Your employer must send your W2 to you by January 31st each year

Your employer is legally required to mail or deliver your W2 form by January 31st of the year following the one you worked. This means the W2 for 2024 work arrives by January 31, 2025. Your employer must send it to the address they have on file for you — usually the one you provided when you were hired or updated in your personnel records.

If you have not received your W2 by early February, contact your employer's payroll or human resources department directly. They can tell you whether it was mailed, held for pickup, or if there is an address problem on their records. Do not wait until tax time to track it down; the sooner you request it, the sooner you can file.

Key Takeaways

  • Your employer must send your W2 by January 31st to the mailing address on file in their payroll system.
  • If you moved during or after the year you worked, update your address with your employer before January so the form reaches you.
  • Call your employer's payroll department if you have not received your W2 by mid-February; they can reprint and resend it when ready.
  • The IRS also maintains a copy of your W2 information, and you can request a wage and income transcript if your original form is lost.

Update your address before the W2 arrives

If you moved after leaving a job or during the year you worked there, your W2 will go to the old address unless you update your records. Contact your former employer's payroll or HR department and give them your current mailing address. Do this as soon as you know you have moved — ideally before January — so they can correct their records before printing W2s.

If you moved and did not update your address, the W2 may sit at your old address or be returned to your employer as undeliverable. Your employer is not required to track you down; they fulfilled their legal duty by mailing to the address they had. This is why updating early matters.

What to do if your W2 is lost or never arrives

If your W2 arrives damaged, gets lost in the mail, or does not arrive by mid-February, ask your employer for a duplicate copy. Most payroll systems can print a replacement W2 in minutes. Provide your employer with your current address and ask them to mail it or let you pick it up in person if that is faster.

If your employer has closed, gone out of business, or you cannot reach them, you have another option: request a wage and income transcript from the IRS. This document shows the same income information as your W2 and is accepted by tax software and the IRS itself. You can order a transcript online at irs.gov, by phone at 1-800-908-9946, or by mail using Form 4506-C.

Multiple employers mean multiple W2s

If you worked for more than one employer during the year, each one sends you a separate W2. You will receive one form from each employer, and you must report income from all of them when you file your tax return. Do not assume one employer will send a combined form — they will not.

Track which employers you worked for and follow up with each one if a W2 does not arrive. If you worked somewhere for only a few weeks or earned very little, you still receive a W2 if you were on the payroll. The threshold for receiving a W2 is not based on how much you earned; it is based on whether you were employed there at all.

Electronic delivery and online access

Some employers offer the option to receive your W2 electronically instead of by mail. If your employer has this option and you enrolled in it, your W2 will be available through a find portal or sent to your email. Check your email (including spam folders) and any employer portals you have access to before assuming the form did not arrive.

If you want to switch from paper to electronic delivery for next year, ask your payroll department how to enroll. The important date to make this change is usually in December, so plan ahead if you prefer digital copies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I file my taxes without my W2?

You can file using a wage and income transcript from the IRS instead of your W2, though most tax software prefers the actual form. If your W2 has not arrived by the time you want to file, request a transcript from the IRS or ask your employer for a duplicate. Do not guess at your income — use an official document.

What if my W2 has the wrong information on it?

Contact your employer's payroll department when ready and ask them to issue a corrected W2, called a W2-C. They will send you the corrected form and also file the correction with the IRS. Do not file your tax return using incorrect information; get the correction first.

Do I need to keep my W2 after I file my taxes?

Yes. Keep your W2 for at least three years in case the IRS asks questions about your return. Many people keep them longer for their own records. Store them in a safe place with your other tax documents.

What if I worked for a company that paid me under the table?

If you were paid in cash or by check but never received a W2, that income was likely not reported to the IRS. You are still required to report it on your tax return. Report the income as self-employment income on Schedule C if you were an independent contractor, or contact the IRS if you believe your employer should have issued a W2.