Lost an IRS Letter: How to Find Out What Was Requested
Recover the notice details, confirm what is due, and respond through the right channel.
If you lost an IRS letter, check your IRS Individual Online Account for a digital copy. Only certain notices are available online. If you cannot find yours, contact the IRS through its official contact page and ask what was sent, what action is required, and when it is due.
Check the deadline while you look for the letter. Losing the notice or asking for a copy does not automatically give you more time. If the IRS identifies a court or hearing deadline, check those filing instructions promptly. A phone call does not file a petition or hearing request.
Find the notice
Look for the complete notice and any separate response form.
Confirm the request
Record the tax year, required action, due date, and destination.
Check for updates
Ask whether the IRS issued a newer notice or took another action.
1. Look for the full letter in your IRS Online Account
Go directly to IRS.gov and sign in to your Individual Online Account. Check the notices and letters area. If you find a match, compare the notice date, tax year, and issue before using its instructions. Save all pages and check whether it refers to a separate form or enclosure.
If the letter is missing online, continue to the next step. A blank notice list does not mean the IRS never sent a letter. A transcript can help you identify the year or see account activity, but it does not give you the full request, list of enclosures, or filing instructions.
2. Contact the IRS even if you do not know the notice number
If you saved a photo or have part of the letter, use the details you can verify. Otherwise, use the official IRS contact page to find the number for your issue. Have your identifying information, filing status, and relevant tax returns handy. If you know the approximate mailing date or tax year, mention it. Say when you are unsure.
- Identify the notice: Ask for the CP or LTR number, notice date, and tax year.
- Confirm what was requested: Ask for the specific records, forms, and signatures the IRS needs, or whether the letter was informational.
- Confirm timing: Ask what deadline applies now and whether there is a separate appeal, hearing, or court filing date.
- Request a copy: Ask whether a copy and any required enclosures are available and how to get them. Confirm your mailing address if the IRS will send it.
Ask for the request, the deadline, and the next step
“I misplaced an IRS letter I received around [month or date]. It may relate to tax year [year, if known]. Can you tell me the notice number, what action it requested, and the deadline? Has another notice been issued? How can I get a copy and any response form? If the deadline is close or has passed, what should I do now?”
Write down: [Notice number] • [Tax year] • [Action required] • [Due date] • [Where and how to respond] • [How to get the copy] • [Separate filing deadline, if any]
3. Use the confirmed instructions to plan your reply
Match each requested item to a record and use the authorized submission method. Include any required notice pages, form, and signatures. If you find a newer letter, confirm whether it changes the instructions or requires a separate action.
If the deadline is close, ask the IRS what you can submit now and whether extra time is available for that specific request. If a court or hearing date may be near or past, seek qualified tax help promptly. Keep the complete reply and proof of submission with your call notes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I just send the documents I think the IRS wanted?
Confirm the request first. Sending the wrong tax year, missing a signature, or using the wrong destination can leave the issue unresolved.
Can a notice code on my transcript tell me what to send?
It can give you a clue that something happened on the account. Use the notice itself or information confirmed by the IRS to identify the request and its deadline.
What if I already replied before losing the letter?
Find the copy of what you sent and its confirmation. Ask whether it was associated with the right tax year and whether anything is still missing before sending a duplicate.
Recover the instructions, not just the notice number
Before you send anything, know what the IRS needs, where it goes, and when it is due.