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Form 8717 Rev June Capable User Fee For Employee Plan Determination, Opinion, And Advisory Letter Request

Use a Form 8717 Rev June Fill In Capable User Fee For Employee Plan Determination, Opinion, And Advisory Letter Request template to make your document workflow more streamlined.

What Form 8717 is used for

Form 8717 is the IRS user-fee request associated with an employee plan determination, opinion, or advisory letter submission. It identifies the requesting employer, plan, representative, and applicable request information so the IRS can associate the fee and submission with the correct employee-plan matter. In signNow, upload the official PDF, review automatically detected fields, add any missing entries, route it to the authorized signer, and preserve the completed file with its audit trail. Form 8717 does not itself issue the IRS letter or replace the IRS filing instructions.

Teams that manage Form 8717 access

  • Employee-benefits attorneys can use shared signNow templates to prepare recurring Form 8717 requests, assign reviewer and signer roles, and keep each completed package with its audit trail for the client matter file.
  • Third-party administrators can give authorized staff delegated sending rights while limiting template changes. Role-based access helps separate plan-data preparation, final review, signer delivery, and records administration for employee-plan submissions.

Features that support Form 8717 requests

Form 8717 workflows benefit from structured field preparation, controlled routing, audit evidence, reusable templates, and organized electronic records.

Field preparation

Upload the official Form 8717 PDF and review automatically detected fields before adding missing sponsor, plan, payment, date, or signature fields.

Signer routing

Route the request to the responsible plan sponsor, authorized representative, or reviewer in the required order, reducing email attachments and manual follow-up.

Audit evidence

Capture signer activity, timestamps, recipient details, and document history with the completed request so reviewers can trace how the Form 8717 package was executed.

Reusable templates

Use reusable templates for recurring employee-plan determination, opinion, and advisory-letter requests while preserving the form’s required content and revision information.

Centralized records

Keep the completed request and supporting materials together in a controlled electronic workspace, allowing authorized staff to retrieve the record without searching inboxes.

Compliance controls

Apply signNow’s ESIGN and UETA compliance features to support electronic execution while separately confirming any IRS-specific submission, payment, or authorization requirements.

Recommended Form 8717 workflow settings

Use a controlled signing setup that identifies the authorized signer, preserves the request history, and keeps the completed Form 8717 reproducible.

SettingRecommendation
Authentication methodEmail invitation with SMS verification
Signature typeTyped or drawn electronic signature
Audit trailEnable completion history and export
Document retention3 years from filing under IRC §6501(a)
EncryptionAES-256 at rest and TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

How the Form 8717 workflow works

Complete the IRS request in a controlled sequence, from source PDF preparation through authorized signing and audit-ready archival.

  • Upload form: Upload the official IRS PDF.
  • Prepare fields: Review detected fields and add missing entries.
  • Route request: Send Form 8717 to the authorized signer.
  • Archive record: Store the completed PDF with its audit trail.
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Complete Form 8717 in signNow

Follow these preparation and routing steps before confirming the IRS-specific delivery and payment instructions.

  • Upload:

    Upload the current Form 8717 PDF.
  • Complete:

    Review and complete detected fields.
  • Assign:

    Add the authorized signer and reviewers.
  • Send:

    Send the request through signNow.
  • Archive:

    Download the signed PDF and audit trail.

What the Form 8717 audit trail records

A signNow audit trail records the technical events surrounding Form 8717 execution, creating a reviewable history separate from the form’s substantive IRS information.

01

Authenticate signer:

Record email, SMS, or configured authentication event.
02

Capture timestamp:

Capture date and time for every signing action.
03

Bind document history:

Associate the completed document with its audit record.
04

Seal completion:

Preserve the signed file against unauthorized alteration.
05

Track activity:

Log recipient activity, access, and signing events.
06

Export evidence:

Download the audit trail with the final PDF.

Connect Form 8717 workflows to business systems

Connect employee-plan request workflows with CRM, ERP, cloud storage, and collaboration tools to reduce rekeying and preserve completed records.

