Form 8453-I

Department of the Treasury 

Internal Revenue Service 

Foreign Corporation Income Tax 

Declaration for an IRS e-file Return 

File electronically with the corporation's tax return. Do not file paper copies.

For calendar year 2012, or tax year beginning , 2012, ending , 20

OMB No. 1545-1866

▶ Information about Form 8453-I and its instructions is at www.irs.gov/form1120f. 2012

Name of corporation Employer identification number

Part I Tax Return Information (Whole dollars only)

1 Total income (Form 1120-F, Section II, line 11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

2 Taxable income (Form 1120-F, Section II, line 31) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

3 Total tax (Form 1120-F, Schedule J, line 9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 

4 Amount owed (Form 1120-F, page 1, line 7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

5 a Overpayment (Form 1120-F, page 1, line 8a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5a 

b Overpayment resulting from tax deducted and withheld under Chapter 3 (Form 1120-F, page 1, 

line 8b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5b 

Part II Declaration of Officer (see instructions) Be sure to keep a copy of the corporation’s tax return.

6 a I consent that the corporation’s refund be directly deposited as designated on the Form 8302, Electronic Deposit of Tax 

Refund of $1 Million or More, that will be electronically transmitted with the corporation’s 2012 federal income tax return. 

b I do not want direct deposit of the corporation’s refund or the corporation is not receiving a refund.

c I authorize the U.S. Treasury and its designated Financial Agent to initiate an electronic funds withdrawal (direct debit) entry 

to the financial institution account indicated in the tax preparation software for payment of the corporation’s federal taxes 

owed on this return, and the financial institution to debit the entry to this account. To revoke a payment, I must contact the 

U.S. Treasury Financial Agent at 1-888-353-4537 no later than 2 business days prior to the payment (settlement) date. I 

also authorize the financial institutions involved in the processing of the electronic payment of taxes to receive confidential 

information necessary to answer inquiries and resolve issues related to the payment. 

If the corporation is filing a balance due return, I understand that if the IRS does not receive full and timely payment of its tax 

liability, the corporation will remain liable for the tax liability and all applicable interest and penalties.

Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I am an officer of the above corporation and that the information I have given my electronic return originator (ERO), transmitter, 

and/or intermediate service provider (ISP) and the amounts in Part I above agree with the amounts on the corresponding lines of the corporation’s 2012 federal income tax 

return. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the corporation’s return is true, correct, and complete. I consent to my ERO, transmitter, and/or ISP sending the 

corporation’s return, this declaration, and accompanying schedules and statements to the IRS. I also consent to the IRS sending my ERO, transmitter, and/or ISP an 

acknowledgment of receipt of transmission and an indication of whether or not the corporation’s return is accepted, and, if rejected, the reason(s) for the rejection. If the 

processing of the corporation’s return or refund is delayed, I authorize the IRS to disclose to my ERO, transmitter, and/or ISP the reason(s) for the delay, or when the refund 

was sent.

Sign 

Here ▲

Signature of officer Date ▲Title

Part III Declaration of Electronic Return Originator (ERO) and Paid Preparer (see instructions)

I declare that I have reviewed the above corporation’s return and that the entries on Form 8453-I are complete and correct to the best of my knowledge. If I am only a

collector, I am not responsible for reviewing the return and only declare that this form accurately reflects the data on the return. The corporate officer will have signed this 

form before I submit the return. I will give the officer a copy of all forms and information to be filed with the IRS, and have followed all other requirements in Pub. 3112, IRS

e-file Application and Participation, and Pub. 4163, Modernized e-File (MeF) Information for Authorized IRS e-file Providers for Business Returns. If I am also the Paid 

Preparer, under penalties of perjury I declare that I have examined the above corporation’s return and accompanying schedules and statements, and to the best of my 

knowledge and belief, they are true, correct, and complete. This Paid Preparer declaration is based on all information of which I have any knowledge.

ERO’s 

Use 

Only

ERO's 

signature

▲

Date Check if 

also paid 

preparer 

Check if selfemployed ERO's SSN or PTIN

Firm’s name (or yours 

if self-employed), 

address, and ZIP code

▲

EIN 

Phone no. 

Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined the above corporation’s return and accompanying schedules and statements, and to the best of my knowledge 

and belief, they are true, correct, and complete. This declaration is based on all information of which I have any knowledge.

Paid 

Preparer 

Use Only

Print/Type preparer’s name Preparer's signature Date Check if 

self-employed

PTIN

Firm’s name ▶ Firm's EIN ▶

Firm's address ▶ Phone no.

For Privacy Act and Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see instructions. Cat. No. 49728F Form 8453-I (2012)
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Form 8453-I (2012) Page 3

General Instructions

Note. Instead of filing Form 8453-I, a corporate officer filing a

corporation’s return through an electronic return originator (ERO) 

can sign the return using a personal identification number (PIN). 

For details, see Form 8879-I, IRS e-file Signature Authorization 

for Form 1120-F.

Future Developments

For the latest information about developments related to Form 

8453-I and its instructions, such as legislation enacted after they 

were published, go to www.irs.gov/form1120f.

Purpose of Form

Use Form 8453-I to:

• Authenticate an electronic Form 1120-F, U.S. Income Tax 

Return of a Foreign Corporation,

• Authorize the ERO, if any, to transmit via a third-party 

transmitter,

• Authorize the intermediate service provider (ISP) to transmit 

via a third-party transmitter if you are filing online (not using an 

ERO), and

• Provide the corporation’s consent to directly deposit any 

refund and/or authorize an electronic funds withdrawal for 

payment of federal taxes owed.

