Updated October 24, 2026. Quick answer: Tax Topic 155 is the IRS page on getting tax forms and publications. It says the easiest way is by computer, that you can also call 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676), and that libraries and local IRS offices carry some forms. Phone and mail orders should arrive within 10 to 15 business days.
Quick reference
| Item | What the IRS topic says |
|---|---|
| Easiest way | “The easiest way to obtain them is by using your computer.” |
| Phone order | “You can also order forms and publications by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).” |
| How to name what you want | “please request items by their form or publication number, not by their titles.” |
| Delivery time | “You should receive your order within 10-15 business days.” |
| Forms local IRS offices do not carry | “They don’t carry Form W-2, Form W-3, Form W-4, or Form 1099 series.” |
Online and by mail
The topic starts with the computer route. It says “Need an IRS tax form or publication?” and then “The easiest way to obtain them is by using your computer.” The next sentence says “You can download and print forms and publications or order them from our Forms and publications by U.S. Mail page.”
Employers have a separate path. The topic says “For employer and information returns, visit Order paper information returns and employer returns.” It also has a line for readers who need other formats: “Check Accessible forms and publications for accessible versions for people with disabilities.”
Ordering by phone
The phone number is given in two forms. The topic says “You can also order forms and publications by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).” It offers a tip for the call: “To expedite your call, make a list of what you need before you call.”
If something is out of stock, the topic says “If a product isn’t available when you place your order, we’ll send it as soon as it becomes available.” It adds “There is no need to place another order.”
The topic is specific about how to ask. It says “If you call or write to order forms, please request items by their form or publication number, not by their titles.” On timing it says “You should receive your order within 10-15 business days.”
Libraries and IRS offices
For in-person pickup, the topic says “Libraries may carry some forms during filing season and can also assist in printing tax forms from our website year-round.”
On IRS offices it says “Local IRS offices carry limited numbers of commonly requested forms, such as Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.” The same paragraph names forms they leave out: “They don’t carry Form W-2, Form W-3, Form W-4, or Form 1099 series.” Our pages on Form 1040 and Form W-4 show what those forms ask for.
Where this comes from
This page describes the IRS page titled Topic no. 155, Obtaining forms and publications, as served on irs.gov on October 24, 2026. The IRS page shows that it was last reviewed or updated on 06 Oct 2026. The IRS can change a topic after we read it, and the IRS page controls. General information, not tax or legal advice.
Common mistakes
- Asking for a form by its name on a phone order. The topic says “not by their titles.”
- Placing a second order when the first item is backordered. The topic says “There is no need to place another order.”
- Expecting to pick up a Form W-4 at a local IRS office. The topic says “They don’t carry Form W-2, Form W-3, Form W-4, or Form 1099 series.”
- Expecting forms the same day by phone or mail. The topic says “within 10-15 business days.”
Related: IRS tax topics by number, Form 1040, Form W-4, Form W-9, Form 4506-T, Form 1040-X, and Form 4868.
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Answer againSources
- IRS, Topic no. 155, Obtaining forms and publications (irs.gov): https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc155
- IRS, Tax topics index (irs.gov): https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics
Read from the IRS pages linked above on October 24, 2026. General information, not tax or legal advice. The IRS topic page and the instructions for your own form control, and your own facts decide the outcome.