Form 8879

Department of the Treasury 

Internal Revenue Service

IRS e-file Signature Authorization

▶ Do not send to the IRS. This is not a tax return.

▶ Keep this form for your records. See instructions.

OMB No. 1545-0074

2011

Declaration Control Number (DCN) ▲

Taxpayer’s name Social security number

Spouse’s name Spouse’s social security number

Part I Tax Return Information—Tax Year Ending December 31, 2011 (Whole Dollars Only)

1 Adjusted gross income (Form 1040, line 38; Form 1040A, line 22; Form 1040EZ, line 4) . . . . . 1

2 Total tax (Form 1040, line 61; Form 1040A, line 35; Form 1040EZ, line 10) . . . . . . . . . 2

3 Federal income tax withheld (Form 1040, line 62; Form 1040A, line 36; Form 1040EZ, line 7) . . . 3

4 Refund (Form 1040, line 74a; Form 1040A, line 43a; Form 1040EZ, line 11; Form 1040-SS, Part I, line 12a) 4

5 Amount you owe (Form 1040, line 76; Form 1040A, line 45; Form 1040EZ, line 12) . . . . . . . 5

Part II Taxpayer Declaration and Signature Authorization (Be sure you get and keep a copy of your return)

Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined a copy of my electronic individual income tax return and accompanying schedules and statements 

for the tax year ending December 31, 2011, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, it is true, correct, and complete. I further declare that the amounts 

in Part I above are the amounts from my electronic income tax return. I consent to allow my intermediate service provider, transmitter, or electronic return 

originator (ERO) to send my return to the IRS and to receive from the IRS (a) an acknowledgement of receipt or reason for rejection of the transmission, (b) the 

reason for any delay in processing the return or refund, and (c) the date of any refund. If applicable, I authorize the U.S. Treasury and its designated Financial 

Agent to initiate an ACH electronic funds withdrawal (direct debit) entry to the financial institution account indicated in the tax preparation software for payment 

of my Federal taxes owed on this return and/or a payment of estimated tax, and the financial institution to debit the entry to this account. I further understand 

that this authorization may apply to future Federal tax payments that I direct to be debited through the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS). I 

authorize EFTPS to issue me a personal identification number (PIN) to access EFTPS. This authorization is to remain in full force and effect until I notify the U.S. 

Treasury Financial Agent to terminate the authorization. To request that my PIN be mailed to me, or to revoke (cancel) a payment, I must contact the U.S. 

Treasury Financial Agent at 1-888-353-4537. Payment cancellation requests must be received 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. I further acknowledge that the personal identification number (PIN) below is my signature for my 

electronic income tax return and, if applicable, my Electronic Funds Withdrawal Consent.

Taxpayer’s PIN: check one box only

I authorize 

ERO firm name

to enter or generate my PIN 

Enter five numbers, but 

as my signature on my tax year 2011 electronically filed income tax return. do not enter all zeros

I will enter my PIN as my signature on my tax year 2011 electronically filed income tax return. Check this box only if you are 

entering your own PIN and your return is filed using the Practitioner PIN method. The ERO must complete Part III below.

Your signature ▶ Date ▶

Spouse’s PIN: check one box only

I authorize 

ERO firm name

to enter or generate my PIN 

Enter five numbers, but 

as my signature on my tax year 2011 electronically filed income tax return. do not enter all zeros

I will enter my PIN as my signature on my tax year 2011 electronically filed income tax return. Check this box only if you are 

entering your own PIN and your return is filed using the Practitioner PIN method. The ERO must complete Part III below.

Spouse’s signature ▶ Date ▶

Practitioner PIN Method Returns Only—continue below

Part III Certification and Authentication—Practitioner PIN Method Only

ERO’s EFIN/PIN. Enter your six-digit EFIN followed by your five-digit self-selected PIN.

do not enter all zeros

I certify that the above numeric entry is my PIN, which is my signature for the tax year 2011 electronically filed income tax return for 

the taxpayer(s) indicated above. I confirm that I am submitting this return in accordance with the requirements of the Practitioner PIN 

method and Publication 1345, Handbook for Authorized IRS e-file Providers of Individual Income Tax Returns.

ERO’s signature ▶ Date ▶

ERO Must Retain This Form — See Instructions 

Do Not Submit This Form to the IRS Unless Requested To Do So

For Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see your tax return instructions. Cat. No. 32778X Form 8879 (2011)
Form 8879 (2011) Page 2

Purpose of Form

Form 8879 is the declaration document and 

signature authorization for an e-filed return 

filed by an electronic return originator (ERO). 

Complete Form 8879 when the Practitioner 

PIN method is used or when the taxpayer 

authorizes the ERO to enter or generate the 

taxpayer’s personal identification number 

(PIN) on his or her e-filed individual income 

tax return.

▲!

CAUTION

Do not send this form to the IRS. 

The ERO must retain Form 8879.

When and How To Complete

Use this chart to determine when and how to 

complete Form 8879.

IF the ERO is . . . THEN . . .

Not using the Practitioner 

PIN method and the 

taxpayer enters his or her 

own PIN

Do not complete 

Form 8879.

