IRS Form 3911 Instructions
If you were expecting a tax refund but have not received it, the IRS has several options available to you. You can contact the Internal Revenue Service by phone or research the status on the IRS website using the Where’s My Refund tool. You can also file IRS Form 3911 to declare a lost refund check.
In this article, we’ll cover what you need to know about IRS Form 3911, including:
- How to complete IRS Form 3911
- How the refund payment trace process works
- Frequently asked questions about IRS Form 3911
Let’s start with step by step guidance on how to fill out Form 3911.
Table of contents
How do I fill out IRS Form 3911?
There are 3 sections to this one-page tax form:
- Section I: Taxpayer Information
- Section II: Refund Information
- Section III: Certification
We’ll walk through this one page form step by step, beginning at the top of the form.
Top of the form
Most of the information in the top section of Form 3911 will pertain to any IRS correspondence that you receive. As part of the first step, you should take a look at the top section of the form.
If you requested that the IRS send you a copy of Form 3911 to initiate a trace for the original check, then you may see that some of the respective fields have been completed. If you downloaded a new form, then these fillable fields will be blank.
However, there are a couple of notes worth emphasizing.
You must file a separate form for each missing refund
If you have more than one missing refund, or are missing refunds from more than tax period, you must file a separate check for each of the missing payments.
If you have held onto a check for more than one year and can no longer deposit or cash it, contact the IRS for instructions before continuing.
This appears to be fairly straightforward. However, the guidance on the form is somewhat lacking.
You might have received an IRS notice, known as CP 237, informing you to contact the IRS to request a new federal tax refund check. Watch this YouTube video to learn more.
Let’s move on to Section I.
Section I
When you complete Section I, you will enter the personal information that the IRS requires in order to research your tax return, and if possible, issue a replacement check.
Line 1: Taxpayer information
Enter your name and your taxpayer identification number. For individuals, this will be your Social Security number or individual tax identification number (ITIN). For business owners, this number will be the employer identification number (EIN).
Line 2: Spouse information
For married couples filing a joint tax return, your spouse’s information should go into Line 2. Otherwise, enter N/A.
If your spouse’s information is in Line 2, then your spouse must sign Line 11, at the end of the form.
Note: If your filing status is as a married couple filing jointly, filing IRS Form 3911 is the only way to initiate a trace of your paper check or direct deposit. Calling the automated number will not work because the IRS’ automated systems are not able to trace your tax return. However, you can still check your refund status under the IRS Check Your Refund tool.
Line 3: Address & phone number
Enter your contact information, including:
- Street name
- Apartment number (if applicable)
- City
- State
- Zip code
Below your mailing address, include your complete phone number, beginning with the area code. This should be a number where the IRS can contact you during the workday.
Line 4: Name as it appears on your tax return
If your name or address appears differently on your tax return than the information indicated in Line 1 or Line 3, then enter your name or address as it appears on your tax return.
Line 5: Authorized representative
If you have an authorized representative whom you would like to receive your refund check on your behalf, enter that person’s name in Line 5.
If you do not wish to make a declaration of representative, enter ‘N/A.’
Line 6: Representative’s address
If you entered the name of an authorized representative on Line 5, enter that person’s address here.
Line 7: Tax return information
You’ll need to complete this tax return information so the IRS knows exactly what to look for. This includes:
- Type of return: Check individual or business
- Tax return form number: Enter the form number of your income tax return (i.e. IRS Form 1040, IRS Form 1040-SR, IRS Form 1040-NR, etc.)
- Type of refund requested: (check, direct deposit)
- Refund amount: Enter the refund amount, according to your tax return
- Tax period: This can be a tax year, or a shorter period for certain tax returns
- Date filed: When did you file your tax return?
If you wish for the IRS to send your entire refund electronically, you’ll also need to include your bank’s direct deposit information. This includes:
- Bank account type (savings, checking, or other)
- Bank’s routing number: This is the 9 digit number located on the left hand side of a check
- Account number: Make sure your account number matches the type of account listed
Section II: Refund Information
In Section II, you’ll give the IRS additional information about your check.
Line 8
Check the appropriate box here. You can select whether or not you received a refund. If you received a tax refund check, then you can state whether it was:
- Lost
- Stolen
- Destroyed
Line 9
If you received a check and signed it, check this box.
You might not have many options if the IRS determines that the signed check actually cleared. However, the Department of the Treasury will conduct research to determine what happened to the refund check.
Section III: Certification
In Section III, you’ll sign the form to certify the facts that you’ve reported to the IRS. Before you sign, you should make sure that you’ve provided complete information that is true and accurate to the best of your knowledge.
