FS Form 5511, the TreasuryDirect Transfer Request (Revised March 2026), moves electronic savings bonds from one TreasuryDirect account to another, and you sign it in ink before a certifying officer because a notary is not accepted.
Treasury lists six grounds for a transfer, moves each bond whole on this form, and publishes no time for the form itself; its time for trusts and other TreasuryDirect requests is ten months or longer (TreasuryDirect Contact Us, as of November 11, 2026).
ClaimMyBonds is an independent private guide, not the government. The form is free from TreasuryDirect, and this page covers who signs, what the form needs, where to mail it and what happens after a TreasuryDirect owner dies.
What Is FS Form 5511 Used For?
FS Form 5511 is Treasury's request to transfer securities held in a TreasuryDirect account (an individual account, or an entity account such as a deceased person's estate or a trust) to another account.
TreasuryDirect is Treasury's website for holding electronic savings bonds, and an entity account is an account held by an estate or trust rather than by a person.
The official title is "TreasuryDirect Transfer Request." The form is Revised March 2026 and carries OMB control number 1530-0071, the federal approval number it shares with FS Form 5444, FS Form 5446 and FS Form 5512. Every form and its revision is listed in our guide to savings bond forms.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Official title | TreasuryDirect Transfer Request |
| Revision | March 2026 |
| OMB number | 1530-0071, shared with FS 5444, 5446 and 5512 |
| Official PDF | pdf5511.pdf |
| Covers | Securities in an individual or entity TreasuryDirect account |
| Grounds for savings bonds | Six |
| Who signs | The account owner, the entity account manager, or a parent for a minor account owner |
| Bonds | Series EE and I bonds, each moved whole on this form |
| Signature | Certifying officer, no notary |
| Send to | Treasury Retail Securities Services, P.O. Box 9150, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150 |
| Time | None published for FS 5511; ten months or longer for trusts and other TreasuryDirect requests |
| Cost | The form is free; Treasury charges no fee |
Source: FS Form 5511 (Revised March 2026); TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026.
Treasury's October 2, 2026 notice (91 FR 62814) estimates 3,875,552 respondents a year for the whole OMB 1530-0071 collection of TreasuryDirect forms. It gives no figure for FS 5511 alone, so the number shows only how widely these forms are used.
Which Savings Bonds and Accounts FS Form 5511 Covers
Two kinds of electronic savings bonds move with FS Form 5511: Series EE and Series I bonds held in TreasuryDirect, including bonds converted from paper. The form also covers marketable Treasury securities, which this site does not cover.
Paper bonds never go on this form. Paper savings bonds are not transferable and the registration on the bond decides who owns them (31 CFR 353.15, 353.5(a)), so they change hands by reissue instead. The receiving account must be a TreasuryDirect account.
Opening one takes a Social Security number, age 18, a U.S. address and a U.S. bank account that accepts ACH electronic payments (31 CFR 363.11), and login runs through ID.me only since October 28, 2026. Our guide to electronic savings bonds and TreasuryDirect accounts explains what an account holds.
When Treasury Allows a Transfer: The Six Grounds on FS Form 5511
FS Form 5511 lists six grounds for moving savings bonds: a gift, a final judgment, a court order, a divorce decree, a property settlement agreement, or another authorized transfer. The table shows what Treasury requires or notes for each.
| Ground | What Treasury requires or notes |
|---|---|
| Gift | Counts toward the recipient's $10,000 per-series limit in the year delivered (31 CFR 363.52); entity accounts cannot receive gifts; a gift bond never delivered belongs to the named owner even if the buyer dies (363.96(e)) |
| Final judgment | Honored only if consistent with Part 363 and the owner was a party (363.45(d)); no order defeats a surviving beneficiary (363.45(h)) |
| Court order | Same limits as a final judgment (363.45(d), 363.45(h)) |
| Divorce decree | Recognized for TreasuryDirect bonds (363.45(c)); read more on savings bonds in divorce |
| Property settlement agreement | Treated with the decree it ratifies (363.45(c)) |
| Other authorized transfer | For example into a trust's entity account, with the page 2 tax statement; read more on savings bonds and trusts |
Source: FS Form 5511 (Revised March 2026); 31 CFR 363.45, 363.52, 363.96 (eCFR as of November 6, 2026). Transfer after a death is not a listed ground.
