Skip to main content

Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS)

Correcting Form I-9

Reference Number: MTAS-2023
Reviewed Date: 12/21/2022

If you discover an error on the employee's Form I-9, you should bring the form into compliance immediately and ask the employee to correct the error. Employers may only correct errors made in Section 2 or Section 3 of Form I-9. If you discover an error in Section 1 of the employee's Form I-9, you should ask your employee to correct the error.

The best way to correct the form is to:

  • Draw a line through the incorrect information.
  • Enter the correct information.
  • Initial and date the correction.

To correct multiple recording errors on the form, redo the section on a new Form I-9 and attach it to the old form. Complete a new Form I-9 if major errors (such as entire sections being left black or Section 2 being completed based on unacceptable documents) need to be corrected. A note should be included in the file regarding the reason you made changes to an existing Form I-9 or completed a new Form I-9.

Be sure that you DO NOT to conceal any changes made on the form (other than simple notation errors when copying document information). Doing so may lead to increased liability under federal immigration laws.

If you have made changes on a Form I-9 using correction fluid, it is recommended that you attach a signed and dated note to the corrected Form I-9 explaining what happened. More information about making corrections to the form can be found at I-9 Central.