Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Edition Rev. October 2022 2 pages

Form 3911 — Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund

The IRS form that starts a trace on a federal tax refund you never received, or a refund check that was lost, stolen or destroyed.

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Form 3911 · Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund
The official Internal Revenue Service (IRS) form, edition Rev. October 2022 — blank
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Form 3911 (2022) Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund — page 1 of 2
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Form 3911 (2022) Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund — page 2 of 2
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Fill this form online Blank PDF from Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

What is Form 3911?

Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund, is how you ask the IRS to trace a federal tax refund that was issued but never reached you, or a refund check that was lost, stolen or destroyed, and to send a replacement. The IRS often mails it in reply to an inquiry about a refund, but you can also download it and start a trace yourself. The current edition is Rev. October 2022.

The form has three sections: who you are and how the refund was sent (Section I), what happened to it (Section II), and a certification signed under penalties of perjury (Section III), in which you also promise to return one refund if you end up receiving two. If the refund was from a joint return, both spouses must sign before the IRS can begin a trace. You need a separate Form 3911 for each refund.

FileIt guides you through each line, prints "N/A" where the form asks for it, and fills in the IRS's official PDF, which is saved in your vault. You can prepare it for e-signature or print and sign it, then fax or mail it to the IRS yourself; FileIt never sends anything to the IRS.

Who fills it
Individuals (and businesses) whose federal tax refund didn't arrive, or whose refund check was lost, stolen or destroyed.
Sent to
The IRS: in the envelope or to the fax number it gave you, or to the service center where you'd file a paper return.
One form per
Refund. A separate Form 3911 is needed for each refund you're asking about.
Signatures
You sign; for a joint return, both spouses must sign. For a business, the person authorized to sign the check.
Edition
Rev. October 2022
Agency
Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Department of the Treasury

Who needs to fill out Form 3911?

  • Taxpayers whose refund was issued by the IRS but never arrived by check or direct deposit.
  • People whose refund check was lost, stolen or destroyed before they could cash it.
  • Couples whose missing refund came from a joint return (both spouses sign).
  • Businesses tracing a refund from a business return, signed by the person authorized to sign the check.

When to use Form 3911

  • When the IRS has told you your refund was issued, but you haven't received it.
  • When the IRS sends you Form 3911 in reply to your inquiry about a refund.
  • When a refund check was lost, stolen or destroyed.
  • Not for an old uncashed check you still hold: the form says a check not cashed within one year of its issue date can't be cashed, and to contact the IRS for how to return it.

What you need before you start

  • Your current name, taxpayer identification number (SSN or ITIN, or EIN for a business), address and a daytime phone number.
  • Your spouse's name and TIN if the refund was from a joint return.
  • The name(s) and address exactly as they appeared on the return, if different.
  • The tax period, the date you filed, the type of return and the refund amount.
  • Whether the refund was a check or direct deposit, and for direct deposit the bank's routing number, account number and account type.
  • The name of your representative and their address, if you authorized one to receive the check.

What’s on Form 3911

The 2022 edition has 2 pages. FileIt asks for it in 8 parts, and it is signed by Taxpayer and Spouse (joint return):

  1. The refund you're asking aboutTaxpayer
  2. Section I, lines 1 and 3: YouTaxpayer
  3. Section I, line 2: Spouse (joint return)Spouse (joint return)
  4. Line 4: Name(s) and address as they appeared on the returnTaxpayer
  5. Lines 5 and 6: RepresentativeTaxpayer
  6. Line 7: The return and the refundTaxpayer
  7. Section II: Refund informationTaxpayer
  8. Section III: CertificationTaxpayer

How to fill out Form 3911, step by step

1 Top of the form

If the IRS sent you the form, enter the date of your inquiry and the tax year of the refund. Where the form says "fax the form to", the IRS's letter gives the number; leave it blank if you're starting the trace yourself.

2 Lines 1 to 3: who you are now

Enter your current name and taxpayer identification number (your SSN or ITIN; for a business, its EIN), your spouse's if the refund came from a joint return, your current address, and a phone number where you can be reached between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

3 Line 4: as on the return

Enter the name(s) and address exactly as they appeared on your tax return. If nothing has changed, enter N/A; FileIt does this for you.

4 Lines 5 and 6: representative

Only if you authorized a representative to receive your refund check: their name and mailing address, including ZIP code.

5 Line 7: the return and the refund

Tick the type of return (individual, business with its form number, or other), the type of refund (check or direct deposit), the refund amount, the tax period and the date filed. Add the bank where you normally cash or deposit checks, and for a direct deposit the account type, routing number (RTN) and account number.

6 Section II: what happened

Check all that apply: you didn't receive a refund; you received a check but it was lost, stolen or destroyed; or you received the check and signed it. The form notes that the law doesn't allow a replacement if you endorsed the check and someone else cashed it, since that person didn't forge your signature.

7 Section III: sign

Sign and date line 10. If the refund was from a joint return, your spouse signs line 11; both must sign before the IRS can begin a trace. For a business, the person authorized to sign the check signs line 10 and enters their title on line 11.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Using one form for several refunds. Each refund needs its own Form 3911.
  • Forgetting the spouse's signature on a joint-return refund. The IRS can't begin the trace without both.
  • Leaving line 4 empty when nothing changed. The form asks you to enter N/A.
  • Entering a different name or number than the one on the return, so the IRS can't match the refund.
  • Expecting a replacement for a check you endorsed that someone else cashed. The form says the law doesn't allow it.

After you fill it out

Sign and date it (both spouses for a joint return). Return it to the IRS in the envelope provided or by fax to the number in the IRS's letter, or mail it to the IRS service center where you would normally file a paper return, as page 2 says.

FileIt keeps a copy in your vault. Note when you sent it.

If you receive two refunds after the trace, the certification you signed commits you to returning one.

Fill out Form 3911 online with FileIt

  1. Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
  2. Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 40 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
  3. Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real Internal Revenue Service (IRS) form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
  4. Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault. Sign it, or send it for e-signature.

FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.

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Form 3911: frequently asked questions

What is Form 3911 used for?

To ask the IRS to trace a federal tax refund you didn't receive, or a refund check that was lost, stolen or destroyed, and to send a replacement.

Where do I send Form 3911?

In the envelope the IRS provided, or by fax to the number it gave you. If you're starting the trace yourself, page 2 says to mail it to the IRS service center where you would normally file a paper tax return.

Do both spouses have to sign?

Yes, if the refund was from a joint return. The form says both spouses must sign before the IRS can begin a trace.

Can I trace more than one refund on the same form?

No. You must complete a separate Form 3911 for each refund.

What if I signed the refund check and someone else cashed it?

The form says the law doesn't allow the IRS to issue a replacement check if you endorsed it and someone other than you cashed it, since that person didn't forge your signature.

I still have an old refund check that I never cashed. Can I use it?

Not if more than a year has passed since its issue date. The form says such a check can no longer be cashed, and to contact the IRS for instructions on returning it.

Can a business use Form 3911?

Yes. Tick Business and enter the return's form number; the person authorized to sign the check signs line 10 and enters their title on line 11.

Official sources

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-10-01.

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