A gift moves bonds to another person's account, and the limit is $10,000 of Series EE and $10,000 of Series I (principal) per person per calendar year (31 CFR 363.52(a)). The gifted bonds count in the year they are delivered, so a recipient near the limit should check before accepting them.
A transfer after an owner's death is not one of the six listed grounds, and the section on a TreasuryDirect owner's death below covers it; read more on a deceased owner's TreasuryDirect account.
Treasury recognizes a divorce decree for TreasuryDirect bonds (31 CFR 363.45(c)). It honors other final court orders only as far as they are consistent with Part 363 and only if the owner was a party to the case (363.45(d)).
No court order can defeat the rights of a surviving beneficiary or secondary owner (363.45(h), 363.20). For an individual case, ask the estate's attorney.
Who Signs FS Form 5511?
Three kinds of signer exist on FS Form 5511: the account owner, the entity account manager for an entity account, and a parent for a minor account owner, whose signature certifies that the parent requests the transaction for the minor.
A converted bond with a co-owner (OR) registration is a "restricted security," and both registrants sign (31 CFR 363.168(d), 363.169(d)).
An attorney-in-fact (a person you name in a power of attorney to act for you) needs authority for transfers. Treasury's FS Form 5188 (Revised April 2026) covers transfers, but allows a transfer to the attorney-in-fact's own account only if the grantor marks Box C, as described for FS Form 5188.
Minor accounts have their own rule: at 18 the custodian may only buy new securities or transfer to an account in the young adult's name and Social Security number, (31 CFR 363.27).
TreasuryDirect's ID.me FAQ adds that the account is temporarily put on hold when the child turns 18. A beneficiary named on a bond has no rights while the owner lives, so the owner signs alone (363.20).
How to Fill Out FS Form 5511
FS Form 5511 asks for five things: the account the bonds leave, the bonds to move, the ground for the transfer, the receiving account and the certified signature, plus page 2 for a trust. Download the form first, then gather the items in the table.
| Item | What you provide | Rule to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Account the bonds leave | Individual account, or an entity account such as a decedent's estate or trust | Entity accounts have one manager acting alone |
| Bonds to move | Whole Series EE and I bonds | Each bond left or moved is worth at least $25 (31 CFR 363.54) |
| Ground | One of the six grounds | Gifts count toward the recipient's limit |
| Receiving account | An existing TreasuryDirect account | ID.me login |
| Page 2 | Tax Liability Notice and Statement | Trust transfers only |
| Signatures | Owner or entity manager | Both registrants for restricted bonds |
| Certification | Certifying officer in person | No notary |
Source: FS Form 5511 (Revised March 2026); 31 CFR 363.43, 363.54.
Check the items below before you mail the form. Each is a noun you can verify in advance.
- The receiving TreasuryDirect account, already open
- The ground for the transfer, matched to one of the six
- Every bond whole, with each bond worth at least $25
- Page 2, the Tax Liability Notice and Statement, for a trust
- The owner's or entity manager's signature, in ink
- The certifying officer's certification, not a notary's
The receiving account must exist before you mail, because Treasury moves bonds only to a TreasuryDirect account. A person without one opens it first, which takes a valid Social Security number, age 18, a U.S. address and a U.S. bank account accepting ACH (31 CFR 363.10, 363.11).
This page lists what the form needs, not its field labels, so follow the labels printed on the PDF.
Transfers to a Trust: The Tax Liability Notice and Statement
A transfer of savings bonds to a trust requires the Tax Liability Notice and Statement on page 2 of FS Form 5511 (Revised March 2026). Under IRS Publication 550 (2025), the transferor includes the interest earned up to the transfer date, unless the transferor is treated as the owner of the trust (a grantor trust).
