Fax for Accountants: What CPAs and Tax Pros Still Send by Fax

Why Accountants Are Still Faxing in 2026

The IRS has not moved fully to electronic submissions. Many IRS departments still list fax numbers in their official correspondence and accept certain forms only by fax or mail. If a client receives an IRS notice asking for a response, there is often a fax number right on the letter.

State tax agencies are similar. Several states still require or strongly prefer fax for amended returns, penalty abatement requests, and audit responses. Courts handling tax disputes often require faxed filings. Third-party verification requests from lenders, mortgage brokers, and government programs frequently go by fax.

None of this is going away in the near term. The IRS alone processes hundreds of millions of pieces of correspondence annually, and fax remains an accepted channel for many of those interactions. For accountants who need documented proof that a filing was received, a fax confirmation page serves as your timestamped delivery record.

What Accounting Practices Actually Fax

IRS Power of Attorney (Form 2848). When you act on behalf of a client before the IRS, Form 2848 authorizes your representation. Faxing it to the CAF unit is one of the fastest ways to get it on file. The IRS fax number for Form 2848 varies by state and entity type.

Tax Information Authorization (Form 8821). Similar to 2848 but for third-party access to transcripts. Also submitted by fax to the CAF unit.

IRS audit responses. When a client receives a CP2000, audit notice, or correspondence exam request, the response often goes by fax. The IRS employee assigned to the case typically provides a direct fax number.

Mortgage and lending verifications. Lenders request tax return transcripts, business financial statements, and income verification for client loan applications. Many lenders still send and receive these by fax.

State tax authority correspondence. Penalty abatement requests, amended return explanations, and audit responses for state taxes often go by fax or mail, with fax being faster for time-sensitive matters.

The Problem with Physical Fax Machines for CPAs

Physical fax machines are expensive to maintain and unreliable at the worst possible times. During tax season, when your fax volume spikes, that is when the machine decides to jam, run out of toner, or drop transmissions with no confirmation.

Monthly fax service subscriptions designed for businesses are priced for high-volume use. If you send 10-30 faxes per month during tax season and almost none in the summer, a flat monthly fee means you are paying for capacity you do not use.

The other issue is documentation. Physical fax machines rarely produce a useful audit trail. Online fax services send you a delivery confirmation email with the timestamp and recipient number. For IRS and state tax correspondence, that documentation matters.

How Online Fax Works for Accounting Workflows

FaxDrop is entirely browser-based. You open the site, upload your PDF, enter the recipient fax number, and send. No software to install, no hardware to maintain. The fax transmits in the background and you get a delivery confirmation to your email.

For IRS submissions, you can add a cover page with your firm name, contact number, and the matter being addressed. FaxDrop generates a professional cover page automatically with any subscriber account. The fax cover page guide has templates specifically for professional correspondence.

Pricing is per fax for occasional use, or a flat monthly rate if you send regularly during tax season. Two free faxes per month require no account at all. For a CPA responding to one IRS notice, that covers it. See pricing.

If you need to combine multiple documents before faxing, like a Form 2848 with supporting documentation, the free PDF merge tool on FaxDrop handles that in the browser before you send. If you work from a Mac, our guide on how to fax from a Mac walks through the full process.

Common IRS Fax Numbers for Accountants

IRS fax numbers vary by department and sometimes by the state your client is in. Always verify the number from the official IRS notice or the IRS.gov website before sending. The IRS fax number directory has a full reference for the most common departments.

A few frequently used IRS fax numbers:

• Form 2848 / CAF Unit (Ogden, UT): 1-855-214-7522
• Form 2848 / CAF Unit (Philadelphia, PA): 1-855-772-3156
• Audit Correspondence (varies by notice): The fax number appears on the notice itself. Use the number listed on the letter, not a general IRS number.
• Collections / Installment Agreements: Number varies by state and account type. Confirm with the revenue officer assigned to the case.

For state tax agencies, fax numbers are usually listed on the agency website under their contact or correspondence pages. Most state tax authority correspondence includes a return fax number on the notice.