Instructions for Form 8300 (12/2023)

Report of Cash Payments Over $10,000 Received in a Trade or Business

Section references are to the Internal Revenue Code unless otherwise noted.

Revised: 12/2023

Instructions for Form 8300 - Introductory Material

Future Developments

For the latest information about developments related to Form 8300 and its instructions, such as legislation enacted after they were published, go to IRS.gov/Form8300.

What’s New

Starting January 1, 2024, you must electronically file Forms 8300, Report of Cash Payments Over $10,000 Received in a Trade or Business, if you are required to file certain other information returns electronically (for example, Forms 1099 (series), Forms W-2, etc.). See Who must file , later.

If you are required to electronically file your information returns, but filing electronically would cause you undue hardship, you might qualify for a waiver or exemptions. See the discussion on Waivers and Exemptions , later.

Important Reminders

  • Section 6050I (26 United States Code (U.S.C.) 6050I) and 31 U.S.C. 5331 require that certain information be reported to the IRS and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). This information must be reported on IRS/FinCEN Form 8300.

  • Item 33, box i, is to be checked only by clerks of the court; box d is to be checked by bail bondsmen. See Item 33 under Part III , later.

  • The meaning of the word “currency” for purposes of 31 U.S.C. 5331 is the same as for the word “cash” (see Cash under Definitions , later).

General Instructions

Who must file.

Each person engaged in a trade or business who, in the course of that trade or business, receives more than $10,000 in cash in one transaction or in two or more related transactions, must file Form 8300. You are required to file certain other information returns electronically if you are required to file, in aggregate, at least 10 information returns of one or more type, other than Form 8300, during the calendar year. If you file fewer than 10 information returns during 2024 (of any type other than Form 8300), then you do not have to file the information returns electronically and you are not required to file any Form 8300 electronically in 2024 (although you may choose to do so). The number of Forms 8300 you file does not affect whether you are required to file any information returns electronically, including any Forms 8300. The 10-information-return threshold is reevaluated on an annual basis.

Example 1.

If you file five Forms W-2 and five Forms 1099-INT in 2024, then you would have met the 10-return threshold and you are required to electronically file all your information returns, including any Forms 8300 during 2024.

Example 2.

If you file three Forms 1099-MISC and four Forms 1099-DIV in 2024, you would not have met the 10-return threshold and you are not required to electronically file information returns, including Form 8300 during 2024.

Any transactions conducted between a payer (or its agent) and the recipient in a 24-hour period are related transactions. Transactions are considered related even if they occur over a period of more than 24 hours if the recipient knows, or has reason to know, that each transaction is one of a series of connected transactions.

Members of a consolidated group.

If the person required to file Form 8300 is a member of a consolidated group, then information specific to that member corporation must be provided in Part IV, items 35 through 41, rather than information about the common parent. However, the common parent's name and employer identification number must be included in the Comments section.

Related parties.

If the person who must file Form 8300 is related to the individual who gave the person filing Form 8300 the cash, or related to the person on whose behalf the transaction was conducted, the person filing Form 8300 must include the words “RELATED PARTY TRANSACTION” in the Comments section. See IRC 267(b) for more information about related parties. Consult your tax advisor for more information.

Retention requirement.

Persons must keep a copy of each Form 8300 for 5 years from the date filed. When filing electronically, ensure you save a copy of the completed form prior to submission. A confirmation that the Form 8300 has been filed is not a substitute for the form. We recommend you associate the confirmation number with the saved copy.

Court clerks.

Clerks of federal or state courts must file Form 8300 if more than $10,000 in cash is received as bail for an individual(s) charged with a specified criminal offense. Both dollar threshold and the specified criminal offense criteria must be met. “Specified criminal offense” means:

  • A federal criminal offense involving a controlled substance (as defined in section 802 of Title 21 of the U.S. Code);

  • Racketeering (as defined in section 1951, 1952, or 1955 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code);

  • Money laundering (as defined in section 1956 or 1957 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code); and

  • Any state criminal offense substantially similar to stated offenses 1–3 above.

For these purposes, a clerk includes the clerk’s office or any other office, department, division, branch, or unit of the court that is authorized to receive bail. If a person receives bail on behalf of a clerk, the clerk is treated as receiving the bail. See Item 33 under Part III , later.

If multiple payments are made in cash to satisfy bail and the initial payment does not exceed $10,000, the initial payment and subsequent payments must be aggregated, and the information return must be filed by the 15th day after receipt of the payment that causes the aggregate amount to exceed $10,000 in cash. In such cases, the reporting requirement can be satisfied by sending a single written statement with the aggregate Form 8300 amounts listed relating to that payer. Payments made to satisfy separate bail requirements are not required to be aggregated. See Regulations section 1.6050I-2.

