Your employer must send your W2 by January 31 each year

Your employer is required by law to mail or deliver your W2 form by January 31 of the year following the one you worked. This deadline applies whether you still work there or left during the year. If you have not received it by early February, contact your employer's payroll or human resources department directly — they have the form and can resend it or confirm it was mailed to the address they have on file.

The W2 shows your total wages for the year and the taxes withheld. You need it to file your tax return, and your employer is required to send you a copy and file a copy with the IRS. If your employer fails to send it by the deadline, you have options, but the fastest solution is usually a phone call to payroll asking them to email or remail it.

Key Takeaways

  • Your employer must send your W2 by January 31, and you should contact payroll directly if you have not received it by early February.
  • If your employer will not send it or has gone out of business, you can request a transcript from the IRS that shows your wage and tax information.
  • If you worked for multiple employers in one year, you will receive a separate W2 from each one.
  • Check your W2 for accuracy before filing your tax return, because errors on the form can delay your refund or create problems later.

What to do if your employer has not sent it by February

Start by calling or emailing your employer's payroll department. Give them your name, Social Security number, and the year you worked. Ask them to resend the W2 to your current address or email it to you. Most employers keep records for at least seven years and can reissue it quickly.

If your employer is unresponsive or out of business, contact the IRS directly. You can call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and explain that your employer has not sent your W2. The IRS can investigate and may issue you a Form 4852, which is a substitute for a W2 that you can use to file your tax return. You will need to provide the IRS with your best estimate of the wages and taxes withheld based on your pay stubs or bank records.

How to get a wage and income transcript from the IRS

If you need proof of your income or taxes withheld and cannot get your W2, the IRS can send you a wage and income transcript. This document shows what the IRS has on file for you based on what your employer reported. You can request it online, by phone, or by mail.

To request online, go to IRS.gov and use the "Get Transcript" tool. You will need to verify your identity. By phone, call 1-800-908-9946. By mail, send Form 4506-C to the IRS address listed on the form. The transcript usually arrives within two weeks if you request it online or by phone, and within four weeks by mail. Note that the transcript shows only what your employer reported to the IRS, so if your employer made an error or did not report you, the transcript will reflect that too.

Checking your W2 for errors before you file

When you receive your W2, compare it to your pay stubs. Check that your name, Social Security number, and address are correct. Verify that the total wages match what you earned and that the federal and state taxes withheld are accurate. If you see an error, contact your employer's payroll department immediately and ask them to issue a corrected W2, called a W2-C.

Errors on your W2 can delay your tax refund or create problems if the IRS later notices a mismatch between what you reported and what your employer reported. The sooner you catch and correct an error, the smoother your tax filing will go. If your employer refuses to correct it, you can file your return with a note explaining the discrepancy and attach a copy of your pay stubs as evidence.

What to do if you worked for multiple employers

If you worked for more than one employer in the same year, each employer must send you a separate W2. You will receive multiple forms in the mail, and you must report all of them when you file your tax return. The IRS receives copies of all your W2s, so they will know if you worked for multiple employers.

If one employer has not sent their W2 by early February, follow the same steps: contact payroll first, then contact the IRS if they do not respond. When you file your return, include all the W2s you have received. If you are still waiting for one, you can file your return and amend it later once you receive the missing form, though this delays your refund.

Getting a W2 from a previous employer years later

If you need a W2 from a job you held several years ago, start by contacting the employer directly. Many employers keep payroll records for seven years or longer. If the company is still in business, payroll can usually locate and resend your W2.

If the company has closed or you cannot locate them, request a wage and income transcript from the IRS using the method described above. The transcript will show your reported income for any year the IRS has on file. You can also contact your state's tax authority if you need state-level wage information, as they may have records even if the federal IRS does not.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I file my tax return without my W2?

You can file using a wage and income transcript from the IRS or a Form 4852 substitute, but you cannot file without some form of wage documentation. If you file before receiving your W2 and your numbers do not match what your employer reported, the IRS will contact you. It is better to wait for your W2 or get a transcript first.

What if my W2 shows the wrong amount of taxes withheld?

Contact your employer's payroll department and ask them to issue a corrected W2-C. If they refuse or say the amount is correct, you can still file your return with the W2 you have. If you overpaid taxes, you will receive a refund. If you underpaid, you will owe the difference when you file.

Do I need the original W2 or can I use a copy?

You can use a copy or a digital version to file your tax return. The IRS does not require the original paper form. If your employer emails it to you or you print a copy, that is sufficient for filing purposes.

What if my employer says they already mailed my W2 but I never got it?

Ask your employer to confirm the mailing address they have on file and verify it matches where you live. If the address is wrong, ask them to resend it to the correct address. If the address is correct, the form may have been lost in the mail — ask your employer to email you a copy instead or issue a replacement.