U.S. · Tax forms
1099-DIV box 12, exempt-interest dividends.
Fund-paid tax-exempt interest, the box 11 mix-up and the box 13 slice.
Box 12 of Form 1099-DIV shows exempt-interest dividends from a mutual fund or other regulated investment company (RIC). People often search for “box 11”, but box 11 is only the FATCA filing requirement check box. Box 13 is a slice of box 12, not extra.
Check the boxes fit
Result
Box number correction. The row for this page called these “box 11”. In the 01/2024 instructions, box 11 is the FATCA filing requirement check box and exempt-interest dividends are box 12, so this page uses box 12.
Box number correction
Searches for “1099-DIV box 11 exempt-interest dividends” use an older or mistaken number. In the instructions read on November 2, 2026, box 11 is the FATCA filing requirement check box and exempt-interest dividends are box 12.
What the instruction says
Enter exempt-interest dividends from a mutual fund or other RIC. Include specified private activity bond interest dividends in box 13 and in the total for box 12.
Box 13
Box 13 is exempt-interest dividends paid by a RIC on specified private activity bonds, to the extent attributable to interest on the bonds received by the RIC minus an allocable share of expenses. “Specified private activity bond” generally means a section 141 private activity bond issued after August 7, 1986.
Why not Form 1099-INT
Form 1099-INT instructs payers to report exempt-interest dividends from a mutual fund or RIC on Form 1099-DIV. Interest on bonds you hold directly goes in box 8 of Form 1099-INT.
Dollar line
The instructions count exempt-interest dividends in the $10 test for dividends and other distributions.
Worked example (made-up figures)
A municipal bond fund pays a shareholder $800 of exempt-interest dividends, $150 of which is attributable to specified private activity bonds. Box 12 shows $800 and box 13 shows $150. Box 11 is only a check box for the payer’s FATCA reporting.
Related decoders
More 1099 interest and dividend box pages: 1099-DIV box 2a, 1099-DIV box 1a, 1099-DIV box 2b, 1099-INT box 3, 1099-INT box 11. For the 1099-R box 7 codes see the 1099-R distribution codes lookup.
Sources
- Instructions for Form 1099-DIV (01/2024): the box-by-box section for this form. Read November 2, 2026. The IRS page was last reviewed April 30, 2026.
Edition read: Instructions for Form 1099-DIV (01/2024). These instructions are continuous use and are updated as needed, so check the current version before relying on a detail. This page summarizes the instructions and does not replace them; the worked example uses made-up figures.
Frequently asked questions
What is box 12 on Form 1099-DIV?
Exempt-interest dividends from a mutual fund or other RIC.
Is box 11 exempt-interest dividends?
No. In the 01/2024 instructions, box 11 is the FATCA filing requirement check box.
Is box 13 added to box 12?
No. The instructions say to include specified private activity bond interest dividends in box 13 and in the total for box 12.
Why is my fund’s exempt interest not on a 1099-INT?
The 1099-INT instructions send exempt-interest dividends from a mutual fund or other RIC to Form 1099-DIV.
Does the $10 line include exempt-interest dividends?
Yes. The 1099-DIV filing rule counts dividends including capital gain dividends and exempt-interest dividends.
Not tax advice
This page summarizes IRS instructions, mostly written for the people who prepare the form, and is not tax, legal or financial advice. The payer, a CPA or an enrolled agent can confirm what a box means for your return. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.