USCIS Form I-9: Edition Date vs. Expiration Date, Explained

The USCIS Form I-9 landing page carries two different date stamps printed in two different date formats and located in two different places on the page: an edition date at the bottom of the form and instructions, and an expiration date at the top. Here is exactly what the page says about each one, plus which older edition-and-expiration combinations it lists as still valid and the deadline it gives for updating electronic I-9 systems.

This original record-reading guide is a general reading aid, not cited evidence. It does not depict a source record; the article text and source links provide the facts.

Key points

• The current edition date is 01/20/25, and it appears at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.
• The expiration date appears at the top of the page on the form and instructions.
• Edition dates are printed in mm/dd/yy format; expiration dates are printed in mm/dd/yyyy format.
• Two prior 08/01/23-edition versions remain listed as valid: one expiring 05/31/2027 and one expiring 07/31/2026.
• Employers using an electronic version of the form must update their systems to the 05/31/2027-expiration version by 07/31/2026.

Source for all points above: uscis.gov/i-9

Where the edition date appears

According to the USCIS Form I-9 page, the edition date is listed as 01/20/25, and the page states: “You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.” (uscis.gov/i-9) The edition date sits at the bottom of both the form itself and its accompanying instructions.

Where the expiration date appears

The same page states that “You can find the expiration date at the top of the page on the form and instructions.” (uscis.gov/i-9) That places the expiration date at the top of both the form and the instructions — the opposite end of the page from the edition date.

Date formats used on the form

The two date stamps are not just in different locations, they’re printed in different formats. Per the page: “Edition dates are listed in mm/dd/yy format. Expiration dates are listed in mm/dd/yyyy format.” (uscis.gov/i-9) In other words, an edition date shows a two-digit year, while an expiration date shows a four-digit year.

Which prior editions remain valid

The page also lists two earlier versions of the form that it states remain valid, both sharing the same edition date but different expiration dates. It lists them as separate items: “Form I-9 with an 08/01/23 edition date, valid until its expiration date of 05/31/2027” and “Form I-9 with an 08/01/23 edition date, valid until its expiration date of 07/31/2026.” (uscis.gov/i-9)

Electronic system update deadline

The page states a specific deadline for electronic versions of the form: “Employers using an electronic version of Form I-9 must update their systems with the version that has the expiration date of 05/31/2027 by 07/31/2026.” (uscis.gov/i-9)

This article covers only what the page itself states about its date stamps, formats, valid prior editions, and this electronic-system deadline. It does not address any employer’s verification obligations under the form, any employer’s retention practice or compliance exposure, whom the form must be completed for, or the page’s own retention-and-inspection language read as employer guidance; readers looking for those answers should consult the source page directly or appropriate legal guidance.

Page update note

The USCIS Form I-9 page itself carries a “Last Reviewed/Updated: 06/03/2026” stamp. (uscis.gov/i-9)

Source links

• https://www.uscis.gov/i-9