Who Must File

If you are filing a 2012 Form 1120-F through an ISP and/or 

transmitter and you are not using an ERO, you must file Form 

8453-I with your electronically filed return. An ERO can use 

either Form 8453-I or Form 8879-I to obtain authorization to file 

a corporation’s Form 1120-F.

When and Where To File

File Form 8453-I with the corporation’s electronically filed 

income tax return. Use a scanner to create a Portable 

Document Format (PDF) of the completed form. Your tax 

preparation software will allow you to transmit this Pdf with the 

return.

Specific Instructions 

Name. Print or type the corporation’s name in the space

provided. 

Employer identification number (EIN). Enter the corporation’s 

EIN in the space provided. 

Part II. Declaration of Officer 

Note. The corporate officer must check all applicable boxes on 

line 6. 

If the corporation has tax due (line 4) and the officer did not 

check box 6c, the rules for payment of the tax due depend on 

whether the corporation maintains an office or place of business 

in the United States. See Payment of Tax Due in the Instructions 

for Form 1120-F for these rules.

If the officer checks box 6c, the officer must ensure that the 

following information relating to the financial institution account 

is provided in the tax preparation software. 

• Routing number. 

• Account number. 

• Type of account (checking or savings). 

• Debit amount. 

• Debit date (date the corporation wants the debit to occur). 

An electronically transmitted return will not be considered 

complete, and therefore filed, unless either: 

• Form 8453-I is signed by a corporate officer, scanned into a 

Pdf file, and transmitted with the return, or 

• The return is filed through an ERO and Form 8879-I is used to 

select a PIN that is used to electronically sign the return.

The officer’s signature allows the IRS to disclose to the ERO, 

transmitter, and/or ISP:

• An acknowledgment that the IRS has accepted the 

corporation’s electronically filed return, and

• The reason(s) for any delay in processing the return or refund.

The declaration of officer must be signed and dated by: 

• The president, vice president, treasurer, assistant treasurer, 

chief accounting officer, or 

• Any other corporate officer (such as tax officer) authorized to 

sign the corporation’s income tax return.

If the ERO makes changes to the electronic return after Form 

8453-I has been signed by the officer, whether it was before it 

was transmitted or if the return was rejected after transmission, 

the ERO must have the officer complete and sign a corrected 

Form 8453-I if either:

• The total income on Form 1120-F, Section II, line 11, differs 

from the amount on the electronic return by more than 

$150, or

• The taxable income on Form 1120-F, Section II, line 31, differs 

from the amount on the electronic return by more than $100.

Part III. Declaration of Electronic Return 

Originator (ERO) and Paid Preparer

Note. If the return is filed online through an ISP and/or

transmitter (not using an ERO), do not complete Part III.

If the corporation’s return is filed through an ERO, the IRS 

requires the ERO’s signature. A paid preparer, if any, must sign 

Form 8453-I in the space for Paid Preparer Use Only. But if the 

paid preparer is also the ERO, do not complete the paid 

preparer section. Instead, check the box labeled “Check if also 

paid preparer.”

Refunds. After the IRS has accepted the return, the refund

should be issued within 3 weeks. However, some refunds may 

be delayed because of compliance reviews to ensure that 

returns are accurate.

Use of PTIN

Paid preparers. Anyone who is paid to prepare the 

corporation's return must enter their PTIN in Part III. The PTIN 

entered must have been issued after September 27, 2010. For 

information on applying for and receiving a PTIN, see Form 

W-12, IRS Paid Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) 

Application and Renewal, or visit www.irs.gov/ptin.

EROs who are not paid preparers. Only EROs who are not 

also the paid preparer of the return have the option to enter their 

PTIN or their social security number in the “ERO's Use Only” 

section of Part III. If the PTIN is entered, it must have been 

issued after September 27, 2010. For information on applying 

for and receiving a PTIN, see Form W-12, IRS Paid Preparer Tax 

Identification Number (PTIN) Application and Renewal, or visit 

www.irs.gov/ptin.
Privacy Act and Paperwork Reduction Act Notice. We ask for 

the information on this form to carry out the Internal Revenue 

laws of the United States. You are required to give us the 

information. We need it to ensure that you are complying with 

these laws and to allow us to figure and collect the right amount 

of tax. Section 6109 requires EROs to provide their identifying 

numbers on the return.

You are not required to provide the information requested on 

a form that is subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act unless 

the form displays a valid OMB control number. Books or 

records relating to a form or its instructions must be retained as 

long as their contents may become material in the 

administration of any Internal Revenue law. Generally, tax 

returns and return information are confidential, as required by 

Internal Revenue Code section 6103.

The time needed to complete and file this form will vary 

depending on individual circumstances. The estimated average 

time is:

Recordkeeping . . . . . . . . . . 4 hrs., 46 min.

Learning about the law or the form . . . . . . . 34 min.

Preparing the form . . . . . . . . . . 1 hr., 36 min.

Copying, assembling, and sending 

the form to the IRS . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 min.

If you have comments concerning the accuracy of these time 

estimates or suggestions for making this form simpler, we would 

be happy to hear from you. You can write to the Internal 

Revenue Service, Tax Products Coordinating Committee, 

SE:W:CAR:MP:T:M:S, 1111 Constitution Ave. NW, IR-6526, 

Washington, DC 20224. Do not send the form to this address. 

Instead, see When and Where To File earlier.

Form 8453-I (2012) Page 4