated. Including mailing time, it can take up to three weeks to receive the letter.