This Form 2553 guide explains the IRS Election by a Small Business Corporation. Form 2553 makes the S corporation election described in its instructions. Entity eligibility, shareholder eligibility, consents and the effective date are important parts of the filing. Making the election and preparing the annual S corporation return are separate steps.
Reviewed October 31, 2026. This is an independent guide. The version and availability information below identifies the IRS documents used for this page.
What Form 2553 does and who prepares it
An eligible corporation or other eligible entity uses the form to elect the S corporation treatment permitted by the tax rules.
For the connected reporting route, see Form 1120-S. Keep the role of that document separate from the task explained on this page.
| Official form | Form 2553 |
|---|---|
| IRS title | Election by a Small Business Corporation |
| Guide period | the applicable reporting period |
| Target version | Dec 2017 |
| Availability | Current IRS catalog PDF |
| Last checked | October 31, 2026 |
Get the Form 2553 PDF and check its status
Use the IRS source to confirm the document before completing a real filing. The download link is a reference to the official file; it is not a statement that every copy inside the PDF may be printed and submitted. Follow any instructions about electronic filing, scannable copies, recipient copies or attachments.
Which version of Form 2553 should you use?
This form follows a revision or continuing-use format rather than a new title for every calendar year. Check the revision printed on the document and the period requested inside it. A revision date, transaction date and tax year are different pieces of information. The current document should be read with the instructions that apply to the actual transaction or return.
Records to gather for Form 2553
- Entity formation details.
- EIN.
- Shareholder ownership and consent records.
- Proposed election date.
- Prior election correspondence.
Keep a working reconciliation with these records. It should show the source of each reported item, any correction made before filing and the reason a different amount appears on a connected form. This is especially useful when a statement is corrected or a prior-year balance continues into the current calculation.
How to work through Form 2553
- Confirm applicability. Start with the purpose, filer category and version of the form. Complete any eligibility or applicability question before spending time on the numerical calculation.
- Prepare the source workpapers. Gather the records listed below and reconcile their totals. Keep prior-year balances, current-year transactions and estimated payments separate where they serve different purposes.
- Complete dependent calculations first. When a line refers to another form, schedule or worksheet, finish that supporting calculation first. Preserve any classification, limitation and carryforward information.
- Follow the line sequence. Use the actual line labels and arithmetic in the applicable form. A line number from an older version may refer to something different after a revision.
- Reconcile the filing package. Check names, identifying numbers, tax periods, totals and required attachments. Then use the filing method, signature process and deadline that apply to this filer and form.
Form-specific IRS instructions and reporting details
The following points retain the operative wording of the IRS documents linked above. Read each point with its stated conditions and the applicable form version. References to another form or section describe a connected requirement; they do not mean that every reader must file every referenced document.
(For use with the December 2017 revision of Form 2553, Election by a Small Business Corporation) Section references are to the Internal Revenue Code unless otherwise noted.
A corporation or other entity eligible to elect to be treated as a corporation must use Form 2553 to make an election under section 1362(a) to be an S corporation. An entity eligible to elect to be treated as a corporation that meets certain tests discussed below will be treated as a corporation as of the effective date of the S corporation election and doesn’t need to file Form 8832, Entity Classification Election. The income of an S corporation generally is taxed to the shareholders of the corporation rather than to the corporation itself.
However, an S corporation may still owe tax on certain income. For details, see Tax and Payments in the S Corporation.
The following two sections discuss relief for late S corporation elections and relief for late S corporation and entity classification elections for the same entity. For supplemental procedural requirements when seeking relief for multiple late elections, see Rev. Proc. 2013-30, section 4.04. When filing Form 2553 for a late S corporation election, the corporation (entity) must enter in the top margin of the first page of Form 2553 “FILED PURSUANT TO REV.
PROC. 2013-30.” Also, if the late election is made by attaching Form 2553 to Form 1120-S, the corporation (entity) must enter in the top margin of the first page of Form 1120-S “INCLUDES LATE ELECTION(S) FILED PURSUANT TO REV. PROC. 2013-30.”
Additional reporting conditions
The election can be filed with the current Form 1120-S if all earlier Forms 1120-S have been filed. The election can be attached to the first Form 1120-S for the year including the effective date if filed simultaneously with any other delinquent Forms 1120-S. Form 2553 can also be filed separately.
A late election to be an S corporation and a late entity classification election for the same entity may be available if the entity can show that the failure to file Form 2553 on time was due to reasonable cause. Relief must be requested within 3 years and 75 days of the effective date entered on line E of Form 2553.
A late election to be an S corporation generally is effective for the tax year following the tax year beginning on the date entered on line E of Form 2553. However, relief for a late election may be available if the corporation can show that the failure to file on time was due to reasonable cause.
Calculations and supporting information
The service center will notify the corporation (entity) if its election is accepted and when it will take effect. The corporation (entity) will also be notified if its election isn’t accepted. The corporation (entity) should generally receive a determination on its election within 60 days after it has filed Form 2553. If box Q1 in Part II is checked, the corporation (entity) will receive a ruling letter from the IRS that either approves or denies the selected tax year.
When box Q1 is checked, it will generally take an additional 90 days for the Form 2553 to be accepted.
Generally, send the original election (no photocopies) or fax it to the Internal Revenue Service Center listed below. If the corporation (entity) files this election by fax, keep the original Form 2553 with the corporation's (entity’s) permanent records. However, certain late elections can be filed attached to Form 1120-S. See Relief for Late Elections, earlier.
Exceptions and related reporting
A corporation (entity) not making the election for its first tax year in existence that is changing its tax year and wants to be an S corporation for the short tax year needed to switch tax years should enter the beginning date of the short tax year. If the corporation (entity) doesn’t want to be an S corporation for this short tax year, it should enter the beginning date of the tax year following this short tax year and file Form 1128, Application To Adopt, Change, or Retain a Tax Year.
