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Extensions in IRIS: who gets more time, and how
Most information returns get an automatic 30 days with Form 8809, which you can request in IRIS. 1099-NEC doesn't, and recipient copies need a different form entirely. Pick your form to see every date and the exact steps.
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Short answer
Form 8809 gives an automatic 30-day extension to file most information returns with the IRS, and you can request it free in IRIS (Request Automatic Extension, available January 1 to March 31) by the returns' due date. Forms 1099-NEC and W-2 get no automatic extension: only one nonautomatic 30-day extension on a signed paper Form 8809, for a hardship reason listed on line 7. Form 8809 never extends recipient copies; for those, file Form 15397 by the recipient due date for up to 30 more days.
- File Form 8809 by the earliest due date of the forms on it
- A second 30-day extension needs paper and a hardship reason
- Use the exact legal name and EIN, no abbreviations
- Form 15397 can be filed online or by fax
Last reviewed against Form 8809 (Rev. December 2025), Form 15397 (Rev. 5-2026) and Publication 5717.
Extension planner
The three kinds of extension
| Extension | Which forms | How |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic 30 days to file | All Form 8809 forms except 1099-NEC and W-2 | IRIS portal (single or bulk CSV), IRIS A2A, or paper Form 8809. No reason or signature. |
| Non-automatic 30 days to file | 1099-NEC and W-2 (once), or an additional 30 days for other forms | Signed paper Form 8809 with a line 7 reason, mailed to Ogden, UT. |
| Up to 30 days for recipient copies | W-2, W-2G, 1042-S, 1095, 1097, 1098, 1099, 3921, 3922, 5498 | Form 15397 online or by fax, with a reason, by the recipient due date. Publication 5717 also lists Form 15397 among the forms IRIS accepts from tax year 2026. |
Requesting an automatic extension in the IRIS Taxpayer Portal
- Sign in to IRIS and choose Request Automatic Extension on the Dashboard. It only works from January 1 to March 31.
- Choose Request a New Automatic Extension, or pick from your Saved Issuer list.
- Select whether you'll file electronically or on paper, tick the forms (a disabled checkbox means that form's deadline has passed) and Submit.
- Approval shows on the Automatic Extension Details page straight away if the request is complete, accurate and on time. Print it for your records.
- Track requests by status: A.E. Accepted, A.E. Rejected, A.E. Processing or A.E. In Transit.
Many issuers? Use Bulk Automatic Extension Request: download the 8809 CSV template and its formatting guidelines, fill one row per issuer, upload, review and submit. You need a separate request for each issuer TIN either way.
Rules that catch people out
- The deadline is the return's due date. A late request can't be granted. If you put several forms on one Form 8809, file it by the earliest due date.
- 1099-NEC has no automatic extension, can't be extended in IRIS, and never gets a second extension.
- A filing extension doesn't extend recipient copies, and Form 15397 doesn't extend filing.
- Use the exact legal name and EIN from your EIN application, with no abbreviations.
- IRIS A2A extensions (Form8809Detail in IRSubmission2Grp) can't be corrected or replaced (Pub 5718); a rejected one is sent again as an original.
- Filing late without a valid extension can mean penalties. See the 1099 penalty calculator and filing late 1099s.
All the regular deadlines are in the due date calculator.
Sources
- IRS: About Form 8809, Application for Extension of Time to File Information Returns
- IRS Form 8809 and instructions (Rev. December 2025)
- IRS Form 15397, Application for Extension of Time to Furnish Recipient Statements (Rev. 5-2026)
- IRS: Mobile-friendly forms (file Form 15397 online)
- IRS Publication 5717, IRIS Taxpayer Portal User Guide (Rev. 9-2026), section 4
- IRS Publication 5718, IRIS A2A specifications, section 7
Questions
IRIS extension questions
How do I request a 1099 extension in IRIS?
In the IRIS Taxpayer Portal, choose Request Automatic Extension on the Dashboard, pick the issuer and the forms, and submit. For many issuers, use Bulk Automatic Extension Request with the 8809 CSV template. Approval appears on screen straight away if the request is complete and on time. Software filers can send Form 8809 through IRIS A2A.
Can I get an extension for Form 1099-NEC?
Not an automatic one. For 1099-NEC (and W-2) you can ask for one 30-day extension on a signed paper Form 8809, and only for reasons listed on line 7, such as a federally declared disaster, a fire or casualty, the death or serious illness of the person responsible for filing, a first year of business, or missing data like a Schedule K-1. No additional extension is allowed.
When is the deadline to request an extension?
By the due date of the returns themselves, and not before January 1. For most 1099s that's March 31 if you e-file (February 28 on paper); for 1099-NEC and W-2 it's January 31. A request filed after the due date can't be granted.
Does a Form 8809 extension give me more time to send recipient copies?
No. Form 8809 only extends the IRS filing date. For more time to furnish recipient statements, file Form 15397 (online or by fax) by the recipient due date; if approved, you generally get up to 30 more days.
Can I get more than 30 days?
For forms other than 1099-NEC and W-2, you can ask for one additional 30-day extension on paper Form 8809, before the first extension runs out, if you meet one of the hardship reasons on line 7.
Why can't I click Request Automatic Extension in the portal?
The button only works from January 1 to March 31, and a form's checkbox is disabled once its extension deadline has passed. 1099-NEC can't be extended in IRIS at all.
File on time instead
EFileForMe is an authorized e-file provider. Create a free account, enter or import your forms, and we file them with the IRS. You don't need your own TCC.