Fill Out Form W-8 BEN in 2026
Certify your foreign status, claim treaty benefits, and help avoid the standard 30% U.S. withholding on dividends, interest, or royalties you receive.
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How to fill out a W-8 BEN Form
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Open the form
Access the pre-loaded W-8 BEN Form template in our editor; no upload needed.
Fill in your details
Enter your name, country of citizenship, and address to complete every required field.
Download as PDF
Save your completed form as a PDF, ready to send to your withholding agent.
What is a W-8 BEN Form?
A W-8 BEN Form is a document foreign individuals give to U.S. payers, such as banks, employers, or brokers, to certify they are not a U.S. taxpayer. Filing Form W8BEN before you receive your first payment helps you avoid automatic withholding at the full 30% rate on U.S.-sourced income. It can also let you claim a lower withholding rate under a tax treaty between your country and the United States. Without it, payers must withhold tax at the standard rate by default.
Key Takeaways
- Form W-8BEN certifies foreign taxpayer status
- Filing it avoids the 30% default withholding tax
- Claiming treaty benefits can lower withholding rates
What is a W-8 BEN Form used for?
A withholding agent uses this form to confirm your foreign status and apply the correct tax treatment to your U.S. income. Filing it lets you:
- Confirm you're a foreign person, not a U.S. citizen or resident alien
- Certify that you're the true owner of the income, not a middleman
- Claim a lower withholding rate or an exemption under a tax treaty
- Avoid the default 30% withholding on U.S.-source income like dividends, interest, or royalties
- Help the payer report the payment correctly on Form 1042-S
What information is required on a W-8 BEN Form?
Name of individual who is the beneficial owner
Enter your full legal name as the person who owns the income being reported.
Country of citizenship
State the country where you hold citizenship, or your resident country if you hold dual citizenship.
Permanent residence address
List the address in the country where you are treated as a resident for income tax purposes.
Mailing address
Give a different mailing address only if it does not match your permanent residence address.
U.S. taxpayer identification number (SSN or ITIN)
Enter your Social Security number or ITIN if one has been issued to you.
Foreign tax identifying number (FTIN)
Provide the tax ID number from your home country, or check the box if none is required.
Date of birth
Write your birth date in MM-DD-YYYY format if opening a financial account requires it.
Signature and date signed
Sign, print your name, note your capacity if signing for another person, and date the certification.
When is a W-8 BEN Form due?
There's no fixed annual deadline. Submit Form W-8 BEN to the withholding agent or payer before you receive income, not to the IRS. Once signed, it generally stays valid through the end of the third calendar year after signing. If your circumstances change and any information becomes incorrect, notify the withholding agent within 30 days and file a new form.
Complete your Form W-8 BEN
Open Form W-8 BEN here, fill in your details, and download the finished copy for your records.
When is a W-8 BEN not required?
You can skip this form when your U.S. income is effectively connected with a trade or business, since that calls for Form W-8ECI instead. Nonresident aliens claiming exemption on personal service pay should file Form 8233 or Form W-4. Disregarded entity owners file under their own name, not the entity's, and a joint account loses foreign-status treatment once any owner submits a Form W-9.
What does a W-8 BEN form look like
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