Treasury's tax appendices list the transfer of a book-entry EE bond as a tax event (31 CFR Part 351, Appendix), and Part 359, Appendix D treats the transfer of a book-entry I bond as a tax event.
Interest is federally taxable and exempt from state and local income tax (31 U.S.C. 3124), which is the federal side of taxes on savings bond interest. A tax professional decides the individual case.
Does FS Form 5511 Need a Notary? No, a Certifying Officer
No, FS Form 5511 does not accept a notary: you sign in ink in the presence of a certifying officer, and the form states that notary certification is not acceptable.
This differs from FS 1522 (notary or certifying officer above $1,000) and FS 5444 (notary accepted), while FS 5446 and FS 5512 follow the same no-notary rule as FS 5511.
The table compares the five forms.
| Form | Use | Notary accepted? | Revision |
|---|---|---|---|
| FS 5511 | Move electronic bonds | No | March 2026 |
| FS 5512 | Cash electronic bonds | No | April 2026 |
| FS 5446 | Account changes | No | April 2026 |
| FS 5444 | Account authorization, hardlock | Yes, or a certifying officer (a bank address stamp does not count) | March 2026 |
| FS 1522 | Cash paper bonds | Yes, above $1,000 (ID copy at $1,000 or less) | April 2026 |
Source: form PDFs on treasurydirect.gov/forms, as of November 11, 2026.
Who Can Certify Your Signature on FS Form 5511
FS Form 5511 asks for a certifying officer who is authorized to bind his or her financial institution and to guarantee signatures to assignments of securities.
A certifying officer is a person Treasury authorizes to confirm your identity when you sign. The form accepts the institution's seal or stamp, or a stamp from a signature-guarantee program Treasury recognizes.
- Officers of a bank, credit union or other depository institution, using the institution's seal or signature-guarantee stamp.
- Abroad, the same kind of officer at a foreign branch of a U.S. depository institution, or a U.S. diplomatic or consular official.
The general rule, 31 CFR 363.43, lists more certifiers for TreasuryDirect forms, such as Armed Forces officers for service members and their families, and judges or court clerks. Treat that list as the regulation's list, not the form's: the form itself names financial institution officers, so ask the institution before you sign.
Certification matters because the certifier confirms who signed the form. A foreign notary counts only if a U.S. consular official certifies the notary's authority.
You sign in the certifier's presence, and anyone with an interest in the bonds cannot certify, so the recipient cannot certify the owner's signature. Our guide to savings bond signature certification compares the options. ClaimMyBonds does not certify signatures.
Where to Send FS Form 5511 and How Long the Transfer Takes
Mail the signed and certified FS Form 5511 to Treasury Retail Securities Services, P.O. Box 9150, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150.
Treasury Retail Securities Services
P.O. Box 9150
Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150
Phone: 844-284-2676 (toll free), Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm ET; outside the US +1 (304) 480-6464
Source: FS Form 5511 (Revised March 2026); TreasuryDirect Contact Us and legacy help page, as of November 11, 2026
There is no walk-in service. The Parkersburg, West Virginia address printed on the form is for comments on the paperwork burden only, never for the request itself.
Treasury publishes no time for FS Form 5511 itself. Its time for "other TreasuryDirect requests (including trusts)" is ten months or longer (TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026).
For comparison, Treasury quotes three months or longer for cashing paper bonds in your name, five months or longer for bonds not in your name and nine months or longer for converting paper bonds to electronic (TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026).
Fill-in sites that promise days cite no source. Treasury Retail Securities Services charges no fees, and Treasury approves no apps or third-party websites for account access.
FS Form 5511 After a TreasuryDirect Owner Dies
Contact Treasury first when a TreasuryDirect owner dies: Treasury places a hold on the account and tells you which form to use, and FS Form 5511 moves the bonds once the person entitled is known. Survivors (a beneficiary or secondary owner) prove the death and move the bonds to their own account or cash them.
The representative of an administered estate (the person a court appoints) opens an estate account with letters of appointment dated within one year (31 CFR 363.44(a)).
