To amend an FBAR, you file a complete new FinCEN Form 114 through the BSA E-Filing System, tick the "Amend" box in Item 1 and enter the BSA Identifier of the report you are correcting. There is no separate amendment form and no fee. You restate every account, not only the one that changed. An amendment suits a report that was filed on time but contained an error.
Mistakes on the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts are common. A forgotten savings account, a wrong maximum value or a missed joint account can all slip through. Fortunately, the fix is usually quick. However, the right route depends on why the report was wrong and whether any income went unreported. This guide explains how to amend an FBAR, when a different procedure applies, and what the penalty position is.
When you should amend an FBAR
You should correct a filed report when you find that it was materially wrong or incomplete. FinCEN, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, sets out the filing rules on its Report Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts page.
Common errors worth correcting
In our experience, the same errors recur. The most frequent is an omitted account, often a dormant UK savings account, a child's account or a pension. Next comes an understated maximum value, where the filer used the year-end balance instead of the peak. Other errors include a wrong account number, a missing joint owner, and an employer account over which you had signature authority. Our guide to the FBAR maximum account value shows how to calculate the figure correctly.
Errors that rarely need an amendment
A trivial slip, such as a small rounding difference in a value that was reported in good faith, does not usually justify a new filing. In contrast, anything that hides an account or materially understates a balance should be corrected.
How to amend an FBAR step by step
The process uses the same online form as the original. It takes most people under an hour once the figures are ready.
Find the original BSA Identifier
When you filed the original, FinCEN sent a confirmation email containing a 14-digit BSA Identifier. You enter that number as the Prior Report BSA Identifier. If you cannot find it, FinCEN's instructions tell you to enter 14 zeros instead.
Complete a full new report
Open a new FinCEN Form 114 in the BSA E-Filing System and select the same calendar year. In Item 1, tick "Amend". Then complete the whole form again, with the corrected details. An amended report replaces the original. Therefore, you must list every reportable account for that year, including those that were right the first time.
Sign, submit and keep the confirmation
Sign electronically and submit. Save the new confirmation and the new BSA Identifier. Keep records of each account for five years from the FBAR due date, as the regulations require. A joint filer who relied on a spouse's report should check that Form 114a, the authorisation record, is still on file.
Amend an FBAR or use a different route?
An amendment is the right tool for one situation only. The table shows which route fits which facts.
| Your situation | Correct route | Typical penalty position |
|---|---|---|
| FBAR filed on time, but with an error; all income reported | Amended FinCEN Form 114 | Penalty unlikely where the error was not wilful |
| No FBAR filed; all income reported and tax paid | Delinquent FBAR Submission Procedures | IRS states it will not impose a penalty if you were not already contacted |
| FBARs missed or wrong, and foreign income unreported, non-wilful | Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures | No penalty for qualifying non-residents; 5% offshore penalty for US residents |
| Wilful failure to report | IRS Criminal Investigation Voluntary Disclosure Practice | Substantial civil penalties; legal advice essential |
When the account also produced unreported income
If the omitted account earned interest or dividends that never reached your Form 1040, an amended FBAR alone is not enough. You need to correct the tax returns as well. For non-wilful cases, the Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures deal with both in one submission, covering three years of returns and six years of FBARs. Our IRS streamlined filing page explains who qualifies.
When the report was never filed
A report you never filed is late, not amended. The IRS covers late reports on its FBAR page, and our guide to the delinquent FBAR submission procedures walks through the statement of reasons.
Penalties and time limits
FinCEN does not charge a fee to amend an FBAR, and correcting an honest mistake promptly is the strongest evidence that it was not wilful.
The civil penalty rules
Under 31 U.S.C. section 5321(a)(5), the civil penalty for a non-wilful violation is up to $10,000, a statutory figure that is adjusted each year for inflation. No penalty applies where the violation was due to reasonable cause and the balance was properly reported. In Bittner v. United States, decided in 2023, the US Supreme Court held that the non-wilful penalty applies per report, not per account. Wilful violations carry far higher penalties: the greater of a statutory $100,000, also inflation adjusted, or 50% of the account balance.
How far back to go
The government generally has six years from the due date of an FBAR to assess a civil penalty. Consequently, most corrections cover the last six calendar years. The FBAR is due on 15 April, with an automatic extension to 15 October (FinCEN, 2026 filing season). Our guide to US expat tax deadlines for 2026 lists the related dates.
Do you also need to correct your tax return?
The FBAR goes to FinCEN and is separate from your tax return. However, three items on the return can be affected. First, Schedule B, Part III asks whether you had a foreign account. Second, Form 8938 may need the same account added. Third, any income from the account must appear on Form 1040. Because Form 8938 is attached to the return, correcting it means filing Form 1040-X. The IRS compares the two regimes on its Form 8938 and FBAR comparison page. Our US expat tax returns page covers amended returns for Americans abroad.
An illustrative case
Consider an illustrative US citizen in Leeds who filed her 2025 FBAR in April 2026. The figures are illustrative. She listed her current account and ISA but forgot a fixed-rate savings account holding £14,000. The interest on that account was already on her Form 1040, taken from her UK tax records. Because the report was filed on time and the income was reported, she can amend. She files a new FinCEN Form 114 for 2025, ticks "Amend", enters the original BSA Identifier and lists all three accounts. She then checks her 2025 Form 8938 threshold and confirms no change is needed. No tax is due and the record is now complete.
If you have found an error in a past report, book a consultation with our team. We confirm whether you should amend an FBAR or use another procedure, and prepare the filing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I amend an FBAR?
You file a new FinCEN Form 114 for the same calendar year through the BSA E-Filing System, tick "Amend" in Item 1, and enter the 14-digit BSA Identifier of the original report. You complete the entire form again with corrected information, because the amended report replaces the original.
Is there a deadline to amend an FBAR?
There is no fixed deadline, but you should amend as soon as you find the error. The government generally has six years from the FBAR due date to assess a civil penalty under 31 U.S.C. section 5321, so corrections usually cover the last six calendar years.
Will I be penalised for amending an FBAR?
FinCEN charges no fee, and an amendment does not itself create a penalty. A non-wilful violation can carry a civil penalty of up to a statutory $10,000 per report, adjusted for inflation, but no penalty applies where there was reasonable cause. Prompt voluntary correction supports a reasonable cause position.
What if I cannot find my original BSA Identifier?
If you cannot locate the BSA Identifier from the confirmation email for the original report, FinCEN's instructions tell you to enter 14 zeros in the Prior Report BSA Identifier field. You then complete and submit the amended FinCEN Form 114 in the normal way.
Do I need to tell HMRC if I amend an FBAR for a UK account?
No. The FBAR is a US report filed with FinCEN and has no UK equivalent. HMRC is not involved. However, if the UK account produced interest that was also missing from your UK Self Assessment return, you should correct that return separately.
I forgot to report a UAE bank account. Can I add it by amending?
Yes, if you filed the FBAR for that year on time. A UAE bank account is a foreign financial account, so you add it by filing an amended FinCEN Form 114 that lists all your accounts. If you filed no FBAR for that year, use the Delinquent FBAR Submission Procedures instead.
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