For decades, filing an 83(b) election meant one thing: certified mail to the IRS and hoping it arrived on time.

That just changed.

The IRS now lets you file your 83(b) election electronically through their website. It’s faster, gives you instant confirmation, and eliminates the anxiety of wondering whether your envelope made it before the 30-day deadline.

But there are a few quirks you should understand before you click submit.

What Changed

In late 2024, the IRS released Form 15620, a standardized form for Section 83(b) elections. Before this, taxpayers typically used their own written statements or forms prepared by attorneys.

Then in July 2025, the IRS enabled electronic filing through their online portal. You can now complete Form 15620 on the IRS website, submit it digitally, and receive immediate confirmation.

The IRS says electronic filing is their preferred method.

83(b) Elections Explained: The Complete Guide

Quick Comparison: Old vs. New

Before	Now
Write your own election letter	Use standardized Form 15620
Mail via certified mail	File online through IRS portal
Hope it arrives in time	Get instant confirmation
Keep certified mail receipt as proof	Download PDF confirmation
3-5 days for delivery	Immediate

The 30-day deadline hasn’t changed. Neither has the requirement to give a copy to your employer. But the filing process itself just got significantly easier.

How to File Electronically

Here’s the step-by-step process:

1. Create an IRS account

You’ll need to set up an account through ID.me, the IRS’s identity verification system. This takes 10-15 minutes and requires a government ID.

Do this in advance. Don’t wait until day 29 of your 30-day window to discover you need to verify your identity.

2. Access the Form 15620 portal

Log into your IRS account and navigate to the 83(b) election filing page. The online version walks you through a series of questions rather than presenting a blank form.

3. Complete the form

You’ll need:

Your Social Security number
Description of the property (e.g., “10,000 shares of Common Stock in XYZ Inc.”)
Date of transfer
Fair market value at transfer
Amount you paid

The form also asks you to confirm that you haven’t already filed this election by mail. Don’t file both ways. Choose one method.

4. Submit and download confirmation

After submitting, you’ll receive a confirmation page. Download or print this immediately. This is your proof of filing.

5. Provide a copy to your employer

This requirement hasn’t changed. Send your employer or the company that issued the equity a copy of the filed form.

Two Quirks Founders Should Know

The electronic system works well for most situations. But Sidley Austin flagged two limitations that founders should understand.

1. The Decimal Place Problem (Now Fixed)

When the portal first launched, it only accepted share prices up to two decimal places. That was a problem.

Startup stock is often priced at fractions of a penny. A $0.0001 per share price is common for early-stage founder shares. The two-decimal limit would force you to round $0.0001 to $0.00, which isn’t accurate.

Good news: The IRS updated the system to allow up to four decimal places (e.g., $0.0001) and prices up to $0.01 per share now work correctly.

The original system capped entries at 999,999 shares. Founders receiving millions of shares couldn’t accurately report their grants.

Also fixed: The portal now accepts up to 99,999,999.99 shares.

If you’re somehow receiving more than 100 million shares, you’ll still need to file by paper. For everyone else, the online system now handles typical founder grants.

When to Use Paper Filing Instead

Electronic filing works for most situations, but consider paper if:

Your situation is complex. Partnership equity, profits interests with unusual structures, or grants that don’t fit neatly into Form 15620’s questions might be better served by a custom election letter.
Your tax advisor has a preferred format. Some attorneys and accountants have developed their own 83(b) election letters over years of practice. If your advisor prefers their format, you can still mail it.
You can’t verify your identity. The ID.me process requires a government ID and sometimes additional verification. If you run into issues, don’t let it cause you to miss the deadline. Mail it instead.

The 30-day deadline is absolute. If you’re having trouble with the online system, switch to paper immediately rather than risk missing the deadline.

What This Means for Startups

The electronic option is a genuine improvement for founders and early employees receiving equity.

Before: You’d complete your election, send it by certified mail, and hold onto the receipt hoping you’d never need to prove delivery. If the IRS lost your form (rare but not unheard of), you’d be scrambling to prove you filed on time.

Now: You submit online, get instant confirmation, and download a timestamped PDF. No wondering whether it arrived. No certified mail receipts to keep track of. For more on why this filing matters so much, see our complete 83(b) guide.

For companies issuing equity, this simplifies onboarding. You can include a link to the IRS portal in your equity grant documents and remind recipients to file within 30 days. The process is more self-service than before.

Updated Checklist for 83(b) Filings

Step	Timing	Notes
Receive equity grant	Day 0	Calendar the deadline immediately
Set up IRS/ID.me account	Days 1-3	Don’t wait until the last minute
Complete Form 15620 online	Days 3-10	Or prepare paper filing
Submit electronically	By Day 25	Leave buffer for issues
Download confirmation	Immediately	Save in multiple places
Send copy to employer	Within 30 days	Email is fine
Deadline expires	Day 30	No extensions
Attach copy to tax return	Tax filing deadline	For that tax year

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still file by mail?

Yes. Electronic filing is optional. You can still mail Form 15620 or a custom election letter to the IRS. Just don’t file both ways for the same grant.

What if I already mailed my 83(b) election?

Don’t file again electronically. One submission per grant. Filing twice will create confusion and potential delays.

Does the 30-day deadline change with electronic filing?

No. The deadline remains 30 calendar days from the date you receive the equity. Electronic filing just makes it easier to submit on time and prove you did.

Is electronic filing available for all types of 83(b) elections?

Form 15620 works for stock in corporations and membership interests in LLCs. For unusual structures or partnership equity with complex terms, consult your tax advisor about whether the standardized form captures your situation accurately.

The Bottom Line

The IRS modernized a process that’s been paper-only for decades. Electronic 83(b) filing is faster, provides instant confirmation, and removes the anxiety of mailing time-sensitive documents.

If you’re receiving restricted equity in a startup, the 30-day deadline is still the most important thing to remember. Now you just have a better way to meet it. Make sure you understand how vesting works before receiving equity grants.

Need help tracking equity grants across your founding team? Equity Matrix manages contribution-based ownership and helps you stay on top of the administrative details. See how it works.

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83(b) Elections Go Digital: What Founders Need to Know About the New IRS Filing Option