Form 8453-PE

Department of the Treasury 

Internal Revenue Service

U.S. Partnership Declaration for an IRS e-file Return

▶ File electronically with the partnership’s return. (Don’t file paper copies.)

▶ Go to www.irs.gov/Form8453PE for the latest information.

For calendar year 2020, or tax year beginning , 2020, and ending , 20 . 

OMB No. 1545-0123

2020

Name of partnership Employer identification number

Part I Return Information (whole dollars only)

1 Gross receipts or sales less returns and allowances (Form 1065, line 1c) . . . . . . . . 1 

2 Gross profit (Form 1065, line 3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

3 Ordinary business income (loss) (Form 1065, line 22) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 

4 Net rental real estate income (loss) (Form 1065, Schedule K, line 2) . . . . . . . . . . 4 

5 Other net rental income (loss) (Form 1065, Schedule K, line 3c) . . . . . . . . . . . 5 

Part II Declaration of Partner or Member (see instructions)

Be sure to keep a copy of the partnership’s Return of Partnership Income.

Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I’m a partner or member of the above partnership and that the information I’ve 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 partnership’s 2020 federal 

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

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

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

Sign 

Here ▲

Signature of partner or member Date ▲

Title

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

I declare that I’ve reviewed the above partnership’s return and that the entries on Form 8453-PE are complete and correct to the best of my knowledge. If I’m only a 

collector, I’m not responsible for reviewing the return and only declare that this form accurately reflects the data on the return. The partner or member will have signed this 

form before I submit the return. I’ll give the partner or member a copy of all forms and information to be filed with the IRS, and I’ve 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’m also the 

Paid Preparer, under penalties of perjury, I declare that I’ve examined the above partnership’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’ve 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’ve examined the above partnership’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’ve any knowledge.

Paid 

Preparer 

Use Only

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

selfemployed

PTIN

Firm’s name ▶

Firm’s address ▶

Firm’s EIN ▶

Phone no.

For Privacy Act and Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see instructions. Cat. No. 48316Z Form 8453-PE (2020)
Form 8453-PE (2020) Page 2

General Instructions

Future Developments

For the latest information about developments related to Form 

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

were published, go to www.irs.gov/Form8453PE.

Purpose of Form

Use Form 8453-PE to:

• Authenticate an electronic Form 1065, U.S. Return of Partnership 

Income; 

• Authorize the electronic return originator (ERO), if any, to transmit 

via a third-party transmitter; and

• Authorize the intermediate service provider (ISP) to transmit via a 

third-party transmitter if you’re filing online (not using an ERO).

Administrative Adjustment Requests. The partnership 

representative must sign the form if you’re filing the Form 1065 as 

part of an Administrative Adjustment Request (AAR) under the 

centralized partnership audit regime. (See Form 8082.)

TIP

Instead of filing Form 8453-PE, a partner or member 

filing a partnership’s return through an ERO can sign the 

return using a personal identification number (PIN). For 

details, see Form 8879-PE, IRS e-file Signature 

 Authorization for Form 1065.

Who Must File

If you’re filing a 2020 Form 1065 through an ISP and/or transmitter 

and you’re not using an ERO, you must file Form 8453-PE with your 

electronically filed return. An ERO can use either Form 8453-PE or 

Form 8879-PE to obtain authorization to file the partnership’s 

Form 1065.

When and Where To File

File Form 8453-PE with the partnership’s electronically filed return. 

Use a scanner to create a Portable Document Format (PDF) file of 

the completed form. Your tax preparation software will allow you to 

transmit this PDF file with the return.

Specific Instructions

Name. Print or type the partnership’s name in the space provided.

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

in the space provided.

Part II—Declaration of Partner or Member

An electronically transmitted return won’t be considered complete, 

and therefore filed, unless either:

• Form 8453-PE is signed by a partner or member, scanned into a 

PDF file, and transmitted with the return; or

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

select a PIN that’s used to electronically sign the return.

The partner or member’s signature allows the IRS to disclose to 

the ERO, transmitter, and/or ISP:

• An acknowledgement that the IRS has accepted the partnership’s 

electronically filed return, and

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

The declaration of partner or member must be signed and dated 

by:

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

accounting officer; or

• Any other partner or member (such as tax officer) authorized to 

sign the partnership’s return.

If the ERO makes changes to the electronic return after Form 

8453-PE has been signed by the partner or member, whether it was 

before it was transmitted or if the return was rejected after 

transmission, the ERO must have the partner or member complete 

and sign a corrected Form 8453-PE if either: 

• The total income (loss) on Form 1065, line 8, differs from the 

amount on the electronic return by more than $150; or

• The ordinary business income (loss) on Form 1065, line 22, 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), don’t complete Part III.

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

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

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

paid preparer is also the ERO, don’t complete the paid preparer 

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

preparer.”

Use of PTIN

Paid preparers. Anyone who’s paid to prepare the partnership’s 

return must enter their PTIN in Part III. 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 aren’t paid preparers. Only EROs who aren’t 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. 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’re required to give us the information. We 

need it to ensure that you’re complying with these laws and to allow 

us to figure and collect the right amount of tax. Internal Revenue 

Code section 6109 requires EROs to provide their identifying 

numbers on the return.

You aren’t 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 burden for 

business taxpayers filing this form is approved under OMB control 

number 1545-0123 and is included in the estimates shown in the 

instructions for their business income tax return.

Comments. You can send us comments from 

www.irs.gov/FormComments. Or you can write to the Internal 

Revenue Service, Tax Forms and Publications Division, 1111 

Constitution Ave. NW, IR-6526, Washington, DC 20224. Don’t send 

the form to this office.