How to Fax IRS Form 2848 to the IRS — Power of Attorney
Form 2848 puts a named CPA, enrolled agent, or attorney on record as your representative before the IRS, and the agency accepts it by fax so authority can be recorded while a notice or audit is still open. This guide walks through getting a signed 2848 to the correct IRS unit online, confirming the current submission fax number rather than reusing an old one, and keeping proof of exactly when it arrived.
Does the IRS accept a fax?
Yes — the Instructions for Form 2848 list fax as an accepted way to submit the authorization, which is why representatives reach for it when a notice deadline is closing in. Fax gets the signed form to the assigned unit far faster than mail, and it lands as a single fixed page the receiving team can timestamp against the matter.
Finding the official fax number
The correct destination depends on the taxpayer's state and why the authorization is being filed. The current submission fax number is printed in the latest Instructions for Form 2848 and on IRS.gov, and any IRS notice you are responding to may direct the form to the specific office handling it. Confirm the number against those sources every time, because the IRS updates them by service center.
What to include on every page
- The taxpayer's name, address, and SSN or EIN exactly as the IRS has them on file
- The representative's name, CAF number if they have one, and the specific tax matters and years
- The taxpayer's signature and date in Part I — an unsigned or undated form is rejected
- A brief cover sheet noting the taxpayer's name and the notice or matter number, if any
How to fax IRS Form 2848 (Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative) to the IRS
- 1Complete every applicable line of Form 2848, including the tax matters and years being authorized
- 2Have the taxpayer sign and date Part I and confirm the representative has signed Part II
- 3Verify the current submission fax number in the latest Instructions for Form 2848 or on the IRS notice
- 4Scan or export the signed form as a clear, high-contrast PDF
- 5Log in to Send FAX Mail, upload the PDF, enter the confirmed IRS fax number, and send
- 6Save the transmission confirmation as evidence of when the authorization reached the IRS
Confirming it arrived
Send FAX Mail returns a dated delivery confirmation the moment the pages reach the IRS fax line — keep it with the signed 2848. The IRS records the representative on the Centralized Authorization File, which can take a few weeks to post, so the confirmation is your proof the authorization was submitted on time if a deadline is later questioned.
What’s current · as of July 2026
Recent updates
Federal agencies still write fax into new rules and notices
The Federal Register — the daily journal of U.S. federal rulemaking — regularly publishes rules and notices that reference fax as an accepted or required submission channel for filings with agencies like the IRS, SSA, and CMS. That is why fax remains a live requirement for many official forms even as electronic portals expand.
Federal Register →
Faxing IRS Form 2848 (Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative) to the IRS — FAQ
You can. Fax is listed in the form's own instructions as an accepted submission method, and it reaches the assigned IRS unit sooner than mail — the reason most representatives use it when a notice deadline is near. Hold on to the send confirmation as your record of the filing date.
Look at the current Instructions for Form 2848 on IRS.gov, which route the form by the taxpayer's location, and read any notice tied to the matter — it may point to a specific office. Re-check the number each time rather than trusting a saved one, since the IRS changes them by service center.
A missing signature or date in Part I is the usual reason a 2848 comes back, along with tax matters or years left blank. Nobody is placed on record until a complete, signed form is received, so review Part I and the authorization grid before you fax during a live matter.
Every send through Send FAX Mail produces a confirmation showing the date and time the document reached the destination line. File that alongside the signed 2848 so you can document the submission date even before the representative posts to the IRS Centralized Authorization File.
Ready to fax IRS Form 2848 (Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative) to the IRS?
Upload your completed document and send it in seconds — no fax machine required.
7-day free trial · No credit card required