Quick answer: There is no single Form 3911 fax number. The IRS routes a refund trace to the Refund Inquiry Unit for the state you live in — for example, Austin 855-203-7538 (FL, LA, MS, OK, TX), Fresno 855-332-3068 (most western states), or Kansas City 855-344-9993. Find your state in the table below. If you filed a joint return, Form 3911 is the only way to start a trace, and both spouses must sign.
Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund, is the form you file to trace a refund the IRS already issued but you never received — a paper check that was lost, stolen, or destroyed, or a direct deposit that never reached your account. You can mail it or fax it, and faxing is faster: it reaches your regional Refund Inquiry Unit in minutes and gives you a timestamped confirmation. The number you use depends on the state you lived in when you filed.
Do you actually need Form 3911 yet?
Form 3911 is not always the first step. If you were expecting a paper check and you filed as Single, Married Filing Separately, or Head of Household, the IRS asks you to start the trace through a self-help option first:
- The Where’s My Refund? tool or the IRS2Go app
- The automated refund line, 800-829-1954
- An IRS representative, 800-829-1040
File Form 3911 when a trace cannot be started that way, or once the waiting period has passed: 28 days after the IRS mailed a paper check, or 5 days past the direct-deposit date with no funds (for a deposit sent to the wrong account, contact your bank first and give it about two weeks). One important exception: if you filed a joint return, the automated tools cannot start a trace at all — you must file Form 3911 or speak to a representative.
Form 3911 fax numbers by state (individual filers)
The IRS assigns each state to one Refund Inquiry Unit. Fax your completed Form 3911 to the number that matches the state you lived in when you filed. These lines are for Form 3911 only — do not fax anything else to them.
| If you live in… | Refund Inquiry Unit | Fax number |
|---|---|---|
| ME, MD, MA, NH, VT | Andover, MA | 855-253-3175 |
| GA, IA, KS, KY, VA | Atlanta (Chamblee, GA) | 855-275-8620 |
| FL, LA, MS, OK, TX | Austin, TX | 855-203-7538 |
| NY | Brookhaven (Holtsville, NY) | 855-297-7736 |
| AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, NV, NM, OR, UT, WA, WI, WY | Fresno, CA | 855-332-3068 |
| AR, CT, DE, IN, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NJ, OH, WV | Kansas City, MO | 855-344-9993 |
| AL, NC, ND, SC, SD, TN | Memphis, TN | 855-580-4749 |
| DC, ID, IL, PA, RI | Philadelphia, PA | 855-404-9091 |
| A foreign country or US territory, an APO/FPO address, or if you file Form 2555 or 4563 or are a dual-status alien | Austin, TX | 855-203-7538 |
Send only Form 3911 to these lines. They are dedicated refund-trace fax numbers, and they can change. If the IRS sent you a notice about the refund (such as CP237A), use the fax number or address printed on that notice instead, and check the current list on IRS.gov before you send.
Faxing Form 3911 for a business
A business entity tracing a refund uses a different pair of units, routed by the Mississippi River rather than by individual state:
Business-entity refund traces
States east of the Mississippi go to Cincinnati; states west go to Ogden. Arkansas and Louisiana are exceptions and go to Cincinnati; Wisconsin goes to Ogden.
| If your business is in… | Refund Inquiry Unit | Fax number |
|---|---|---|
| A state east of the Mississippi, plus Arkansas and Louisiana | Cincinnati (Florence, KY) | 855-307-3124 |
| A state west of the Mississippi, plus Wisconsin | Ogden, UT | 855-578-2550 |
How to fax Form 3911
- Download the current form, Form 3911 (Rev. 10-2022), from IRS.gov.
- Complete it in full: your name and taxpayer ID (both spouses’ details for a joint return), the tax year, the exact refund amount, and whether it was a paper check or direct deposit. Use a separate Form 3911 for each missing refund.
- Sign it. The IRS accepts handwritten, electronic, or digital signatures on Form 3911. For a joint-return refund, both spouses must sign or the trace will not start.
- Add a cover sheet marked “Refund Inquiry Unit” with your name, “Form 3911,” and the page count. You can build one with our free fax cover sheet generator.
- Fax it to the number for your state from the table above, and keep the confirmation as proof of your send date.
You do not need a fax machine. Municorn Fax lets you scan the signed form or upload it as a PDF and send it to the right Refund Inquiry Unit from your phone or computer, then keep the timestamped confirmation.
What happens after you file
A straightforward trace usually takes about six weeks. If the check was never cashed, the IRS cancels it and issues a replacement. If it was already cashed, the case goes to the Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which sends you a claim package and a copy of the cashed check to review for forgery — that path can run 90 to 120 days because the Bureau has to investigate before releasing funds. Keep your fax confirmation in case the IRS follows up weeks later.
Form 3911 vs. the automated refund trace
For most single filers, the fastest way to start a trace on a paper check is the online or phone self-help route — no form required. Form 3911 is the paper fallback, and it becomes the only option in two common situations: when you filed a joint return (the automated systems cannot process those), and when the IRS specifically asks you to submit it, usually through a notice. If either applies, fax the form to your regional unit rather than waiting on the automated line.
What is the fax number for Form 3911?
Can I fax Form 3911 to the IRS?
Do both spouses have to sign Form 3911?
Do I need Form 3911 for a missing refund?
Does Form 3911 need a handwritten signature?
How long does a Form 3911 refund trace take?
Faxing a different IRS form? See our full list of IRS fax numbers, or our guides to Form 2848 and Form 4506-T.
