The Internal Revenue Service plans to begin accepting corporate, partnership and tax-exempt returns starting at 9:00 am Eastern Time on Monday, but with some important exceptions.

In an email to tax professionals on Friday, the IRS said that effective 9:00 am Eastern Time on Monday, February 4, it will begin accepting many of the tax year 2012 calendar and fiscal-year Corporate (Form 1120 series), Partnership (Forms 1065/1065-B), and Tax Exempt Organization (Form 990 series) income tax returns with the exception of filers claiming depreciation deductions and various energy and business tax credits. The IRS said it plans to accept the remaining tax returns in late February or early March.

“In general, this means any business attaching Form 3800 (General Business Credits), Form 4562 (Depreciation and Amortization) or any of the other forms listed below, should wait to file their 2012 tax return at the later date,” said the IRS. “A specific date will be announced in the near future.”

The forms on hold include:

• Form 3800: General Business Credit  
• Form 4136: Credit for Federal Tax Paid on Fuel
• Form 4562: Depreciation and Amortization (Including Information on Listed Property)
• Form 5471: Information Return of U.S. Persons With Respect to Certain Foreign Corporations
• Form 5735: American Samoa Economic Development Credit
• Form 5884: Work Opportunity Credit
• Form 6478: Credit for Alcohol Used as Fuel
• Form 6765: Credit for Increasing Research Activities
• Form 8820: Orphan Drug Credit
• Form 8834: Qualified Plug-in Electric and Electric Vehicle Credit
• Form 8844: Empowerment Zone and Renewal Community Employment Credit
• Form 8845: Indian Employment Credit
• Form 8864: Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel Fuels Credit
• Form 8874: New Markets Credits
• Form 8900: Qualified Railroad Track Maintenance Credit
• Form 8903: Domestic Production Activities Deduction
• Form 8908: Energy Efficient Home Credit
• Form 8909: Energy Efficient Appliance Credit
• Form 8910: Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit
• Form 8911: Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit
• Form 8912: Credit to Holders of Tax Credit Bonds
• Form 8923: Mine Rescue Team Training Credit
• Form 8932: Credit for Employer Differential Wage Payments
• Form 8936: Qualified Plug-in Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit 

Filing of two other business forms is affected by the delay, but only for electronic filers, the IRS added. Businesses using Form 720 and filling out lines 13 and 14 cannot file yet electronically, but they can file on paper. Other Forms 720 are being accepted electronically. In addition, Form 8849 Schedule 3, Claim for Refund of Excise Taxes, is not currently being accepted electronically, but it can be filed on paper.

On January 7, the IRS said it was ready to accept business tax returns with a year ending prior to Dec. 31, 2012 (see IRS Begins Accepting Business Tax Returns). The IRS began accepting individual tax returns on January 30, but with a similar list of forms excluded (see IRS Opens Tax Filing Season for Individuals and IRS Promises Better Service as it Kicks off Tax Season).