4868

Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return

Agency
IRS
Revision
2025
Fillable fields
17
Pages
4
Official source
IRS form page
Checked
October 14, 2026
Fill 4868 online
Page 1 of form 4868

Form 4868: Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File

Form 4868 asks the IRS for more time to file your individual income tax return. The IRS calls it an automatic extension.

The extension is only for filing. The IRS states plainly that an extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay. Any tax you owe is still due by the original April deadline, and interest runs on unpaid tax from that date.

The form is short. Its main job is to give your identifying details and an estimate of your total tax, payments and balance due so you can pay what you owe before you file the return.

Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File, with Part I identification and Part II individual income tax

What's on Form 4868

Identification

Part I asks for your name, address and Social Security number on lines 1 and 2, plus your spouse's on line 3 if you file jointly.

Lines 4 to 6: Your estimate

Line 4 is your estimate of total tax liability for 2025, line 5 is your total payments, and line 6 is the balance due, line 4 minus line 5.

Line 7: Amount you are paying

The amount you send with the form. Do not include it on line 5.

Lines 8 and 9: Special situations

Check line 8 if you are out of the country and a U.S. citizen or resident. Line 9 is for Form 1040-NR filers who did not receive wages subject to U.S. income tax withholding.

How to fill out Form 4868

  1. 1

    Estimate your tax

    Make the estimate as accurate as you can. The instructions warn that if the IRS later finds the estimate was not reasonable, the extension is null and void. Enter -0- on line 4 if you expect zero tax.

    Form 4868 line 4 for the estimate of total tax liability, sample values
  2. 2

    Enter your identification

    Use the same name and Social Security number you will use on the return.

    Form 4868 lines 1 to 3 with a joint filer's name and both Social Security number fields, sample values
  3. 3

    Enter the payment

    If you cannot pay the balance on line 6, you can still get the extension. The instructions say to pay as much as you can to limit interest, and a late payment penalty may apply to unpaid tax.

    Form 4868 line 6 balance due with a payment on line 7, sample values
  4. 4

    Choose how to file

    The IRS lists three ways: pay online and mark the payment as an extension request, use IRS Free File, or send Form 4868 by mail, through an IRS e-file partner or through a tax professional. This page lets you fill the paper form online for free.

    Form 4868 instructions listing the three ways to request an extension: pay electronically, e-file or file a paper form
  5. 5

    Keep your confirmation

    E-filers receive an acknowledgment. The IRS asks you to keep it, and e-filing requires your prior-year adjusted gross income.

    Form 4868 instructions saying e-filers receive an electronic acknowledgment to keep with their records

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Deadlines, fees and where to send Form 4868

Deadline

File or pay by the April due date. The new filing deadline is October 15.

Paying without the form

The IRS says you do not need a separate form if you pay online and mark the payment as for a filing extension. You get a confirmation number.

Free File

The IRS page says Free File has no income limit for extensions.

Fiscal-year filers

The IRS says fiscal-year filers must use paper.

Penalties

The instructions describe the late payment penalty as usually one half of 1% of unpaid tax per month, up to a maximum of 25%. A late filing penalty may apply if you file after the extension expires. The penalty is not charged if you can show reasonable cause.

Common mistakes

Treating the extension as more time to pay, underestimating the tax, missing the April date and forgetting that the extension covers only your federal return are the usual problems.

Related forms

Who needs Form 4868?

  • Filers who won't be ready by April

    The IRS says you request the extension by the April due date, which gives you until October 15.

  • People who are still waiting on documents

    Late K-1s, corrected 1099s or brokerage statements are common reasons to ask for more time.

  • People who owe tax

    You still pay an estimate with the extension to limit interest and penalties.

  • U.S. citizens abroad

    Qualifying citizens and resident aliens living abroad or serving in the military abroad get an automatic two extra months, generally to June 15, without filing a request. They attach a statement to the return.

  • People who need four more months

    The Form 1040 instructions say that if you file Form 4868 by June 15 after taking the two-month extension, you can get an additional four months.

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Questions about Form 4868

Does Form 4868 give me more time to pay?

No. The IRS says an extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay. Interest applies to unpaid tax from the original due date.

How long is the extension?

Up to six months to file, which makes October 15 the new deadline for the usual April due date.

Can I get an extension without filing the form?

Yes. Pay online through an IRS payment option and mark that the payment is for a filing extension. You will get a confirmation number.

Is there a fee to request an extension?

The IRS page says Free File has no income limit for extensions.

What if I live abroad?

Qualifying U.S. citizens and resident aliens get an automatic two-month extension, generally to June 15, and attach a statement to the return.

What if I cannot pay what I owe?

File the return on time and ask for a payment plan with Form 9465 or the online payment agreement.