Key facts
- Routine expiry
- No annual expiry date
Keep the information accurate.
- Given to
- The requester
The W-9 itself is not sent to the IRS.
- Track at work
- Request and receipt status
Keep the completed form with tax records.
The January email is a request, not an expiry notice
A customer asks for another W-9. Before assuming last year's form became invalid at midnight on December 31, ask whether they are refreshing their files or correcting a detail. The form supplies the name, taxpayer identification number and certifications a requester needs for information reporting; it is given to the requester, not sent to the IRS. (IRS: about Form W-9)
The revision date printed on the blank form identifies its edition. It is a different question from whether the details you supplied are still correct. (IRS: Form W-9 and instructions)
Changes that deserve a closer look
The IRS instructions require a new W-9 when the name or TIN changes for the account. They also require updated information when someone who claimed exempt-payee status is no longer exempt and expects further reportable payments. (IRS: Form W-9 and instructions)
A move, business restructuring or tax-election change is a good reason to review the form with the requester or tax preparer. For example, a single-member LLC treated as disregarded for federal tax purposes has special name/TIN instructions. Do not simply replace an owner's number with the LLC's EIN because the business now has letters after its name. (IRS: Form W-9 and instructions)
Collect the form while the relationship is new
Make requesting the appropriate tax information part of onboarding a contractor, rather than a January scavenger hunt. Record who requested it, when it arrived and whether an update is needed.
There is a financial reason to resolve missing information promptly. IRS requester instructions specify 24% backup withholding for reportable payments when the relevant conditions apply. The limited waiting period for some interest and dividend payments does not extend to ordinary nonemployee compensation. Do not wait for a 1099 filing deadline to address a missing TIN. (IRS: instructions for the requester of Form W-9)
Track the request without spreading the tax number
Keep completed forms in the place you use for tax records, with appropriate access. Your task list only needs the contractor's name, the person handling the request and its status. A tax number does not improve a calendar entry.
In BizzyBot, a reusable onboarding template can include 'Request tax information' and 'Confirm receipt.' An annual records review can be a recurring event. Neither turns every W-9 into a form that must be renewed each year.
Your checklist
Checks stay in this page only and reset on reload. Checking an item does not submit a filing or update an account.
Sources
IRS: Form W-9 and instructionsReviewed 15 September 2026. March 2024 form: updating information, name/TIN combinations, address changes and signature exceptions.
IRS: about Form W-9Reviewed 15 September 2026. Current form and purpose of requesting a taxpayer identification number and certification.
IRS: instructions for the requester of Form W-9Reviewed 15 September 2026. 24% backup withholding; no general 60-day awaiting-TIN exception for nonemployee compensation.
Questions & answers
Do I need a new W-9 every year?
There is no routine annual expiration. Update relevant changes, and respond when a requester asks for a current form as part of its own process.
Does a W-9 always need a signature?
Signature requirements depend on the payment or account. The IRS describes exceptions for certain business payments unless an incorrect TIN was previously reported. Follow the form’s Part II instructions and the requester’s process rather than assuming every unsigned form is invalid.
Does a new edition mean my previous W-9 expired?
The form revision date is not an annual expiration date. Check whether your information and required certifications remain correct, and use the current form when supplying a new one.
What belongs in my task list?
Who needs a request, who is handling it, when the form arrived and whether a follow-up is needed. Keep the form and its tax number with your tax records.
Who is this for?
Are you a builder, a baker, a candlestick maker? Got a pulse and a small-business dream? Pull up a chair.
A few businesses that can use BizzyBot:
- Shop owners
- Consultants and designers
- Builders and tradespeople
- Repair shops and salons
- Cleaning and landscaping businesses
Starting out or already juggling customers, jobs and a calendar that won't sit still? Keep the details together so your head doesn't have to hold every last one.
What's the difference between owners, teammates and light users?
Owner: $12/month. The person who runs the business workspace, manages billing and decides who gets access.
Teammates: $6 per person, per month. They create or change projects, tasks, schedules and events, and use the calendars. Their permissions decide what they can change.
Light users: $0 per person, per month. They can view schedules and the jobs they're assigned to in the owner's workspace. People who edit that work need a teammate seat.