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How to File Form 990-N (e-Postcard)

A step-by-step guide for small nonprofits · Updated October 2026

Form 990-N, the e-Postcard, is the shortest filing in the nonprofit world — about eight pieces of information, no attachments, and no fee when you file it directly with the IRS. This guide walks through who has to file it, exactly what you'll need, and how to make sure it happens every year.

Step 1 — Confirm you're eligible

Form 990-N is for small tax-exempt organizations whose gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less per year. If your receipts are higher, you file Form 990-EZ or Form 990 instead. Private foundations and a few other organization types don't use the 990-N at all. Churches and most faith-based groups generally aren't required to file, though some choose to.

Step 2 — Gather the eight items

Everything the 990-N asks for, you already have:

Your organization's legal name (and any name you also go by)
Your Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Your mailing address
The name and address of a principal officer
Your website address, if you have one
Your fiscal (tax) year end
Confirmation that your gross receipts are still normally $50,000 or less
Confirmation that the organization is still operating (or a note if it has terminated)

That's the entire filing. There is no financial statement, no schedule, and nothing to attach.

Step 3 — File after your fiscal year ends

You can only file once your accounting period is over. The 990-N is due the 15th day of the 5th month after your fiscal year end — for a calendar-year nonprofit that's May 15; for a June 30 year end it's November 15. See the deadline for every fiscal-year-end month →

To file free, go directly to the IRS 990-N page and use the IRS e-Postcard system. You'll create or sign in to an IRS account, verify your identity, and enter the eight items above. The IRS does not charge a fee for the 990-N.

Step 4 — Save the acceptance record

After you submit, the IRS returns an acceptance confirmation, usually within a day. Keep it. It's your proof the filing happened, and it's what a grant-maker or auditor may ask to see. Each year's acceptance record should go in the same place as your determination letter.

The honest part: filing the 990-N yourself is genuinely free and not hard. The hard part is remembering it every single year — especially the year your treasurer changes. Miss it three years running and the IRS automatically revokes your tax-exempt status.

The easier option: make it automatic

If you'd rather not add one more annual date to track, that's exactly what 990 Autopilot does. You answer the eight questions once; we e-file your 990-N through an IRS-authorized provider now and automatically every year after, email you the official IRS acceptance record each time, and check in 45 days before each deadline. The filing keeps happening even when your board turns over — so it never becomes the thing that slipped.

File it once — then never think about it again.

We handle the 990-N every year, automatically, and send you the IRS acceptance record. $29/year · everything included · cancel anytime.

File my 990-N — $29/year

Common questions

Is Form 990-N really free to file?: Yes — filing directly with the IRS carries no fee. Services like ours charge for doing it for you and keeping it running automatically every year; the IRS filing itself is free.
Do I need special software?: No. The 990-N is filed online. You just need the eight items and the ability to verify your identity for an IRS account.
What if I missed a prior year?: File the current year now, and file the back notice(s) for any missed years. One or two missed years don't revoke your status — three consecutive years do.
How long does it take?: For most organizations, a few minutes once you have the eight items in hand. The IRS acceptance usually arrives the same day.

Check your deadline (free) · 990-N due dates by fiscal year · What happens if you miss it