Casinos.

Casinos must file Form 8300 for nongaming activities (restaurants, shops, nightclubs, etc.).

Voluntary use of Form 8300.

Form 8300 may be filed voluntarily for any suspicious transaction (see Definitions, later) for use by FinCEN and the IRS, even if the total amount does not exceed $10,000.

Exceptions.

Cash is not required to be reported if it is received:

  • By a financial institution required to file FinCEN Currency Transaction Report (FinCEN Report 112);

  • By a casino required to file (or exempt from filing) FinCEN Report 112, if the cash is received as part of its gaming business;

  • By an agent who receives the cash from a principal, if the agent uses all of the cash within 15 days in a second transaction that is reportable on Form 8300 or on FinCEN Report 112, and discloses all the information necessary to complete Part II of Form 8300 or FinCEN Report 112 by the recipient of the cash in the second transaction;

  • In a transaction occurring entirely outside the United States. See Pub. 1544, Reporting Cash Payments of Over $10,000 (Received in a Trade or Business), regarding transactions occurring in Puerto Rico and territories of the United States; or

  • In a transaction that is not in the course of a person’s trade or business.

When to file.

File Form 8300 by the 15th day after the date the cash was received. If that date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, file the form on the next business day.

Electronically file Form 8300 using the FinCEN Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) E-Filing System at http://bsaefiling.fincen.treas.gov/main.html.

If you do not have to file electronically, file paper Forms 8300 with the Internal Revenue Service, Detroit Federal Building, P.O. Box 32621, Detroit, Ml 48232.

Waivers.

You may file a request for a waiver from filing information returns electronically due to undue hardship. For more information, refer to Form 8508, Application for a Waiver from Electronic Filing of Information Returns. If you request and are granted a waiver from electronically filing any information return, that waiver automatically applies to any Forms 8300 that you are required to file for the duration of the calendar year. You may not file a request for a waiver from filing only Form 8300 electronically. If a waiver is granted, you must include the words “WAIVER” on the center top of page 1 of each Form 8300 when submitting the paper filed return.

Note.

If you file fewer than 10 information returns (of any type other than Form 8300) during the calendar year, you may file Form 8300 in paper form without requesting a waiver. You still have the option to file electronically even if the minimum 10-return threshold is not met and you are encouraged to do so.

Exemptions.

If using the technology required to file in electronic form conflicts with your religious beliefs, you are automatically exempt from filing Form 8300 electronically. You must include the words “RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION” on the center top of page 1 of each Form 8300 when submitting the paper filed return.

Late returns.

You must identify late filed returns. A late Form 8300 must be filed in the same manner, either electronically or on paper, as a timely filed Form 8300. If you file a late Form 8300 electronically, you must include the word “LATE” in the Comments section of the return. If you file a late Form 8300 on paper, you must write “LATE” on the center top of page 1 of each Form 8300.

This is an Image: caution.gifFailure to file timely includes a failure to file in the required manner. If you are required to file electronically and fail to do so, the form is considered late. Forms that are late are subject to penalty.

Statement to be provided.

You must give a written or electronic statement to each person named on a required Form 8300 on or before January 31 of the year following the calendar year in which the cash is received. The statement must show the name, telephone number, and address of the contact for the business, the aggregate amount of reportable cash received, and that the information was furnished to the IRS. Keep a copy of the statement for your records.

DO NOT provide a written or electronic statement to any named person for a voluntary filing of Form 8300 for suspicious activity of any named person. For all Forms 8300 required to be filed, the written or electronic statement to each named person must not indicate if the filer noted the transaction was suspicious. Also, providing a copy of Form 8300 to the named person, although not prohibited, is not advisable due to the sensitive information contained on the form, for example, the Employer Identification Number (EIN) or social security number (SSN) of the filer.

Multiple payments.

If you receive more than one cash payment for a single transaction or for related transactions, you must report the multiple payments any time you receive a total amount of cash that exceeds $10,000 within any 12-month period. Submit the report within 15 days of the date you receive the payment that causes the total amount of cash to exceed $10,000. If more than one report is required within 15 days, you may file a combined report. File the combined report no later than the date the earliest report, if filed separately, would have to be filed.

Taxpayer identification number (TIN).

You must furnish the correct TIN of the person or persons from whom you receive the cash and, if applicable, the person or persons on whose behalf the transaction is being conducted. You may be subject to penalties for an incorrect or missing TIN.

