Tax Extension Form: Form 4868 for Individuals

Form

4868

Extends

Form 1040, 1040-SR, 1040-NR, 1040-SS

Extra time

6 months

Due for 2026 returns

April 15, 2027

Which tax extension form do you need?

It depends on the return you file. Most people file a Form 1040, so most people need Form 4868.

Sole proprietors and single-member LLCs owned by one person report their business on their own Form 1040, so the extension is Form 4868, not a business form. Form 4868 vs Form 7004.

What's on Form 4868

The form itself is the bottom third of the first page, under "DETACH HERE." It has two parts and nine lines.

• Line 1: name(s) and address. Both spouses' names if you'll file jointly, in the order they'll appear on the return.
• Lines 2 and 3: Social Security numbers. Yours, and your spouse's for a joint return. An ITIN goes here if you have one.
• Line 4: your estimate of total tax for the year.
• Line 5: total payments you've already made, such as withholding and estimated tax.
• Line 6: balance due, line 4 minus line 5.
• Line 7: the amount you're paying with the form, if any.
• Line 8: a box for U.S. citizens and residents who are out of the country.
• Line 9: a box for Form 1040-NR filers who didn't receive wages subject to U.S. withholding.

There's no signature line and you don't explain why you need more time. Form 4868 instructions, line by line.

Where to get the tax extension form

You have three options, and all of them are the same IRS form:

• Fill it out here. Our free tool fills in the IRS PDF for you and shows where to mail it.
• Download the blank PDF. The 2025 Form 4868 is on IRS.gov, and we keep an unchanged copy. Form 4868 PDF.
• E-file it. Through IRS Free File, tax software, a tax professional or an e-file service, the form is filled in and sent for you. File a tax extension online.

Which year's form to use

Form 4868 is dated by tax year. To extend your 2026 return, you need the 2026 Form 4868. The IRS usually posts it in December or January.

Until it's posted, the newest form on IRS.gov is the 2025 Form 4868, which can't extend a 2026 return. Our tool opens for 2026 returns the week the IRS posts the 2026 form. Use the form for the year you're extending. For a 2026 extension there's time: it's due April 15, 2027.

Do you even need the form?

Not if you owe and can pay. Pay all or part of your estimated tax online, choose extension as the reason, and the IRS processes the extension automatically. That works with IRS Direct Pay, your IRS online account, EFTPS, or a debit or credit card. Get an extension by paying.

When the tax extension form is due

File Form 4868 by your return's original due date: April 15, 2027 for 2026 returns. People out of the country and nonresident aliens without U.S. wages have until June 15, 2027. Every tax extension deadline.

How to fill out the tax extension form in 10 minutes

1. Pick who's filing: you alone, you and your spouse jointly, or a nonresident return.
2. Write your name(s) and address on line 1. Joint filers list both names in return order.
3. Enter Social Security numbers on lines 2 and 3. If you don't have an SSN or ITIN yet, write "ITIN TO BE REQUESTED."
4. Estimate your total tax for line 4 from last year's return and this year's W-2s and 1099s. Enter -0- if you expect none.
5. Add up what you've paid for line 5: withholding and estimated payments. Don't include what you're paying with this form.
6. Subtract for line 6, and write what you're sending on line 7, if anything.
7. Check line 8 or line 9 only if it applies to you.
8. Mail it to the address for your state, with or without a payment.

Our tool does steps 1 to 7 from plain-English questions and does the math. You still mail it.

Questions people ask

Is Form 4868 the same as an IRS extension form?

Yes, for individuals. When people say "IRS extension form" or "tax extension form" for a personal return, they mean Form 4868. The full name is Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.

Do I have to sign the tax extension form?

No. Form 4868 has no signature line.

Is there a separate form for married couples?

No. A couple filing jointly uses one Form 4868 with both names and both SSNs. If you'll file separate returns, each of you files your own.

Is there a tax extension form for state taxes?

Each state sets its own rules. Some accept the federal extension, others have their own form. Form 4868 is federal only.

What if I'm living abroad?

Use Form 4868 and check line 8 if you're out of the country on the due date. If you need more time to qualify for the foreign earned income rules, the IRS form is Form 2350 instead. Extensions for Americans abroad.

Common mistakes

• Using a business form for a sole proprietorship. If your business is on your Form 1040, the extension is Form 4868.
• Filing last year's form for this year. Match the year printed on the form to the return you're extending.
• Leaving line 4 blank. Enter your estimate, or 0 if you expect no tax.
• Two forms for a married couple filing jointly. One Form 4868 covers you both. Couples filing separately each file their own.