📅 1099 Deadlines 2026

1099 Filing Deadlines 2026
The Date Shifts This Year

The 1099-NEC deadline for tax year 2025 is February 2, 2026, not January 31. The statutory date falls on a Saturday this year, so the effective deadline moves to the next business day. Set a reminder for the correct date.

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2026 deadlines at a glance

For tax year 2025 filings. Dates already adjusted for weekends.

Form To recipient To IRS (paper) To IRS (electronic)
1099-NEC
Contractor compensation
Feb 2, 2026 Feb 2, 2026 Feb 2, 2026
1099-MISC
Rents, royalties, other
Feb 2, 2026 Mar 2, 2026 Mar 31, 2026
1099-MISC
Boxes 8 or 10 only
Feb 17, 2026 Mar 2, 2026 Mar 31, 2026
1099-B, 1099-S Feb 17, 2026 Mar 2, 2026 Mar 31, 2026
1099-K
Payment processors
Feb 2, 2026 Mar 2, 2026 Mar 31, 2026

Source: IRS General Instructions for Certain Information Returns (2025) and Publication 1099 (2026).

Why the 2026 deadline is February 2, not January 31

January 31, 2026 is a Saturday. The IRS follows the standard weekend-and-holiday rule: when the due date for any return falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday, the deadline shifts to the next business day. For tax year 2025 filings, that pushes 1099-NEC and W-2 due dates to Monday, February 2, 2026.

The same rule affects 1099-MISC. The paper-filing deadline of February 28 also lands on a Saturday in 2026, so it shifts to Monday, March 2, 2026. The electronic deadline of March 31 falls on a Tuesday, so it does not move.

This only applies to 2026. In most years January 31 is a weekday and the deadline is literally January 31 — so if you are setting a recurring reminder, use January 31 as the base date. The shift is automatic every few years.

Paper or electronic — and why it matters now

Since tax year 2023, the IRS requires electronic filing for any business that files 10 or more information returns in aggregate (W-2s, 1099s, and other information returns combined). If you paid ten or more contractors, you are filing electronically whether you wanted to or not.

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Paper filing

Only allowed for filers submitting fewer than 10 information returns total. 1099-MISC paper deadline in 2026: March 2. 1099-NEC paper deadline: still February 2 (no extension vs electronic).

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Electronic filing

Required for 10+ returns. Submit via IRS FIRE or the newer IRIS portal. 1099-MISC electronic deadline in 2026: March 31. Filing this way buys an extra month — but only for forms other than 1099-NEC.

Set the reminder for the right date

If your main obligation is 1099-NEC (the most common case for small businesses paying contractors), set a reminder for February 2, 2026. You will get emails 7, 3, and 1 days before — enough time to chase any missing W-9s and submit. Because the January 31 shift only happens occasionally, using the actual shifted date avoids the mental math.

For a recurring annual reminder that works every year, see the main 1099 filing reminder page — it uses January 31 as the base date and handles weekend shifts automatically by rolling to the next business day notice.

1099 deadline questions for 2026

What is the 1099-NEC filing deadline for 2026?

February 2, 2026, for both recipient copies and IRS filing. The statutory date is January 31, but January 31, 2026 falls on a Saturday, so the deadline shifts to the next business day (Monday, February 2).

What is the 1099-MISC filing deadline for 2026?

Recipient copies are due February 2, 2026 for most boxes (February 17, 2026 if amounts are reported only in boxes 8 or 10). The IRS filing deadline is March 2, 2026 if you file on paper (February 28 falls on a Saturday) or March 31, 2026 if you file electronically.

Does the deadline shift when January 31 falls on a weekend?

Yes. IRS rules treat weekends and federal holidays like any other business-day extension — the due date moves to the next business day. This applies to January 31, 2026 (Saturday → Monday February 2) and to February 28, 2026 (Saturday → Monday March 2).

When does the recipient need to receive the 1099 vs the IRS copy?

For 1099-NEC both deadlines are the same — February 2, 2026 this year. For 1099-MISC, recipient copies are due first (February 2 or February 17 depending on the boxes used), then the IRS copy follows a month later (March 2 paper, March 31 electronic).

Can I file my 1099s electronically to get more time?

For 1099-NEC, no — the electronic and paper deadlines are the same (February 2, 2026). For 1099-MISC and most other 1099 types, electronic filing buys you about an extra month (March 31 vs March 2 in 2026). The IRS also now requires e-filing for businesses filing 10 or more information returns in total.

How early can I file 1099s for tax year 2025?

You can generally start filing 1099s through the IRS FIRE system or IRIS in early January, as soon as the system opens for the new filing season. Many businesses file during the last two weeks of January once they have all W-9 information confirmed. There is no benefit to waiting until the deadline.

Set Your 1099 Deadline Reminder for 2026

February 2, 2026 is the real deadline this year. Set a reminder now so you don't file based on a calendar that says January 31.

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