The TIN for an individual (including a sole proprietorship) is the individual’s SSN. For certain resident aliens who are not eligible to get an SSN and nonresident aliens who are required to file tax returns, it is an IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). For other persons, including corporations, partnerships, and estates, it is the EIN.

If you have requested but are not able to get a TIN for one or more of the parties to a transaction within 15 days following the transaction, file the report and use the Comments section on page 2 of the form to explain why the TIN is not included.

Exception.

You are not required to provide the TIN of a person who is a nonresident alien individual or a foreign organization that:

  • Does not have income effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business;

  • Does not have an office or place of business, or a fiscal or paying agent, in the United States;

  • Does not furnish a withholding certificate described in Regulations section 1.1441-1(e)(2) or (3) or Regulations section 1.1441-5(c)(2)(iv) or (3)(iii) to the extent required under Regulations section 1.1441-1(e)(4)(vii); or

  • Does not have to furnish a TIN on any return, statement, or other document as required by the income tax regulations under section 897 or 1445.

Penalties.

You may be subject to penalties if you fail to file a correct and complete Form 8300 on time and you cannot show that the failure was due to reasonable cause. You may also be subject to penalties if you fail to furnish timely a correct and complete statement to each person named in a required report. A minimum penalty of $25,000 may be imposed if the failure is due to an intentional or willful disregard of the cash reporting requirements.

Penalties may also be imposed for causing, or attempting to cause, a trade or business to fail to file a required report; for causing, or attempting to cause, a trade or business to file a required report containing a material omission or misstatement of fact; or for structuring, or attempting to structure, transactions to avoid the reporting requirements. These violations may also be subject to criminal prosecution that, upon conviction, may result in imprisonment of up to 5 years or fines of up to $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for corporations or both.

Reasonable cause.

Reasonable cause is based on all the facts and circumstances in each situation and allows the IRS to provide relief from a penalty that would otherwise apply. Reasonable cause relief is generally granted when the person exercised ordinary business care and prudence in determining their filing obligations but was nevertheless unable to comply with those obligations.

The filer needs to establish that either:

  1. There are significant mitigating factors with respect to the failure, or

  2. The failure arose from events beyond the filer's control.

Moreover, the filer must establish that the filer acted in a responsible manner before and after the failure occurred.

Definitions

Cash.

The term “cash” means the following.

  • U.S. and foreign coin and currency received in any transaction; or

  • A cashier’s check, money order, bank draft, or traveler’s check having a face amount of $10,000 or less that is received in a designated reporting transaction (defined below), or that is received in any transaction in which the recipient knows that the instrument is being used in an attempt to avoid the reporting of the transaction under either section 6050I or 31 U.S.C. 5331.

Note.

Cash does not include a check drawn on the payer’s own account, such as a personal check, regardless of the amount.

Designated reporting transaction.

A retail sale (or the receipt of funds by a broker or other intermediary in connection with a retail sale) of a consumer durable, a collectible, or a travel or entertainment activity.

Retail sale.

Any sale (whether or not the sale is for resale or for any other purpose) made in the course of a trade or business if that trade or business principally consists of making sales to ultimate consumers.

Consumer durable.

An item of tangible personal property of a type that, under ordinary usage, can reasonably be expected to remain useful for at least 1 year, and that has a sales price of more than $10,000.

Collectible.

Any work of art, rug, antique, metal, gem, stamp, coin, etc.

Travel or entertainment activity.

An item of travel or entertainment that pertains to a single trip or event if the combined sales price of the item and all other items relating to the same trip or event that are sold in the same transaction (or related transactions) exceeds $10,000.

Exceptions.

A cashier’s check, money order, bank draft, or traveler’s check is not considered received in a designated reporting transaction if it constitutes the proceeds of a bank loan or if it is received as a payment on certain promissory notes, installment sales contracts, or down payment plans. See Pub. 1544 for more information.

Person.

An individual, corporation, partnership, trust, estate, association, or company.

Recipient.

The person receiving the cash. Each branch or other unit of a person’s trade or business is considered a separate recipient unless the branch receiving the cash (or a central office linking the branches), knows or has reason to know the identity of payers making cash payments to other branches.

Trade or business.

Generally includes any activity carried on for the production of income from selling goods or performing services.

Transaction.

Includes the purchase of property or services, the payment of debt, the exchange of cash for a negotiable instrument, and the receipt of cash to be held in escrow or trust. A single transaction may not be broken into multiple transactions to avoid reporting.

Suspicious transaction.

