How long does the IRS take?
Reviewed
| Step | Usually takes | |---|---| | Payment → sent to the IRS | A few minutes | | IRS answer (accepted or rejected) | Within 24 hours; 2 to 3 days over weekends and holidays | | California Form 199 sent to the FTB | Within an hour of IRS acceptance | | FTB answer | 1 to 2 business days |
We check with the IRS every 30 minutes and email you as soon as it answers. You do not need to keep the page open.
If a return has not gone out 24 hours after payment, its status changes to Delayed — we’re on it and we work on it. You do not need to do anything.
File before the deadline
The IRS treats the return as filed when it receives it. If it is rejected, there is a short window to fix and refile and keep the original date; see Rejected: fix and refile. Filing a few days early leaves room for that.
Questions
It has been “With the IRS” for three days.
That happens around weekends, holidays and the busy weeks before May 15 and November 15. We check with the IRS every 30 minutes and email you the answer. If it is over a week, email [email protected] with the organization’s EIN.
Does the filing date count from payment or from acceptance?
From when the IRS receives it, provided the IRS accepts it. A return received by the due date and accepted a day later is on time.