The most common Form I-9 mistakes, and the right way to correct each one
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Most Form I-9 errors fall into a small number of patterns, and USCIS publishes them. In Section 1 it is missing information, a missing signature, the wrong number of status boxes, or a late completion. In Section 2 it is document details left out, unacceptable documents recorded, the start date missing, or the section finished after the third business day. The fix is usually simple, but who may make it, and how, is where employers create a second problem on top of the first.
This page lists the common mistakes by section, gives the correct fix for each, and explains when a correction in place is enough and when a new form with a memo is the better record. For running a full review of your files, see the I-9 audit checklist, which also covers inspections and penalties.
Not legal advice. Based on USCIS's Self-Audits and Correcting Mistakes page and Handbook for Employers, Section 9.0, as of September 2026. Corrections cannot cure every problem, and a correction made after an inspection notice is viewed differently from one made in a routine self-audit. Talk to counsel about anything systemic.
The one rule behind every correction: who owns which section
| Part of the form | Who may correct it |
|---|---|
| Section 1 | The employee, or the preparer or translator who helped them |
| Supplement A (preparer/translator) | The preparer or translator |
| Section 2 | The employer or its authorized representative |
| Supplement B (reverification and rehire) | The employer or its authorized representative |
The method is the same for everyone: draw a single line through the incorrect information, write the correct or missing information, and initial and date the correction with the date you actually made it. An electronic I-9 system should do the equivalent through its audit trail, which is why an electronic correction should never overwrite a value without leaving a record; see electronic I-9 storage requirements.
Section 1 mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Missing legal name, address or date of birth | Employee adds it, initials and dates |
| Lawful permanent resident box checked with no A-Number/USCIS Number | Employee adds the number, initials and dates |
| "Alien authorized to work" box with no expiration date (or "N/A") and none of the three identifying numbers | Employee adds the missing entries |
| No status box, or more than one, checked | Employee corrects the attestation, initials and dates |
| Section 1 not signed or dated | Employee signs and enters today's date; never the original start date |
| Section 1 completed after the first day of employment | Cannot be undone; attach a memo explaining when and why it was completed late, and fix the process |
| A preparer or translator helped but did not complete Supplement A | The preparer or translator completes Supplement A now, dated today |
The employer's part in Section 1 is limited to spotting the problem and asking the employee to fix it. You may not ask for documents to prove what they entered, and you may not tell them which status box to check. If the employee has left and cannot correct their own section, attach a signed, dated statement identifying the error and explaining why it could not be corrected. For what Section 1 should look like in the first place, see Form I-9 Section 1 instructions.
Section 2 mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Document title, issuing authority, number or expiration date left blank | If you kept copies, add the missing detail from the copy, initial and date. If not, ask the employee to present the document again if they still work for you |
| Documents recorded from both List A and Lists B and C | Leave the entries legible; attach a note explaining the extra documents were not required. Fix your process, because asking for more documents than needed can be an unfair documentary practice |
| An unacceptable document recorded, such as an EAD under List C or a restricted Social Security card | Ask the employee to present acceptable documentation of their choice; complete a new Section 2 (on a new form if there are several errors) and attach an explanation |
| First day of employment missing | Add it, initial and date |
| Employer name, title, business name or address missing, or no signature | The person who examined the documents completes and signs with today's date |
| Section 2 completed after the third business day | Cannot be backdated; attach a memo recording when it was actually done and why |
| Remote examination used, but the alternative procedure box not checked | Check the box, initial and date, only if the procedure was actually followed. See I-9 remote verification |
Supplement B mistakes
- Employee name missing at the top of the supplement page. Add it from Section 1.
- Document title, number or expiration date missing. Add it from your copies, or ask the employee to present an acceptable List A or List C document of their choice.
- Employer did not sign or date the block. Sign and date it now, with today's date.
- Reverification that should never have happened. Reverifying a U.S. citizen, a noncitizen national, or a permanent resident who presented a Permanent Resident Card is an error in itself. See I-9 reverification.
- Reverification that was missed. Complete it as soon as the problem is found, dated the day you do it, and attach a memo. If the employee is no longer authorized, you cannot continue to employ them.
Process mistakes that no single correction fixes
These are the errors that show up across dozens of forms, because they come from how hiring is run:
- Collecting I-9 documents before an offer is accepted. The form cannot be completed before acceptance. See I-9 timing in hiring.
- Telling new hires which documents to bring. Send the lists; the employee chooses. See I-9 List A, B and C documents.
- Using an outdated edition. As of September 2026, USCIS lists the 01/20/25 edition and one 08/01/23 edition, both expiring 05/31/2027, as acceptable; the 08/01/23 version that expired 07/31/2026 is no longer valid.
- Copying documents for some employees but not others. Pick a policy and apply it to everyone, except where E-Verify requires copies.
- Accepting receipts that do not qualify, or accepting a second receipt. See the I-9 receipt rule.
- Storing I-9s inside personnel files, which makes a targeted inspection production harder and mixes retention schedules. See I-9 retention rules.
When to start a new form instead of correcting in place
USCIS's handbook gives the three levels:
- One or two errors in a section: correct in place.
- Multiple errors in one section: you may redo just that section on a new Form I-9 and attach it to the original.
- Substantial errors, such as whole sections left blank, or Section 2 completed from unacceptable documents: complete a new Form I-9.
In every case keep the original. Staple or electronically link the new form to it and attach a short written explanation. The old form is part of the record; throwing it away turns a paperwork error into a missing-records problem.
A memo that explains a correction
Form I-9 correction memo
Employee: [name] Original Section 2 date: [date]
Date of this review: [today] Reviewer: [name, title]
What was found: Section 2 did not record the expiration date of the
List B document (state driver's license).
What was done: Expiration date added from the copy retained with the
form, initialed and dated [today] by [reviewer].
Why it happened: New onboarding coordinator was not trained on
Section 2 fields. Training completed [date].
Signed: ______________________ Date: __________Keep the memo factual. It should say what was wrong, what was done, and when, and it should never suggest the form was right all along.
What never to do
- Backdate a correction, a signature or a whole form.
- Use correction fluid, erase, or print a fresh copy and destroy the original. USCIS warns that concealing changes can increase liability.
- Complete or correct Section 1 for the employee.
- Ask an employee for new or different documents to fix a record-keeping error that was yours, unless the original documents were genuinely unacceptable.
- Correct only the files an investigator is likely to see. Fix the whole population the error affects.
Questions people ask
Can HR fix a mistake the employee made in Section 1?
No. Only the employee, or the preparer or translator who helped them, may correct Section 1. The employer should ask the employee to draw a line through the error, write the correct information, and initial and date the change.
Should we redo the whole Form I-9 if we find an error?
Not for a single error. Correct it in place with a line through, the right information, and initials and today's date. USCIS suggests redoing a section on a new form when that section has multiple errors, and a new form when it has substantial errors, such as blank sections or Section 2 completed from unacceptable documents, with a written explanation attached either way.
Can we use correction fluid or print a clean copy of the form?
No. USCIS says not to conceal changes by erasing text or using correction fluid, and never to backdate. If that has already happened, attach a signed and dated explanation of what was changed and why.
What if the employee with the error no longer works for us?
Attach a signed and dated statement to the existing form identifying the error or omission and explaining why it could not be corrected, for example because the employee has left. Do not fill in Section 1 information on their behalf.