Salesforce
Procore
Zapier
Microsoft Teams
Hub spot
Box
Microsoft

Security controls for Form 8717 records

Encrypted storage:

AES-256 encryption at rest

Protected transmission:

TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Independent controls:

SOC 2 Type II certified

Security management:

ISO 27001 certified

U.S. eSignature framework:

ESIGN and UETA compliant

Protected health information:

HIPAA compliant with BAA

Preserve Form 8717 records consistently

A controlled record process helps employee-plan professionals retrieve the request, supporting documents, payment evidence, and signing history when needed.

Export the signed package together

Export the completed Form 8717 and its audit trail together, then preserve the original PDF, supporting plan documents, and payment evidence in a controlled repository.

Set retention from the applicable rule

Apply the applicable IRS retention policy to the Form 8717 package. Federal tax records generally require three years from filing under IRC §6501(a), with longer periods for specific circumstances.

Limit access by assigned role

Restrict access to employee-plan requests by role, separating preparers, reviewers, authorized signers, and records administrators. Review permissions periodically and remove access when responsibilities change.

Create a repeatable archive record

Use a consistent file name containing the plan sponsor, request type, revision date, and completion date. Store the final Form 8717 and audit evidence in encrypted archival storage.

Retention schedule for Form 8717 records

Keep the completed Form 8717, supporting plan materials, payment evidence, and audit history according to the controlling tax and professional-record requirements.

01

3 years from filing — tax records

IRS tax records generally follow IRC §6501(a).
02

6 years when 25% understated

A longer period applies when 25% or more income is understated.
03

Indefinite — fraud or no return

Fraud or no return filed can require indefinite retention.
04

Open review period — active matter

Preserve records while an IRS examination, claim, or dispute remains open.
05

Longer applicable rule — state variation

Apply any longer state or professional-record rule after confirming its authority.

Protect Form 8717 information during signing

  • Including participant or sponsor information in unnecessary attachments can expose personal data beyond the Form 8717 request’s review audience.
  • Skipping an electronic-record consent disclosure can create uncertainty when a consumer-facing signer must receive and retain the completed request electronically.
  • Leaving the final Form 8717 in a shared folder without role controls can expose plan information to unauthorized staff.
  • Sending the request through an unverified email address can weaken signer attribution and complicate later review of the audit history.

Risks from an incorrect Form 8717 package

Incomplete request

Missing fields

Failed attribution

Wrong recipient

Signature dispute

Unclear authority

Audit gap

Lost evidence

Processing delay

Incorrect fee

Troubleshoot Form 8717 completion issues

Use these checks to resolve field, signer, consent, plan-selection, and IRS-submission questions without confusing the request with the IRS determination letter.

The form has no fillable fields after upload. In signNow, upload the official Form 8717 PDF, review auto-detected fields, and add text, date, signature, or attachment fields manually where the source PDF requires completion. Confirm every field before sending.

A signer cannot open the request link. Verify the recipient email, resend the invitation from the document workspace, and check whether a security filter blocked the message. Business and Business Premium plans provide templates and audit trails for controlled resending.

A typed name alone does not establish every legal requirement. Under ESIGN and UETA, preserve intent, consent, attribution, and reproducibility. Use signNow’s signer authentication and audit trail to document the completed Form 8717 event.

Consumer-facing electronic records require a clear paper-record disclosure, access to the electronic format, and withdrawal procedures under 15 U.S.C. §7001(c). Obtain the required consent before sending Form 8717 electronically to a consumer signer.

The Business plan includes audit trails and legally binding eSignatures, while Business Premium adds bulk send. For one Form 8717 request, upload, configure, send, and archive; choose a higher plan only for documented volume or workflow needs.

The completed request is not the IRS determination, opinion, or advisory letter itself. Form 8717 is a user-fee request connected with an employee-plan submission; confirm the IRS filing method, payment instructions, and authorized signature requirements before delivery.

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