If this change qualifies as an automatic approval request (Form 1128, Part II), file Form 1128 as an attachment to Form 2553. If this change qualifies as a ruling request (Form 1128, Part III), file Form 1128 separately. If filing Form 1128, enter “Form 1128” on the dotted line to the left of the entry space for item E.
Once the election is made, it stays in effect until it is terminated or revoked. IRS consent generally is required for another election by the corporation (or a successor corporation) on Form 2553 for any tax year before the 5th tax year after the first tax year in which the termination or revocation took effect. See Regulations section 1.1362-5 for details.
Part III to make the election. If there was an inadvertent failure to timely file a QSST election, see the relief provisions under Rev. Proc. 2013-30. The deemed owner of the QSST must also consent to the S corporation election in column K of Form 2553.
Further form details
Additional QSST election. If you are making more than one QSST election, use additional copies of page 4 or use a separate election statement, and attach it to Form 2553. It must contain all information requested under Part III.
If more than 100 shareholders are listed for item J (see page 2), check this box if treating members of a family as one shareholder results in no more than 100 shareholders (see test 2 under Who May Elect in the instructions) ▶ Name and title of officer or legal representative whom the IRS may call for more information Telephone number of officer or legal representative If this S corporation election is being filed late, I declare I had reasonable cause for not filing Form 2553 timely.
If this late election is being made by an entity eligible to elect to be treated as a corporation, I declare I also had reasonable cause for not filing an entity classification election timely and the representations listed in Part IV are true. See below for my explanation of the reasons the election or elections were not made on time and a description of my diligent actions to correct the mistake upon its discovery. See instructions.
Reading the lines and boxes
These selected labels come from the linked target PDF. They are a reading aid, not a replacement for the full line instructions or a completed calculation. Match the label and document version before transferring any amount.
| Line or box | Label in the source form | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| D | Check the applicable box(es) if the corporation (entity), after applying for the EIN shown in A above, changed its | Use the identity of the person or entity requested on this line. Check that the name and identification number agree with the underlying tax records. |
| E | Election is to be effective for tax year beginning (month, day, year) (see instructions) | Use the date or tax period requested by this particular field. A payment date, acquisition date and return year can describe different facts. |
| F | Selected tax year: | Use the date or tax period requested by this particular field. A payment date, acquisition date and return year can describe different facts. |
| G | If more than 100 shareholders are listed for item J (see page 2), check this box if treating members of a family as one | Check the applicable line instructions and keep the source workpaper with the return records. Transfer only the information that matches the field and reporting period. |
| H | Name and title of officer or legal representative whom the IRS may call for more information Telephone number of officer or legal | Use the identity of the person or entity requested on this line. Check that the name and identification number agree with the underlying tax records. |
Further selected fields
| Line or box | Label in the source form | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| I | If this S corporation election is being filed late, I declare I had reasonable cause for not filing Form 2553 timely. If this late | Use the identity of the person or entity requested on this line. Check that the name and identification number agree with the underlying tax records. |
| O | Check the applicable box to indicate whether the corporation is: | Check the applicable line instructions and keep the source workpaper with the return records. Transfer only the information that matches the field and reporting period. |
| P | Complete item P if the corporation is using the automatic approval provisions of Rev. Proc. 2006-46, 2006-45 I.R.B. 859, to | Check the applicable line instructions and keep the source workpaper with the return records. Transfer only the information that matches the field and reporting period. |
| Q | Business Purpose—To request a fiscal tax year based on a business purpose, check box Q1. See instructions for details | Use the date or tax period requested by this particular field. A payment date, acquisition date and return year can describe different facts. |
| R | Section 444 Election—To make a section 444 election, check box R1. You may also check box R2. | Check the applicable line instructions and keep the source workpaper with the return records. Transfer only the information that matches the field and reporting period. |
A practical example
A business intends to use S corporation tax treatment. The preparer checks the entity and shareholder conditions, obtains the required consents and reviews the election timing before preparing the annual return as an S corporation.
This example illustrates the order of the review. It does not assume an unverified deduction, exemption, treaty rate or final tax amount. The applicable form instructions and the actual records determine the result.
Common mistakes to avoid with Form 2553
- Do not assume an entity is an S corporation solely because it plans to file Form 1120-S.
- Check all eligibility and consent conditions.
- Follow the applicable timing or relief procedure instead of guessing an effective date.
Questions about Form 2553
Does receiving or downloading this form mean I must file it?
An eligible corporation or other eligible entity uses the form to elect the S corporation treatment permitted by the tax rules. The form purpose and the applicable filing or furnishing conditions determine the action. Downloading a blank PDF does not itself create a filing obligation or establish eligibility for a tax benefit.
Is the revision date always the same as the tax year?
No. Some forms show a tax year, while continuing-use forms show a revision date and ask separately for the reporting period. Check the actual document and instructions. Do not relabel a payment or transaction solely because it was reported in a later calendar year.
What should I do if the underlying information is wrong?
Do not assume an entity is an S corporation solely because it plans to file Form 1120-S. Keep the original record and the correction trail. The issuer correction process, an amended return and an updated certificate can be different procedures. Choose the process that matches the document and the actual error.
Which records should I keep with the completed form?
Retain the source documents, applicable worksheets, submitted version and filing or furnishing confirmations. For this form, the working file should include entity formation details, EIN, shareholder ownership and consent records. Keep continuing balances and prior-year support for as long as they remain relevant under the applicable recordkeeping rules.
Related forms and next steps
Use these guides when the connected issue applies to your records. Each page has its own purpose, reporting year and availability status.