Employers are required to send (or make available) W‑2s by January 31 for the prior tax year, and most people receive them by early February. Many companies actually mail or release them online sometime in mid‑to‑late January, as long as they are postmarked or provided no later than January 31.

Key deadline

  • Federal rules say your employer must provide your W‑2 no later than January 31 each year, or the next business day if that date falls on a weekend or holiday.
  • “Provide” means mailed, handed to you in person, or made available electronically if you agreed to electronic delivery.

When you’ll likely see it

  • Many employers start mailing or releasing W‑2s online between about January 15 and January 31.
  • With normal mail time, most employees get their W‑2 sometime between late January and the first or second week of February.

If yours is late

  • If you do not see your W‑2 by early February, first check any employee self‑service or payroll portal and then contact your employer’s HR or payroll department.
  • If it is still missing by around February 15, the IRS recommends contacting them for help getting the information from your employer.

Special situations

  • Former employers can still wait until January 31 to send your W‑2, but if you specifically request it earlier, they generally have 30 days to provide it.
  • If you moved recently, delays are common, so updating your address with your employer and checking for an electronic copy can speed things up.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.