Quick answer
An Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) is a six-digit number the IRS gives you to put on your federal tax return. It changes every year and proves the return is really yours. Anyone with an SSN or ITIN who can verify their identity can get one.
The fastest way is the Profile tab of your IRS Individual Online Account. If you can't verify online, use Form 15227 (if your AGI is under $84,000, or $168,000 married filing jointly) or visit an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center. Lost it? Sign in to your online account to see it, or call 800-908-4490 and, in most cases, the IRS mails it to the address on file within 21 days.
How the IP PIN works
- Six digits, good for one calendar year. You get a new one every year.
- Use it on every federal return you file that year, including a late return for an earlier year.
- Everyone who has one enters their own: you, your spouse on a joint return, and on e-filed returns, any dependents who have one.
- Missing or wrong IP PIN: an e-filed return is rejected, and a paper return is delayed while the IRS checks your identity.
- It replaces the prior-year AGI check. When you e-file with a valid IP PIN, the IRS uses it to confirm your identity instead of last year's AGI.
The IRS will never call, email or text you to ask for your IP PIN. Anyone who does is a scammer. The only person you give it to is the tax pro preparing your return.
Three ways to get an IP PIN
| Way | Who it's for | How long it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Online account | Adults 18 and older who can verify with ID.me | Right away. The online tool usually isn't available from mid-November until January. |
| Form 15227 | People whose AGI on their last return was under $84,000 ($168,000 married filing jointly) and who have a phone | The IRS calls to verify you, then mails the PIN, usually in 4 to 6 weeks. It may only apply starting next filing season. |
| In person | Anyone who can't verify online or by Form 15227, including people over the income limit | Mailed, usually within 3 weeks of your visit |
If you get your PIN by Form 15227 or in person, the IRS mails you a new one every year on a CP01A notice, between mid-December and early January. If you signed up online after 2019, no CP01A is mailed. You sign in each January to see your new PIN.
Get your IP PIN online, step by step
- Sign in at IRS.gov/account, or create your account with ID.me. You'll need a photo ID and a selfie, or a video call with an ID.me agent. Our IRS online account guide has every step.
- Open the Profile tab.
- Find "Identity Protection PIN" and enroll. You can enroll for every year, or choose a one-time enrollment that covers only the current year.
- Write down your PIN and keep it somewhere safe. Give it to your tax pro when you file. Next January, sign in again for the new one.
Get it in person at an IRS office
- Call 844-545-5640 for an appointment at a Taxpayer Assistance Center.
- Bring a photo ID issued by the federal government or a state, plus one more ID, such as your Social Security card, passport, voter registration card, a lease or mortgage statement, a utility bill showing your current address, or your birth certificate.
- Wait for the mail. Your IP PIN arrives within about 3 weeks, and a new one comes by mail every year.
IP PINs for your children and dependents
- Dependents 18 and older can get their own through their own online account.
- Children under 18 can't get one online. A parent or legal guardian can request it with Form 15227, using the parent's phone number, or at an in-person appointment.
- For the in-person visit, bring your own photo ID and one more ID, plus two documents for the child, such as a birth certificate, Social Security card, passport, school records or a letter from a doctor or clinic. You may need proof of guardianship.
- On an e-filed return, enter each dependent's IP PIN, or the return is rejected.
Lost or forgot your IP PIN
- Look it up online. Sign in to your online account and open the Profile tab. Adults can see their current PIN there anytime it's available.
- Can't sign in? Call 800-908-4490, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. your local time. After verifying your identity, the IRS mails your PIN within 21 days to the address it has on file.
- Know the exceptions. The IRS won't mail a replacement if you first signed up for an IP PIN during the current calendar year, or if you ask between November and mid-January, while it prepares next year's PINs. A child's PIN can't be looked up online, so call. Form 15227 can't be used to replace a lost PIN.
- Still stuck? You can mail a paper return without the IP PIN. The IRS will verify your identity before processing it, which delays your refund.
If you moved
The IRS mails CP01A notices and replacement PINs only to the address it has on file, so a move can leave your PIN at your old address.
- Use your online account if you can. Your PIN is shown there and nothing is mailed, so your address doesn't matter.
- Otherwise, update your address with the IRS first: send Form 8822 or a signed letter, or tell the IRS by phone or in person. Allow up to 45 days. See how to change your address with the IRS.
- Then call 800-908-4490 to have your PIN mailed to your new address.
A change of address with the Post Office may update the IRS's records, but not always. Tell the IRS directly.
Turning the IP PIN off
If you signed up on your own and were never a victim of tax-related identity theft, you can opt out in the IP PIN section of your online account's Profile tab, or by calling 800-908-4490. Wait up to 72 hours before e-filing without it. A one-time enrollment ends by itself at the end of the year.
Confirmed identity theft victims can't opt out. The IRS enrolls them automatically and mails a new PIN every year.
Rejected for an IP PIN code?
| Code | What it means |
|---|---|
| IND-180-01 IND-181-01 | Your IP PIN is missing, or doesn't match the IRS's records |
| IND-182-01 IND-183-01 | The same problem with your spouse's IP PIN |
The fix: get this year's PIN (online, from your CP01A notice, or by calling 800-908-4490), make sure each person's PIN is next to their own name, and resubmit. Last year's PIN won't work.
If the IRS says your SSN was already used on another return (R0000-902-01), someone may have filed with your number. See our rejection codes guide.
Common questions
Do I have to get an IP PIN?
No. It's voluntary, unless the IRS has confirmed you were a victim of tax-related identity theft. Then you're enrolled automatically.
Is the IP PIN the same as the PIN I use to sign my e-filed return?
No. The Self-Select PIN is five digits you make up to sign your return. The IP PIN is six digits the IRS gives you to protect your SSN or ITIN.
Does my IP PIN change every year?
Yes. Each PIN works for one calendar year. Use the current year's PIN on every return you file that year.
What is a CP01A notice?
It's the letter the IRS mails each year, between mid-December and early January, with your new IP PIN, if you get your PIN by mail.
Someone called asking for my IP PIN. Is that the IRS?
No. The IRS never asks for your IP PIN by phone, email or text. Hang up, and don't share it with anyone except the tax pro preparing your return.
Do I need my IP PIN for a paper return?
Yes. Enter it in the Identity Protection PIN box next to your signature. Without it, the IRS delays your return while it verifies your identity.
Can my tax preparer get my IP PIN for me?
You're the one who gets it from the IRS, online, by phone or in person. We can walk you through it during your appointment and file with it right away.
Official sources
We checked this guide against these official pages:
This guide is general information, not tax advice for your situation. Tax rules change, so check the official sources or ask a tax pro. Nationwide Tax Pro is a private tax preparation company and an authorized IRS e-file provider. We are not affiliated with the IRS, HealthCare.gov or any government agency.