# IRS API

> IRS workflow and API: charity status and tax form. Returns organizations, ein, city and state as JSON.

IRS data from irs.gov: charity status and tax form.

- Page: https://fous.com/tools/irs
- Handle: `@irs`
- Category: [Government](https://fous.com/tools/category/government)
- Source website: https://irs.gov
- Last verified: Sep 29, 2026

## Methods

### Check charity status

Operation `check_charity_status`, version 1. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.

Check an organization’s IRS listing for donation deductibility, automatic revocation, and recent Form 990 filings. Absence from Publication 78 alone does not prove donations are nondeductible. Form 990-N notices have no separate filing link; IRS detail pages may require selecting the organization from search first.

**Input**

| Field | Type | Required | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `city` | string | no |  | City, for example Washington. |
| `state` | string | no | `"Virginia"` | State name or two-letter code, for example District of Columbia or DC. |
| `max_results` | integer | no | `5` | Maximum number of organizations, for example 10. |
| `organization` | string | yes | `"53-0196605"` | Organization name or EIN, for example American Red Cross or 53-0196605. |

**Input schema**

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "organization"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "city": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "City, for example Washington."
    },
    "state": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "State name or two-letter code, for example District of Columbia or DC.",
      "examples": [
        "Virginia"
      ]
    },
    "max_results": {
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 10,
      "maximum": 50,
      "minimum": 1,
      "description": "Maximum number of organizations, for example 10.",
      "x-fous-developer": true,
      "examples": [
        5
      ]
    },
    "organization": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Organization name or EIN, for example American Red Cross or 53-0196605.",
      "examples": [
        "53-0196605",
        "American Red Cross",
        "nonexistent quasar charity xyzzzx"
      ]
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "examples": [
    {
      "organization": "53-0196605"
    },
    {
      "state": "Virginia",
      "max_results": 5,
      "organization": "American Red Cross"
    },
    {
      "organization": "nonexistent quasar charity xyzzzx"
    }
  ]
}
```

**Output**

| Field | Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `organizations` | array |  |  |
| `organizations[].ein` | string | `"53-0196605"` |  |
| `organizations[].city` | string or null | `"Washington"` |  |
| `organizations[].state` | string or null | `"District of Columbia"` |  |
| `organizations[].country` | string or null | `"United States"` |  |
| `organizations[].legal_name` | string | `"American National Red Cross"` |  |
| `organizations[].irs_page_link` | string | `"https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/details/"` |  |
| `organizations[].revocation_date` | string or null |  |  |
| `organizations[].deductibility_code` | string or null | `"PC"` |  |
| `organizations[].reinstatement_date` | string or null |  |  |
| `organizations[].deductibility_status` | string | `"Donations are tax-deductible - public charity"` |  |
| `organizations[].automatically_revoked` | boolean | `false` |  |
| `organizations[].doing_business_as_name` | string or null |  |  |
| `organizations[].most_recent_form_990_filings` | array |  |  |

**Example input**

```json
{
  "organization": "53-0196605"
}
```

**Example output**

```json
{
  "organizations": [
    {
      "ein": "53-0196605",
      "city": "Washington",
      "state": "District of Columbia",
      "country": "United States",
      "legal_name": "American National Red Cross",
      "irs_page_link": "https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/details/",
      "revocation_date": null,
      "deductibility_code": "PC",
      "reinstatement_date": null,
      "deductibility_status": "Donations are tax-deductible - public charity",
      "automatically_revoked": false,
      "doing_business_as_name": null,
      "most_recent_form_990_filings": [
        {
          "link": "https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/530196605_202506_990_2026072824433471.pdf",
          "tax_year": 2025,
          "form_type": "Form 990"
        },
        {
          "link": "https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/530196605_202506_990T_2026050624154274.pdf",
          "tax_year": 2025,
          "form_type": "Form 990-T"
        },
        {
          "link": "https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/530196605_202406_990_2025051223427881.pdf",
          "tax_year": 2024,
          "form_type": "Form 990"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
```

### Get tax form

Operation `get_tax_form`, version 1. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.

Find current IRS forms, instructions, and publications by number or purpose, with revision and posting dates, PDF links, and available usage details. Results are limited to products in the current IRS directory.

**Input**

| Field | Type | Required | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `form` | string | yes | `"form to request a tax transcript"` | The form number or what it is for, such as W-9 or change of address. |
| `max_results` | integer | no | `2` | Maximum number of matching products to return, for example 5. |

**Input schema**

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "form"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "form": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "The form number or what it is for, such as W-9 or change of address.",
      "examples": [
        "form to request a tax transcript",
        "W-9",
        "Publication 17"
      ]
    },
    "max_results": {
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 5,
      "maximum": 20,
      "minimum": 1,
      "description": "Maximum number of matching products to return, for example 5.",
      "x-fous-developer": true,
      "examples": [
        2
      ]
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "examples": [
    {
      "form": "form to request a tax transcript"
    },
    {
      "form": "W-9"
    },
    {
      "form": "Publication 17"
    }
  ]
}
```

**Output**

| Field | Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `forms` | array |  |  |
| `forms[].type` | string | `"form"` |  |
| `forms[].title` | string | `"Request for Transcript of Tax Return"` |  |
| `forms[].pdf_link` | string | `"https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506t.pdf"` |  |
| `forms[].explanation` | string or null | `"Use Form 4506-T to request any of the transcripts: tax return, tax account, wage and income, record of account and veri` |  |
| `forms[].form_number` | string | `"4506-T"` |  |
| `forms[].posted_date` | string or null | `"2025-05-19"` |  |
| `forms[].revision_date` | string or null | `"Apr 2025"` |  |
| `forms[].about_page_link` | string or null | `"https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-4506-t"` |  |
| `forms[].instructions_pdf_link` | string or null | `"https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/iw9.pdf"` |  |

