Signature Options for Paper Tax Returns and Other Documents Public Service bulletin

October 12, 2023

Purpose of Bulletin

Effective November 1, 2023, taxpayers, or their representatives, may submit signed paper tax returns and other documents, except for POAs/TIAs, using certain signature alternative options.

Background / Taxpayer Inquires

Historically, FTB has required paper tax returns and other documents to be filed with original signatures. For a temporary period from April 1, 2020, through October 31, 2023, FTB did not require an original signature for paper tax returns and other documents that normally must be signed by original signatures, except for Power of Attorney (POA) declarations and Tax Information Authorization (TIA) forms. Although, the temporary procedures will expire on October 31, 2023, and original signatures are preferred, FTB will accept some of the signature alternative methods on a permanent basis.

Effective November 1, 2023, FTB will accept paper tax returns and other documents, except for POA declarations and TIA forms, with the following signature alternative methods:
For paper tax returns, we will accept:

• A paper tax return with a photocopied, faxed, or scanned copy of the signature page with original signatures.
• For additional information on how to file a paper tax return, go to File by paper.

For other documents, except POA declarations and TIA forms, filed with us that require original signatures, we will accept:

• A photocopied, faxed, or scanned copy of the signature page with original signatures.
• You can also upload a document with original signatures into MyFTB. Please note that only PDF and Excel documents are currently accepted.

Follow the instructions on the form or notice regarding how to submit the form or document to FTB (whether by mail, fax, online, etc.).

Additional Information

Any photocopied, faxed, or scanned document must be legible and free of defects that impede readability, i.e., contain no speckling, folded or torn pages, poor contrast, etc.

Nonfillable or static content of tax returns, forms, and other documents must not have been modified or deleted.

When a photocopied, faxed, or scanned document has been submitted to FTB, the taxpayer is to retain the original and make it available to FTB upon request.

To submit a POA or TIA, follow the procedure on the webpage.