How to Gift Shares

Whether you're the recipient or the giver of a gift of stocks, mutual funds, or other securities, you'll want to ensure this transaction goes smoothly. We can help you receive—or give—shares and make sure they end up in the right place.

How do I handle gifts into and out of a Fidelity account?

For gifts into your account, how the giver sends your gift determines how it's handled. For example, if a relative wants to transfer securities from an outside brokerage account into your Fidelity account, he or she should contact the outside firm. If you'd like to gift shares or securities from your Fidelity account to another Fidelity account, or if you want to send a gift outside of Fidelity, there are a few ways to make this happen.

What do I need to know?

Receiving shares: If a sender wants to give you shares (stocks, mutual funds, or other securities) from an outside firm, he or she needs to contact that firm to verify delivery instructions. In addition to following the firm's specific instructions, the sender may need to provide the firm with these details:

  • Your name, Social Security number (SSN), and your Fidelity account number
  • Your account registration information, including the type of account you have (e.g., nonretirement) and its ownership (e.g., individual or joint)
  • Fidelity's Depository Trust Company (DTC) number, which is 0226

  • Our name and address:

    Fidelity Investments
    Attn: TOA Receives
    PO Box 770001
    Cincinnati, OH 45277-0036

Note:

Sending shares: Your request to gift shares from your account must be in writing. You'll need to complete one of the following forms depending on where you're sending your gift.

For shares gifted from one Fidelity account to another, use the Transfer Between Existing Fidelity Accounts form

For shares gifted to a brokerage account outside Fidelity, use the Transfer Shares as a Gift – Nonretirement form

If you're gifting shares directly to a person, use the Transfer Shares as a Gift – Nonretirement form with the following information included in the Additional Details box in section 2:

  • The full name and address of the recipient
  • The Social Security number (SSN) or tax identification number (TIN) of the recipient
  • If you're gifting shares to a minor (someone under the age of 18), then the minor's date of birth and the name of their legal guardian or custodian is required

What to expect

  • The time frames for processing gifts into or out of your account vary, based on the specific security and how it is sent or delivered.
  • Gifts between two Fidelity accounts take 1–4 business days to process.
  • After the transaction is processed, you will receive an email notification within 1–2 business days or a mailed confirmation within 3–5 business days (based on your delivery preferences).