The $100,000 threshold in the table is the total redemption value of the decedent's savings bonds, with any other Treasury securities, at the date of death (31 CFR 363.44(d)). Treasury's phone line for TreasuryDirect questions is 844-284-2676. Heirs who prefer to keep the bonds can read about reissuing inherited savings bonds instead of cashing them.
The table shows who moves a deceased owner's electronic bonds.
| Situation | What Treasury needs | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficiary or secondary owner survives | Proof of death | Transfer to own account or cash: POD savings bonds |
| Estate administered by a court | Representative opens an estate account; letters within one year; required above $100,000 at the date of death | Estate entity account |
| Estate settled, or state small-estate procedure | Final accounting, decree or small-estate evidence | Payment or transfer: FS Form 5394 |
| No administration, $100,000 or less | One voluntary representative in a set order: spouse, child, descendant of a deceased child, parent, sibling, descendant of a deceased sibling, next of kin; persons entitled then use FS 5511 or 5512 | FS Form 5336 |
| Heir will not open an account | Evidence of entitlement; no TreasuryDirect account needed | Paid instead (363.126(c)) |
Source: TreasuryDirect death-of-owner page; 31 CFR 363.20, 363.44, 363.126; FS 5336 (Rev. April 2026), FS 5394 (Rev. May 2026).
Heirs who are unable, unwilling or ineligible to open an account are paid instead (31 CFR 363.126(c)). Inherited bonds do not count toward the heir's $10,000 annual limit (363.52(c)), and the form moves each bond whole.
FS Form 5511 and the Other TreasuryDirect and Savings Bond Forms
FS Form 5511 only moves electronic bonds between accounts, while three neighboring forms cash electronic bonds, handle paper bonds and change account details. The forms hub linked above lists every revision.
Cashing Instead of Moving: FS Form 5512
FS Form 5512 (Revised April 2026, sec5512.pdf) cashes electronic EE and I bonds by mail and pays by direct deposit. Like FS 5511, it needs a certifying officer only. Use FS Form 5512 when the goal is money, not a move.
Account Changes That Are Not Transfers: FS Form 5446 and FS Form 5444
FS Form 5446 (Revised April 2026) changes account details such as a name, Social Security number, entity manager or a restricted bond's registration, without moving bonds. FS Form 5444 (Revised March 2026) authorizes an account and removes a hardlock, and the page on being locked out of TreasuryDirect explains hardlocks.
Paper Bonds: FS Form 4000, FS Form 1851 or Conversion First
Paper bonds change hands by reissue, never with FS Form 5511, and three routes exist:
- FS Form 4000 (Revised April 2026) reissues paper EE and I bonds as electronic bonds only, since there is no paper reissue after February 14, 2014: FS Form 4000
- FS Form 1851 (Revised April 2026) reissues paper bonds to a personal trust: FS Form 1851
- Conversion through SmartExchange first, which is optional, one-way and takes nine months or longer: convert paper savings bonds to electronic
FS Form 5511 FAQ
Can You Fill Out and Submit FS Form 5511 Online?
You cannot submit FS Form 5511 online. You can type into the PDF on screen, but you must print it, sign in ink before a certifying officer and mail it to P.O. Box 9150 in Minneapolis, and fill-in websites cannot submit it for you.
Where Do You Get a Printable FS Form 5511 PDF?
Download pdf5511.pdf from TreasuryDirect's Forms for Savings Bonds list and check that it reads "Revised March 2026", because older copies titled PD F 5511 still appear on other sites.
Can You Split a Savings Bond When You Transfer It?
Not on FS Form 5511: the mailed form says Series EE and I bonds may not be split, so each bond goes whole to one account. The regulation (31 CFR 363.55(a)) allows a portion of at least $25 to move to another person's account, and each bond held must be worth at least $25 (31 CFR 363.54).
How Do You Cash a US Savings Bond Not in Your Name?
Cash a paper bond not in your name by mail with FS Form 1522 plus the evidence of entitlement (a death certificate, letters of appointment or an estate form); Treasury's time is five months or longer (TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026). Electronic bonds go through FS Form 5512.
Rules checked November 11, 2026, against the Treasury sources named above; see our methodology.