Line 10: Taxpayer signature
Sign and date here. Recognize that your signature comes under penalties of perjury. Only sign this document if this information is true to the best of your knowledge.
Line 11: Spouse’s signature
If your spouse’s information is in Line 2, your spouse needs to sign and date here, under penalties of perjury.
How do I file IRS Form 3911?
You can file Form 3911 by fax or mail. However, do not send this form to the Internal Revenue Service Center where you normally file your tax return.
Instead, you must send this request to the appropriate refund inquiry unit, based upon your location. We’ve included a list of refund inquiry units below, with complete mailing address and fax numbers.
Tip: Double-check to make sure you have the correct return address before you mail your completed form. Also, do not fax other paperwork to the listed fax numbers. The IRS highly stresses that taxpayers should only submit Form 3911 to the respective fax number.
If you reside in: Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont
Send your request to:
Andover Refund Inquiry Unit
310 Lowell St
Mail Stop 666
Andover, MA 01810
Fax: 855-253-3175
If you reside in: Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Virginia
Send your request to:
Atlanta Refund Inquiry Unit
4800 Buford Hwy
Mail Stop 112
Chamblee, GA 30341
Fax: 855-275-8620
If you reside in: Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas
Send your request to:
Austin Refund Inquiry Unit
3651 S Interregional Hwy 35
Mail Stop 6542 AUSC
Austin, TX 78741Â
Fax: 855-203-7538
If you reside in: New York
Send your request to:
Brookhaven Refund Inquiry Unit
1040 Waverly Ave
Mail Stop 547
Holtsville, NY 11742Â
Fax: 855-297-7736
If you reside in: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Send your request to:
Fresno Refund Inquiry Unit
3211 S Northpointe Dr.
Mail Stop B2007
Fresno, CA 93725Â
Fax: 855-332-3068
If you reside in: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, West Virginia
Send your request to:
Kansas City Refund Inquiry Unit
333 W Pershing Rd
Mail Stop 6800, N-2
Kansas City, MO 64108Â
Fax: 855-344-9993
If you reside in: Alabama, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee
Send your request to:
Memphis Refund Inquiry Unit
5333 Getwell Rd
Mail Stop 8422
Memphis, TN 38118Â
Fax: 855-580-4749
If you reside in: District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island
Send your completed form to:
Philadelphia Refund Inquiry Unit
2970 Market St
DP 3-L08-151
Philadelphia, PA 19104Â
Fax: 855-404-9091
For other taxpayers
If any of the following apply:
- You reside outside the United States (i.e. foreign country, U.S. possession or territory)
- You use an APO or FPO address
- You file IRS Form 2555 because you have foreign earned income
- You file IRS Form 4563 as a resident of American Samoa
- You are a dual-status alien
Then mail Form 3911 to:
Austin Refund Inquiry Unit
3651 S Interregional Hwy 35
Mail Stop 6542 AUSC
Austin, TX 78741Â
Fax: 855-203-7538
For Business Entities
There are two different IRS locations for business entities to send their inquiry.
Businesses located in states west of the Mississippi (except for Arkansas and Louisiana), and Wisconsin should submit authorizations to:
Ogden Refund Inquiry Unit
1973 N Rulon White Blvd
Mail Stop 6733
Ogden, UT 84404
Fax: 855-578-2550
Businesses located in states east of the Mississippi (except for Wisconsin), and Arkansas and Louisiana should submit authorizations to:
Cincinnati Refund Inquiry Unit
PO Box 145500
Mail Stop 536G
Cincinnati, OH 45250
Fax: 855-307-3124
Video walkthrough
Watch this instructional video for step-by-step guidance on completing Form 3911.
Frequently asked questions
IRS Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund, is the tax form that a taxpayer may use to inform the IRS of a missing tax refund. By filing this form, the taxpayer initiates a refund trace. If successful, the IRS will issue a replacement check to the taxpayer.
When you file IRS Form 3911 in search for a missing check, the IRS will process your request. If your check was not already cashed or deposited, then the IRS will cancel your check and send you a replacement check. If your check was already cashed or deposited, then the Department of Treasury will contact you through its Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS). The BFS will send you a claim package that includes a copy of the cashed check.
You can check the status of your tax refund without filing Form 3911 in one of several ways. You can use the IRS Check Your Refund online tool on the IRS web site, call the IRS’ automated number: (800) 829-1954 to initiate the trace. However, married taxpayers filing a joint tax return cannot use this option. Finally, you can call the IRS and speak with an IRS representative at: (800) 829-1040
Where can I find a copy of Form 3911?
Like most reproducible copies of federal tax forms, Form 3911 can be found on the IRS website. For your convenience, we’ve included a copy at the bottom of this article.
