How to Fax Form 433-D and 433-F to the IRS for Payment Plans

If you are setting up an IRS payment plan, Form 433-D and Form 433-F often need to reach the IRS by fax, and the right number is the one printed on your notice, not one you found online. You can send both from a phone or computer without owning a fax machine. Our top pick is Faxend, the fastest way to fax these forms from an iPhone.

What Form 433-D and 433-F Are (and Which You Need)

Form 433-D and Form 433-F both show up when you are arranging to pay the IRS over time, but they do different jobs. Form 433-D is the Installment Agreement itself, the document that sets up your monthly payment, usually by direct debit from a bank account. Form 433-F is the Collection Information Statement, a snapshot of your income, expenses, and assets that the IRS uses to decide what you can reasonably pay.

You will not always need both. If the IRS has already approved a payment amount, you may only be finalizing Form 433-D. If they are still assessing your finances, Form 433-F usually comes first. Read the notice or letter you received, since it names the exact form and tells you where to send it.

When I work through document tasks like this, the first thing I check is which form the agency actually asked for. Sending the wrong one, or both when only one is needed, slows the process down more than a delayed fax ever would.

Before You Fax: What to Have Ready

A little prep keeps you from re-sending. Gather these before you start:

• The completed form, signed and dated where required. An unsigned Form 433-D is one of the most common reasons a payment plan stalls.
• Any supporting pages the notice asks for, such as proof of income or a voided check for direct debit.
• The IRS fax number from your notice, not a generic number pulled from a search result.
• A cover sheet with your name, the last four digits of your Social Security number or EIN, and the form number.

Have everything ready as a clean PDF or a well-lit photo. Faded or crooked pages are the usual cause of a fax the IRS says it cannot read.

How to Find the Right IRS Fax Number

The IRS does not use one universal fax number. The correct number depends on the form, your state, and sometimes the specific unit handling your account. That is why the number printed on your IRS notice is the one to trust.

If you cannot find your notice, look up the current number through the official source at irs.gov, or call the number on any recent IRS correspondence and ask where to fax your form. Do not rely on a number copied from a forum post, since these go stale and a misdirected tax document is a real privacy risk.

For a fuller walkthrough of locating the right line, see our guide on finding IRS fax numbers.

How to Fax the Forms Without a Fax Machine

You do not need a physical fax machine or a landline to send these forms. An online fax app turns a photo or PDF into a real fax and delivers it to the IRS number you enter.

Our top pick is Faxend, the fastest way to send a fax from an iPhone. Faxend, our own iOS app, is free to download and turns a signed 433-D or 433-F into a fax in a couple of taps, which is why it sits at the top of our list for this task. Per-fax or plan pricing applies once you send. Other options work too. iFax and Fax.Plus cover both iOS and Android, and web services like FaxZero handle the occasional single send, though free tiers often add a cover-page ad you will want to avoid on a tax document.

Here is the basic flow, which is similar across apps:

1. 1
   Scan or attach the form. Photograph each signed page in good light, or attach the PDF.
2. 2
   Enter the IRS fax number. Type the number from your notice exactly, with no extra digits.
3. 3
   Add your cover sheet. Include your name, the form number, and your partial SSN or EIN.
4. 4
   Send and save the confirmation. Keep the delivery receipt the app gives you.

With Faxend the whole sequence takes under a minute once your form is scanned. If you would rather compare methods first, our overview of how to fax the IRS without a fax machine lays out every option.

What to Put on Your IRS Cover Sheet

A cover sheet is not optional here. It helps the IRS route your form to the right account and confirms how many pages should arrive.

Include your full name, your address, the last four digits of your SSN or EIN, the form number (433-D or 433-F), the total page count, and a daytime phone number. Keep it to one page and skip sensitive details you do not need to repeat.

After You Send: Confirmation and Follow-Up

A sent fax is not the same as a received one. Save the confirmation page or delivery receipt your app generates, with the date, time, and destination number. This is your proof if the IRS later says the form never arrived.

The IRS does not send an instant acknowledgment for a faxed 433-D or 433-F. Response times vary and can run several weeks, especially during filing season. If you have not heard back within the window stated on your notice, call the number on that notice and reference your fax confirmation.

Wondering whether faxing even counts for tax forms? Our explainer on whether the IRS accepts faxed documents covers what you can and cannot send this way.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

A few small errors cause most re-sends:

• Using a generic fax number instead of the one on your notice.
• Forgetting to sign Form 433-D, which the IRS cannot process.
• Sending a blurry photo that the receiving machine renders as blank.
• Leaving off the cover sheet, so the IRS cannot match the fax to your account.
• Discarding the confirmation page before the IRS has acted on the form.

Slow down on the number and the signature. Those two mistakes account for most of the delays with payment-plan forms.

Frequently asked questions