A suspicious transaction is a transaction in which it appears that a person is attempting to cause Form 8300 not to be filed, or to file a false or incomplete form, or in which the transaction(s) otherwise appears suspicious for any reason.

Specific Instructions

You must complete all parts. However, you may skip Part II if the individual named in Part I is conducting the transaction on their own behalf. For voluntary reporting of suspicious transactions, see Item 1 next.

Item 1.

If you are amending a report, check box 1a, Amends prior report. Complete the form in its entirety (Parts I–IV) and include the amended information. Do not attach a copy of the original report.

To voluntarily report a suspicious transaction (see Suspicious transaction above), check box 1b, Suspicious transaction. Describe in the Comments section what was suspicious about the transaction. Any suspicious activity may be reported to your local IRS Criminal Investigation Division. For any suspicious transactions related to money laundering or terrorist activity, you should immediately report any imminent threat to local area law enforcement officials.

Part I. Identity of the Individual From Whom the Cash Was Received

Item 2.

If two or more individuals conducted the transaction you are reporting, check the box and complete Part I on page 1 for any one of the individuals. Provide the same information for the other individual(s) by completing Part I on page 2 of the form. If more than three individuals are involved, paper filers should complete and attach a copy of Part I for each additional individual and electronic filers may add additional Part I entries (up to 99).

Item 6.

Enter the TIN of the individual named. See Taxpayer identification number (TIN), earlier, for more information.

Item 8.

Enter eight numerals for the date of birth of the individual named. For example, if the individual’s birth date is July 6, 1960, enter 07/06/1960.

Item 13.

Clearly describe the nature of the occupation, profession, or business (for example, “plumber,” “attorney,” or “automobile dealer”). Do not use general or nondescriptive terms such as “businessperson” or “self-employed.” If the individual is retired or unemployed, describe the individual's previous occupation, such as “retired attorney” or “unemployed roofer.”

Note.

For electronic filers, this item is limited to 25 characters.

Item 14.

You must verify the name and address of the named individual(s). Verification must be made by examination of a document normally accepted as a means of identification when cashing checks (for example, a driver’s license, passport, alien registration card, or other official document). In item 14a, enter the type of document examined. In item 14b, identify the issuer of the document. In item 14c, enter the document’s number. For example, if the individual has a Utah driver’s license, enter “driver’s license” in item 14a, “Utah” in item 14b, and the number appearing on the license in item 14c. Enter ID number without formatting or special characters.

Note.

You must complete all three items (a, b, and c) in this item to make sure that Form 8300 will be processed correctly.

Part II. Person on Whose Behalf This Transaction Was Conducted

Item 15.

If the transaction is being conducted on behalf of more than one person (including parent and child or siblings), check the box and complete Part II for any one of the persons. Provide the same information for the other person(s) by completing Part II on page 2 (limit of 99 Part II entries). If there are more than three other persons, paper filers should complete and attach a copy of Part II for each additional person and electronic filers may add additional Part II entries (up to 99).

Items 16 through 19.

If the person on whose behalf the transaction is being conducted is an individual, complete items 16, 17, and 18. Enter their TIN in item 19. If the individual is a sole proprietor and has an EIN, you must enter both the SSN and EIN in item 19. If the person is an organization, put its name as shown on required tax filings in item 16 and its EIN in item 19.

Item 20.

If a sole proprietor or organization named in items 16 through 18 is doing business under a name other than that entered in item 16 (for example, a “trade” or “doing business as (DBA)” name), enter it here.

Item 27.

If the person is not required to furnish a TIN, complete this item. See Taxpayer identification number (TIN), earlier. Enter a description of the type of official document issued to that person in item 27a (for example, a “passport”), the country that issued the document in item 27b, and the document’s number in item 27c. Enter ID number without formatting or special characters.

Note.

You must complete all three items (a, b, and c) in this item to make sure that Form 8300 will be processed correctly.

Part III. Description of the Transaction and Method of Payment

Item 28.

Enter the date you received the cash (for example, January 1, 2022, enter 01/01/2022). If you received the cash in more than one payment, enter the date you received the payment that caused the combined amount to exceed $10,000. See Multiple payments, earlier, for more information.

Item 29.

Enter the total cash received as of the date that cash amount exceeded $10,000 within a 12-month period. If a previous Form 8300 was filed on a reportable payment or related payments and additional related payments have been received, record the total amount received as of the date the total of new related payments exceeded an additional $10,000 within a new 12-month period.

Item 30.

Check this box if the amount shown in item 29 was received in more than one payment (for example, as installment payments or payments on related transactions).