Using the Practitioner PIN 

method and is authorized 

to enter or generate the 

taxpayer’s PIN

Complete Form 8879, 

Parts I, II, and III.

Using the Practitioner PIN 

method and the taxpayer 

enters his or her own PIN

Complete Form 8879, 

Parts I, II, and III.

Not using the Practitioner 

PIN method and is 

authorized to enter or 

generate the taxpayer’s 

PIN

Complete Form 

8879, Parts I and II.

ERO Responsibilities

The ERO will do the following.

1. Enter the name(s) and social security

number(s) of the taxpayer(s) at the top of the

form.

2. Complete Part I using the amounts (zeros 

may be entered when appropriate) from the 

taxpayer’s 2011 tax return. Form 1040-SS 

filers leave lines 1 through 3 and line 5 blank.

3. Enter or generate, if authorized by the

taxpayer, the taxpayer’s PIN and enter it in

the boxes provided in Part II.

4. Enter on the authorization line in Part II

the ERO firm name (not the name of the

individual preparing the return) if the ERO is

authorized to enter the taxpayer’s PIN.

5. After completing items (1) through (4)

above, give the taxpayer Form 8879 for

completion and review. This can be done in

person or by using the U.S. mail, a private

delivery service, fax, email, or an Internet

website.

6. Enter the 14-digit Declaration Control

Number (DCN) assigned to the tax return,

after the taxpayer completes Part II. See Part I 

of Pub. 1346, Electronic Return File 

Specifications for Individual Income Tax 

Returns. Pub. 1346 is available on IRS.gov.

▲!

CAUTION

You must receive the completed 

and signed Form 8879 from the 

taxpayer before the electronic 

return is transmitted (or released 

for transmission).

Taxpayer Responsibilities

Taxpayers have the following responsibilities.

1. Verify the accuracy of the prepared

income tax return, including direct deposit

information.

2. Check the appropriate box in Part II to

authorize the ERO to enter or generate their 

PIN or to do it themselves.

3. Indicate or verify their PIN when

authorizing the ERO to enter or generate it

(the PIN must be five numbers other than all 

zeros).

4. Sign and date Form 8879.

5. Return the completed Form 8879 to the 

ERO in person, or by U.S. mail, private 

delivery service, fax, email, or an Internet 

website.

Your return will not be transmitted to the 

IRS until the ERO receives your signed Form 

8879.

Refund information. You can check on the

status of your 2011 refund if it has been at

least 72 hours since IRS acknowledged 

receipt of your e-filed return. But if you filed 

Form 8379 with your return, allow 11 weeks. 

To check the status of your 2011 refund, do 

one of the following.

• Go to IRS.gov and click on “Where’s My 

Refund.”

• Call 1-800-829-4477 for automated refund 

information and follow the recorded 

instructions.

• Call 1-800-829-1954.

Important Notes for EROs

• Do not send Form 8879 to the IRS unless 

requested to do so. Retain the completed 

Form 8879 for 3 years from the return due 

date or the date the IRS received the return, 

whichever is later. Form 8879 may be retained 

electronically in accordance with the 

recordkeeping guidelines in Rev. Proc. 97-22, 

which is on page 9 of Internal Revenue 

Bulletin 1997-13 at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-irbs/

irb97-13.pdf.

• You should confirm the identity of the 

taxpayer(s). For additional guidance, see Pub. 

1345, Handbook for Authorized IRS e-file

Providers of Individual Income Tax Returns.

• Complete Part III only if you are filing the 

return using the Practitioner PIN method. You 

are not required to enter the taxpayer’s date 

of birth, prior year adjusted gross income, or 

PIN in the Authentication Record of the 

electronically filed return.

• If you are not using the Practitioner PIN 

method, enter the taxpayer(s) date of birth 

and either the adjusted gross income or the 

PIN, or both, from the taxpayer’s prior year 

originally filed return in the Authentication 

Record of the taxpayer’s electronically filed 

return. Do not use an amount from an 

amended return or a math error correction 

made by the IRS.

• Enter the taxpayer’s PIN(s) on the input 

screen only if the taxpayer has authorized you 

to do so. If married filing jointly, it is 

acceptable for one spouse to authorize you to 

enter his or her PIN, and for the other spouse 

to enter his or her own PIN. It is not 

acceptable for a taxpayer to select or enter 

the PIN of an absent spouse.

• Taxpayers must use a PIN to sign their 

e-filed individual income tax return 

transmitted by an ERO.

• Provide the taxpayer with a copy of the 

signed Form 8879 for his or her records upon 

request.

• Provide the taxpayer with a corrected copy 

of Form 8879 if changes are made to the 

return (for example, based on taxpayer 

review).

• EROs can sign the form using a rubber 

stamp, mechanical device (such as a 

signature pen), or computer software 

program. See Notice 2007-79, 2007-42 I.R.B. 

809, available at 

www.irs.gov/irb/2007-42_IRB/ar10.html for 

more information.

• For more information, see Pub. 1345. Also, 

go to www.irs.gov/efile.