Updated October 24, 2026. Quick answer: Tax Topic 156 is the IRS page on getting a transcript or a copy of a tax return. It says the IRS offers transcripts free of charge and online is the fastest and easiest way. A complete copy of a filed return, with attachments, is requested on Form 4506.
Quick reference
| Item | What the IRS topic says |
|---|---|
| Cost of transcripts | “The IRS offers various transcript types free of charge.” |
| Fastest way to get one | “Online is the fastest and easiest way to get your transcript.” |
| Transcript by mail | “All transcript types are also available by mail by submitting Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return.” |
| Transcript by phone | “The tax return and account transcripts are also available by calling 800-908-9946 and following the prompts.” |
| Full copy of a return | “To get a complete copy of a previously filed tax return, along with all attachments (including Form W-2), submit Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return.” |
Transcripts
The topic separates a transcript from a copy. On the transcript side it says “The IRS offers various transcript types free of charge.” It points to the IRS page for tax records and adds “Online is the fastest and easiest way to get your transcript.”
For other routes, the topic says “All transcript types are also available by mail by submitting Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return.” It names a shorter form too: “Additionally, Form 4506-T-EZ, Short Form Request for Individual Tax Return Transcript can be used to request just a tax return transcript.” Phone is the third route: “The tax return and account transcripts are also available by calling 800-908-9946 and following the prompts.” Our page on Form 4506-T covers the mail request in more detail.
A full copy of a return
A copy is a different request. The topic says “To get a complete copy of a previously filed tax return, along with all attachments (including Form W-2), submit Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return.”
On cost, it says “Refer to the form for instructions and for the processing fee.” The page does not state the fee amount itself.
The topic has a disaster rule too. It says “If you’re a taxpayer impacted by a federally declared disaster, the IRS waives the usual fees and expedites requests for copies of tax returns for people who need them to apply for disaster-related benefits or to file amended returns claiming disaster-related losses”. It points to Topic no. 107 for tax relief in disaster situations and gives the IRS Disaster Assistance Hotline as “866-562-5227”.
A copy of a fraudulent return
When someone else filed under your name, the topic says “To request a copy of a fraudulent tax return, when someone else used your name and Social Security number as a primary or secondary filer to file the return without your permission, use Form 4506-F, Identity Theft Victim’s Request for Copy of Fraudulent Tax Return PDF.”
It sends readers to the form instructions for details: “For more information, see the instructions in Form 4506-F and Instructions for requesting copy of fraudulent returns.” The page Form 8821 on this site covers a related authorization form.
Where this comes from
This page describes the IRS page titled Topic no. 156, How to get a transcript or copy of your tax return, as served on irs.gov on October 24, 2026. The IRS page shows that it was last reviewed or updated on 24 Sep 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
- Sending Form 4506 when a transcript will do. The topic says transcripts are “free of charge.”
- Expecting a transcript to show attachments. The complete copy with attachments is a Form 4506 request: “along with all attachments (including Form W-2)”
- Assuming Form 4506-T-EZ handles every transcript. The topic says it “can be used to request just a tax return transcript.”
- Looking for the copy fee on this IRS page. The topic says “Refer to the form for instructions and for the processing fee.”
Related: IRS tax topics by number, Form 4506-T, Form 8821, Form 2848, Form 1040-X, Form 4852, and IRS refund check for a deceased taxpayer.
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Answer againSources
- IRS, Topic no. 156, How to get a transcript or copy of your tax return (irs.gov): https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc156
- 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.