Form 886-L: Supporting Documents

Form 886-L, Supporting Documents, is a one page IRS request for photocopies. It says: "Please provide a photocopy of the document or documents requested below. Return the photocopies with this form in the envelope provided."

This revision lists one category, Wages and Withholding. It asks for periodic pay statements or check stubs that clearly identify the date, the amount of gross income received and the withholding taken out, or a letter from the employer on company letterhead showing dates of employment and the gross amount of wages paid and withholdings deducted. The form says the letter needs a contact person and telephone number.

The top of the form has spaces for the name of taxpayer, tax identification number and tax year. You can fill them out free in your browser on this page and download the result without an account.

Top of page 1 of Form 886-L: Supporting Documents, as printed by IRS

What's on Form 886-L

Header

Spaces for the name of taxpayer, tax identification number and tax year.

Request for photocopies

A short paragraph asking for a photocopy of the document or documents requested below, returned with the form in the envelope provided.

Wages and Withholding: pay statements

Periodic pay statements or check stubs clearly identifying the date, amount of gross income received and withholding taken out.

Wages and Withholding: employer letter

Or a letter from the employer on company letterhead or stationery indicating dates of employment and the gross amount of wages paid and withholdings deducted, including a contact person and telephone number.

How to fill out Form 886-L

1
Fill in the header
Enter the name of taxpayer, tax identification number and tax year at the top.
2
Choose pay stubs or a letter
The form joins the two options with "or": periodic pay statements or check stubs, or a letter from the employer.
3
Check the pay stubs
Each statement or stub clearly identifies the date, the gross income received and the withholding taken out.
4
Check the employer letter
The letter is on company letterhead or stationery, shows dates of employment, gross wages paid and withholdings deducted, and names a contact person and telephone number.
5
Return the photocopies
Put the photocopies with the form in the envelope provided, as the form asks.

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Where it goes, timing and what to send

Where to send

The form says to return the photocopies with this form in the envelope provided. It prints no mailing address of its own.

Deadline

The form prints no deadline.

Photocopies

The form asks for a photocopy of each requested document.

Employer letter contact

The form says the employer letter must include a contact person and telephone number.

Who uses Form 886-L?

Taxpayers asked for wage records
The form asks the taxpayer named at the top for photocopies of the documents it lists, here wage and withholding records.
Employees with pay stubs
Periodic pay statements or check stubs work when they clearly identify the date, the gross income received and the withholding taken out.
Employers who write a letter
As an alternative, the employer can write a letter on company letterhead or stationery with dates of employment, gross wages paid and withholdings deducted, plus a contact person and telephone number.
Who receives it
The form is headed Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, and says to return the photocopies with the form in the envelope provided.

The form is an IRS request to the taxpayer named in its header. The taxpayer fills in the header and returns photocopies; an employer may be the source of one of the documents.

Official sources and the blank

Official IRS form page
The agency’s own page for Form 886-L.
Blank PDF
The official blank form, to print or fill by hand.

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Questions about Form 886-L

What is Form 886-L?

An IRS form titled Supporting Documents that asks for photocopies of the documents it lists. This revision lists wage and withholding records.

Which documents does it ask for?

Periodic pay statements or check stubs showing the date, gross income received and withholding taken out, or a letter from the employer on company letterhead.

What does the employer letter show?

The form says dates of employment, the gross amount of wages paid and withholdings deducted, plus a contact person and telephone number.

Where does Form 886-L go?

The form says to return the photocopies with this form in the envelope provided.

Does this form ask about anything besides wages?

This December 2014 revision lists one category, Wages and Withholding.

Form 886-L: Supporting Documents