Item 31.

Enter the total price of the property, services, amount of cash exchanged, etc. (for example, the total cost of a vehicle purchased, cost of catering service, exchange of currency) if different from the amount shown in item 29.

Item 32.

Enter the dollar amount of each form of cash received. Show foreign currency amounts in U.S. dollar equivalent at a fair market rate of exchange available to the public. The sum of the amounts must equal item 29. For cashier’s check, money order, bank draft, or traveler’s check, provide the name of the issuer and the serial number of each instrument. Names of all issuers and all serial numbers involved must be provided. If necessary, provide this information in the Comments section on page 2 of the form.

Item 33.

Check the appropriate box(es) that describe the transaction. If the transaction is not specified in boxes a–i, check box j and briefly describe the transaction (for example, “car lease,” “boat lease,” “house lease,” or “aircraft rental”). If the transaction relates to the receipt of bail by a court clerk, check box i, “Bail received by court clerks.” This box is only for use by court clerks. If the transaction relates to cash received by a bail bondsman, check box d, “Business services provided.” Select up to three types of transactions and if more are required, select “other” and add details in the Comments section.

Part IV. Business That Received Cash

Item 36.

If you are a sole proprietorship, you must enter your SSN. If your business also has an EIN, you must provide the EIN as well. All other business entities must enter an EIN.

Item 41.

Clearly describe the nature of your business, for example, “attorney” or “jewelry dealer.” Do not use general or nondescriptive terms such as “business” or “store.”

Item 42.

This form must be signed by an individual who has been authorized to do so for the business that received the cash.

Comments

Use this section to comment on or clarify anything you may have entered on any line in Parts I, II, III, and IV. For example, if you checked box b (Suspicious transaction) in line 1 above Part I, you may want to explain why the cash transaction you are reporting on Form 8300 may be suspicious.

Note.

Comments section is limited to 720 characters.

Instructions for Form 8300 - Notices

Paperwork Reduction Act Notice.

Except as otherwise noted, the information solicited on this form is required by the IRS and FinCEN in order to carry out the laws and regulations of the United States. Trades or businesses and clerks of federal and state criminal courts are required to provide the information to the IRS and FinCEN under section 6050I and 31 U.S.C. 5331, respectively. Section 6109 and 31 U.S.C. 5331 require that you provide your identification number. The principal purpose for collecting the information on this form is to maintain reports or records that have a high degree of usefulness in criminal, tax, or regulatory investigations, risk assessments, or proceedings, or in the conduct of intelligence or counterintelligence activities, including analysis, to protect against terrorism by directing the federal government’s attention to unusual or questionable transactions.

You are not required to provide information as to whether the reported transaction is deemed suspicious but are strongly encouraged to do so if appropriate. Failure to provide all other requested information, or providing fraudulent information, may result in criminal prosecution and other penalties under 26 U.S.C. and 31 U.S.C.

Generally, tax returns and return information are confidential, as stated in section 6103. However, section 6103 allows or requires the IRS to disclose or give the information requested on this form to others as described in the Internal Revenue Code. For example, we may disclose your tax information to the Department of Justice, to enforce the tax laws, both civil and criminal, and to cities, states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. commonwealths and territories to carry out their tax laws. We may disclose this information to other persons as necessary to obtain information that we cannot get in any other way. We may disclose this information to federal, state, and local child support agencies; and to other federal agencies for the purposes of determining entitlement for benefits or the eligibility for and the repayment of loans. We may also provide the records to appropriate state, local, and foreign criminal law enforcement and regulatory personnel in the performance of their official duties. We may also disclose this information to other countries under a tax treaty, or to federal and state agencies to enforce federal nontax criminal laws and to combat terrorism. In addition, FinCEN may provide the information to those officials if they are conducting intelligence or counterintelligence activities to protect against international terrorism, ongoing money laundering activities, or other criminal activity.

You are not required to provide the information requested on a form that is subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act unless the form displays a valid OMB control number. Books or records relating to a form or its instructions must be retained as long as their contents may become material in the administration of any law under 26 U.S.C. or 31 U.S.C.

The time needed to complete this form will vary depending on individual circumstances. The estimated average time is 30 minutes. If you have comments concerning the accuracy of this time estimate or suggestions for making this form simpler, we would be happy to hear from you. You can send us comments from IRS.gov/FormComments. Click on Comment on Tax Forms and Publications. Or you can send your comments to Internal Revenue Service, Tax Forms and Publications Division, 1111 Constitution Ave. NW, IR-6526, Washington, DC 20224. Do not send Form 8300 to this address.