**Example input**

```json
{
  "form": "form to request a tax transcript"
}
```

**Example output**

```json
{
  "forms": [
    {
      "type": "form",
      "title": "Request for Transcript of Tax Return",
      "pdf_link": "https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506t.pdf",
      "explanation": "Use Form 4506-T to request any of the transcripts: tax return, tax account, wage and income, record of account and verification of non-filling.",
      "form_number": "4506-T",
      "posted_date": "2025-05-19",
      "revision_date": "Apr 2025",
      "about_page_link": "https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-4506-t",
      "instructions_pdf_link": null
    },
    {
      "type": "form",
      "title": "IVES Request for Transcript of Tax Return",
      "pdf_link": "https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506c.pdf",
      "explanation": "Use Form 4506-C, IVES Request for Transcript of Tax Return, to request tax return information through an authorized IVES participant.",
      "form_number": "4506-C",
      "posted_date": "2022-10-31",
      "revision_date": "Oct 2022",
      "about_page_link": null,
      "instructions_pdf_link": null
    },
    {
      "type": "form",
      "title": "Short Form Request for Individual Tax Return Transcript",
      "pdf_link": "https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506tez.pdf",
      "explanation": "Use Form 4506-T-EZ to request tax return information.",
      "form_number": "4506-T-EZ",
      "posted_date": "2025-09-11",
      "revision_date": "Mar 2025",
      "about_page_link": "https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-4506-t-ez",
      "instructions_pdf_link": null
    }
  ]
}
```

## Quick start

Replace `YOUR_API_KEY` with a Fous API key. To create one, open Developers at the bottom of Fous Studio, turn on Developer mode, then go to API keys (https://app.fous.com/keys). Change the values in `input` to run the same tool on new data.

```bash
curl 'https://api.fous.com/v1/query' \
  --fail-with-body --silent --show-error --max-time 180 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data-raw '{
  "api": "@irs",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "check_charity_status",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "organization": "53-0196605"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}'
```

```python
# Save as fous.py and run with python3 fous.py. No packages needed.
import json
import urllib.error
import urllib.request

api_key = "YOUR_API_KEY"

body = json.loads("{\n  \"api\": \"@irs\",\n  \"visibility\": \"public\",\n  \"operation\": \"check_charity_status\",\n  \"version\": 1,\n  \"input\": {\n    \"organization\": \"53-0196605\"\n  },\n  \"response\": {\n    \"format\": \"json\"\n  }\n}")
request = urllib.request.Request(
    "https://api.fous.com/v1/query",
    data=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"),
    headers={
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    method="POST",
)
try:
    with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=180) as response:
        result = json.load(response)
except urllib.error.HTTPError as error:
    raise RuntimeError(f"HTTP {error.code}: {error.read().decode('utf-8', errors='replace')}") from error
if result.get("success") is False:
    raise RuntimeError(result.get("error", {}).get("message", "Request failed"))
print(json.dumps(result["data"]["output"], indent=2))
```

```typescript
// Save as fous.mts and run with npx tsx fous.mts.
const apiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY";

const response = await fetch("https://api.fous.com/v1/query", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Authorization": `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  signal: AbortSignal.timeout(180_000),
  body: JSON.stringify({
  "api": "@irs",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "check_charity_status",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "organization": "53-0196605"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}),
});
type ApiResult = { success: boolean; data?: { output: unknown }; error?: { message: string } };
const result: ApiResult = await response.json();
if (!response.ok || result.success === false) {
  throw new Error(result.error?.message ?? `HTTP ${response.status}`);
}
if (!result.data) throw new Error("Missing API response data");
console.log(result.data.output);
```

## Use from an AI assistant

Connect this tool to Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and any MCP client as its own MCP server. Each method is a typed tool whose arguments are the method’s input.

- Server URL: `https://api.fous.com/mcp/tools/irs`
- Authorization: `Authorization: Bearer <Fous API key>`

**Tools**

- `check_charity_status`: Check charity status. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.
- `get_tax_form`: Get tax form. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.
- `fous_get_run`: the result of a run that was still going, by its `request_id`. Free.

Claude Code:

```bash
claude mcp add --scope user --transport http fous-irs https://api.fous.com/mcp/tools/irs --header "Authorization: Bearer ${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY to your Fous API key}"
```

To give the assistant every tool, connect `https://api.fous.com/mcp`: it finds one with `fous_search_tools` and runs it with `fous_run_tool`. Setup for other clients: https://fous.com/llms-full.txt.

## FAQ

### Can I run it with my own inputs?

Yes. Change the inputs in Studio and press Run, or send new inputs from your code, or ask a connected AI assistant.

### Can I call this IRS tool as an API?

Yes. Send a POST request to /v1/query with your Fous API key and the inputs, and get JSON back.

### How much does it cost?

Each completed run costs 1 credit. Failed runs without a completed receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted. With pay as you go, a credit costs 1¢. Monthly plans cost less per credit.

### Do I need a IRS account?

No. You only need a Fous account.

### How current is the data?

Fous gets the data from irs.gov when you run it. Some results are reused for up to 24 hours, and results that use your account or key are never reused. It was last verified on Sep 29, 2026.

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