December 2015 Revision of Form 3115

Announcement 2016-14

DECEMBER 2015 REVISION OF FORM 3115

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has revised Form 3115, Application for

Change in Accounting Method, and its instructions. The Form 3115 (Rev. December

2015) is the current Form 3115 and replaces the December 2009 version of the Form

3115. Ordinarily, a taxpayer applies for consent to change a method of accounting for

federal income tax purposes by completing and filing a current Form 3115. Treas. Reg.

§ 1.446-1(e)(3)(i).

To allow a reasonable transition to the December 2015 Form 3115, the IRS will

accept either the December 2015 Form 3115 or the December 2009 Form 3115 filed on

or before April 19, 2016, except where the use of the December 2015 Form 3115 is

specifically required in guidance published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin. Taxpayers

filing Forms 3115 after April 19, 2016, must use the December 2015 Form 3115. The

IRS encourages taxpayers to use the December 2015 Form 3115 prior to April 20,

2016. Regardless of the form used, taxpayers must provide all the information required

by Rev. Proc. 2015-13 (or Rev. Proc. 2011-14, 2011-4 I.R.B. 330, if the taxpayer is

making a change under the transition rule in section 15.02(1)(a)(ii) of Rev. Proc. 2015-

13, 2015-5 I.R.B. 419, as modified by Rev. Proc. 2015-33, 2015-24 I.R.B. 1067). See

sections 6.02 and 14 of Rev. Proc. 2015-13 or sections 6 and 11 of Rev. Proc. 2011-14.

Section 6.03(1)(a)(i) of Rev. Proc. 2015-13 requires a taxpayer filing a request for

an automatic change to file its original Form 3115 with its return and a duplicate of that

Form 3115 with the IRS in Ogden, Utah. Beginning in January 2016, the duplicate copy

of Form 3115 for an automatic change request is filed with the IRS in Covington,

Kentucky. See Rev. Proc. 2016-1, 2016-1 I.R.B. 1, section 9.05(2). The address of the

IRS office in Covington, Kentucky, is:

Internal Revenue Service

201 West Rivercenter Blvd

Form 3115 with its return and a duplicate of that

Form 3115 with the IRS in Ogden, Utah. Beginning in January 2016, the duplicate copy

of Form 3115 for an automatic change request is filed with the IRS in Covington,

Kentucky. See Rev. Proc. 2016-1, 2016-1 I.R.B. 1, section 9.05(2). The address of the

IRS office in Covington, Kentucky, is:

Internal Revenue Service

201 West Rivercenter Blvd.

PIN Team Mail Stop 97

Covington, KY 41011-1424

If prior to April 20, 2016, a taxpayer filed its duplicate copy of Form 3115 with the IRS in

either Ogden, Utah, or Covington, Kentucky, using the December 2009 Form 3115, the

taxpayer may file its original Form 3115 with its return on either the December 2009

Form 3115 or the December 2015 Form 3115.

Taxpayers may download the December 2015 Form 3115 and its instructions

from the IRS website, www.irs.gov/formspubs, or order them from the IRS website

www.irs.gov/orderforms.

The principal author of this announcement is Charles Magee of the Office of

Associate Chief Counsel (Income Tax & Accounting). For further information regarding

this announcement contact Mr. Magee at (202) 317-7005 (not a toll-free call).