How to File IRS Form 720: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2026

IRS Form 720, the Quarterly Federal Excise Tax Return, is how businesses report federal excise taxes on things like fuel, airline tickets, heavy trucks and trailers, and certain health plan fees. If your company is responsible for one of these taxes, you generally must file Form 720 every quarter, whether you owe tax for the period or not.

This guide explains who needs to file, when each quarterly Form 720 is due, how to fill out and file the form step by step, and how a free PDF editor makes the paperwork easier.

How to File IRS Form 720: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2026

What Is IRS Form 720?

IRS Form 720 is the return businesses use to report federal excise taxes — indirect taxes charged on specific goods, services, and activities rather than on income. The tax is usually collected as part of the product's price, and the manufacturer, importer, or retailer passes it to the IRS each quarter.

Common items reported on Form 720 include:

• Fuel and environmental taxes — gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and ozone-depleting chemicals (Part I).

• Transportation taxes — airline tickets and heavy trucks, trailers, and tractors sold at retail (Part I).

• Other excise taxes — indoor tanning services, certain vaccines, and policy year patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) fees on health plans (Part II).

Filing Form 720 on time matters even in a quarter with zero liability: many businesses still have to submit a return to stay compliant, and late filing or late deposits can trigger IRS penalties. You can always download the current form and instructions from the official IRS Form 720 page at irs.gov/Form720.

IRS Form 720 excise tax overview

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Form 720 Deadlines and Filing Requirements

Form 720 follows the calendar year in quarters, and each return is due one month after the quarter ends:

• Apr 30 — for the first quarter (January–March)

• Jul 31 — for the second quarter (April–June)

• Oct 31 — for the third quarter (July–September)

• Jan 31 — for the fourth quarter (October–December)

If a due date falls on a weekend or federal holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day. When your excise tax liability for the quarter goes over $2,500, the IRS generally expects deposits during the quarter (usually through the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System, EFTPS), not a single payment with the return. If you pay by check with the return, Form 720-V is the payment voucher to include.

One frequently missed item is the PCOR fee: for policy or plan years ending on or after October 1, 2025 and before October 1, 2026, it is $3.84 multiplied by the average number of lives covered, and it is reported on IRS No. 133 of Form 720. Check the current IRS instructions each year, because rates adjust annually.

Form 720 quarterly due dates calendar

How to Fill Out Form 720 in WPS PDF

The IRS publishes Form 720 as a fillable PDF, so you can complete it on your computer before filing. WPS PDF opens the form and lets you type, check, and sign without printing. Here is the workflow:

1. Download the current Form 720 PDF. Get the latest revision from irs.gov/Form720 — the IRS revises the form regularly, and an outdated copy can be rejected.

   

   
   

2. Fill in the identifying information. Enter your business name, address, quarter ending date, and Employer Identification Number (EIN) at the top of the form. Use the EIN exactly as the IRS has it on file.

3. Report your taxes in Part I and Part II. Find each IRS No. on the form that matches your activity, enter the quantity or amount, and let the PDF calculate the tax column. Attach Form 6627 if you report environmental taxes in Part I.

   

   
   

4. Complete Part III. Add up your total liability, subtract any deposits or credits you already made, and enter the balance due. If the result is a final return for your business, check the Final return box at the top.

5. Sign, check, and save a copy. Verify every line against your records, sign the form, and save a PDF copy for your files. In WPS PDF you can also add a legally binding e-signature instead of printing, signing, and rescanning.

   

   
   

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How to File Form 720 Electronically

The IRS strongly encourages electronic filing for Form 720. Returns filed through an IRS-authorized e-file provider using the Modernized e-File (MeF) system usually get an acknowledgment within minutes, while paper returns are slower to process and easier to get wrong. The steps:

1. Choose an IRS-authorized e-file provider. Look for providers listed as authorized for Form 720 e-filing on IRS.gov; many support the PCOR fee and Schedule A/C attachments.

2. Create the filing session. Enter your EIN, business details, and the tax quarter you are reporting.

3. Transfer your numbers. Enter each IRS No., the tax amount, and your deposit totals from the copy you prepared, then let the software run its built-in error checks.

4. Submit and save the acknowledgment. After the IRS accepts the return, keep the confirmation for your records. If you owe a balance, pay through EFTPS or include your payment per the provider's instructions.

A practical tip from the IRS: paper-filed submissions are more likely to hit processing delays and automatically generated penalties, so plan to e-file even for a zero-liability quarter.

File Form 720 electronically via MeF

The Best Free Alternative: WPS Office for Form 720

You do not need a paid PDF subscription to prepare Form 720. WPS Office for Windows (also available on Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS) includes a full PDF toolkit with form filling, annotations, and e-signatures, alongside Writer, Spreadsheet, and Presentation.

For Form 720 work specifically, WPS gives you three useful things: a clean form-filling mode for the IRS PDF, an AI form filling option that maps your prepared details into matching fields so you type less, and a free way to keep every quarterly copy organized with bookmarks and comments. Files stay compatible with Adobe Reader, so the IRS and your e-file provider will read the saved form exactly as you filled it.

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FAQs

Who has to file IRS Form 720?

Any business responsible for a federal excise tax listed on the form — such as fuel, airline ticket, heavy truck, indoor tanning, tobacco, or PCOR fee liabilities — generally files Form 720 quarterly, even when it owes nothing for the period.

What are the Form 720 due dates?

April 30, July 31, October 31, and January 31, one month after each calendar quarter ends. If the date lands on a weekend or federal holiday, it moves to the next business day.

Can I file Form 720 for free?

The form itself is free to download and fill out in a free PDF editor like WPS PDF. Electronic filing is done through IRS-authorized providers, whose fees vary; the IRS does not charge for the return itself.

What happens if I file Form 720 late?

The IRS can charge failure-to-file and failure-to-deposit penalties, plus interest on unpaid tax. Filing on time — even with a zero balance — and making deposits through EFTPS when required helps you avoid them.

Is Form 720 the same as Form 2290?

No. Form 2290 reports the federal heavy highway vehicle use tax for trucks over 55,000 pounds and is filed annually. Form 720 is the quarterly return for a broader list of excise taxes, and heavy truck retail sales are just one item on it.

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