Employers in the U.S. are required to send out W‑2 forms for the prior tax year no later than January 31 each year (or the next business day if that date falls on a weekend or holiday).

Key W‑2 deadline

  • Federal law says your employer must “furnish” (mail, hand you, or provide electronic access to) your W‑2 by January 31.
  • “Send by” means it must be postmarked or made available online by that date, not necessarily received by you on that exact day.

When you’ll usually receive it

  • Most people see their W‑2 arrive between late January and the first half of February, allowing for mailing time or HR processing.
  • If your employer offers an online portal, the W‑2 is often posted there in mid‑to‑late January and may show up earlier than the mailed copy.

If your W‑2 is late

  • First step is to contact your employer’s HR or payroll if you do not have your W‑2 by early February.
  • If you still have not received it by about mid‑February (the IRS commonly uses February 15 as a guideline), you can contact the IRS for help and they may follow up with your employer.

Special situations

  • Former employees: A past employer can wait until January 31 to send your W‑2, but they still must meet the same legal deadline and send it to your last known address.
  • Electronic‑only delivery: Employers can provide W‑2s electronically instead of mailing them, but only if you consented to electronic delivery and they still meet the January 31 deadline.

TL;DR: For “when do they send out W‑2” – employers must send or make your W‑2 available by January 31; you’ll typically receive it by early February, and you should reach out to your employer (then the IRS) if it has not arrived by mid‑February.

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