# Form I-9

URL: https://pdf.net/pdf-forms/legal-forms/i-9-form
Category: Legal Forms
Attributes: Monthly top‑searched, Trusted by lawyers

Employers use Form I-9 to verify the identity and employment authorization of their employees, whether they are U.S. citizens or noncitizens.

Fill out our editable Form I-9 online by simply typing the required information directly into the empty slots. Once that’s done, download the form to your device.

## Versions

- 2025 — [download PDF](https://cdn.sanity.io/files/i16te7yp/production/b97cec1aef96a502fd07b05f912e8697cdee82e1.pdf)

## How to Fill Out Form I-9?

Step 1: Open Form I-9 in our PDF editor.

Step 2: Review a list of acceptable verification and authorization documents.

Step 3: Ask your employee to complete and sign Section 1 and present a document for inspection.

Step 4: Inspect your employee’s documents.

Step 5: Complete Section 2 according to the Form I-9 instructions.

Step 6: Store the form in your records for at least three years.

## Facts

### What Is Form I-9?

Form I-9, known as Employment Eligibility Verification, is a document that verifies the identities and employment authorizations of workers hired in the U.S. This form isn’t only used for foreign residents; employers must complete it for U.S. citizens, as well.

### Who Is Required to File Form I-9?

Employers are required to file Form I-9 for every individual they hire to work for them. However, employees also contribute by filling out Section 1 of the document.

### When Is Form I-9 Due for Submission?

Form I-9 doesn’t have a single deadline, but it must be completed once employment starts. More specifically, the employee should fill out Section 1 by the first day of work, while the employer must finalize the legal form no more than three business days after employment starts.

### What Are the Penalties For Not Filing Form I-9?

Penalties for Form I-9 violations vary based on the type and severity of the offense and are adjusted annually for inflation. Fines can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars per violation, with higher penalties for knowingly hiring unauthorized workers.

### Where Do I File Form I-9?

You don’t file Form I-9 anywhere; instead, you must retain the form for each employee for three years after the date of hire or one year after employment ends, whichever is later. That way, you are prepared in case of an inspection by government officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Labor, or Department of Justice.

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