Getting an IRS Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN)
An IRS IP PIN is a six-digit, one-calendar-year filing credential; get it through the IRS, retrieve the current year’s number, and keep it out of email and text messages.
An IRS Identity Protection PIN is a six-digit number used to help the IRS verify that a federal individual income-tax return filed under your SSN or ITIN is really yours. It is useful both for confirmed identity-theft victims and for taxpayers who voluntarily opt in after identity verification. Treat the PIN as a filing credential, not as a general password: give it only to the person or software preparing the return, keep it out of unsolicited phone or email conversations, and retrieve the current number through the IRS's official process.
The fastest route is the IRS online account when you can verify identity
The IRS 'Get an IP PIN' route is the main retrieval path for taxpayers who can verify identity online. The practical setup step is to secure the IRS Online Account and its recovery methods before filing season, then retrieve the PIN from that authenticated account when the current year's number is available. Taxpayers placed in the program after confirmed identity theft may receive IRS correspondence about their PIN process. Follow the route shown by the IRS for your enrollment status rather than assuming every participant receives the same paper notice.
If you cannot use the online process, the IRS lists alternatives, including Form 15227 for eligible taxpayers and in-person identity verification at a Taxpayer Assistance Center. Those routes can take longer and have eligibility or document requirements, so use the current IRS instructions rather than an old blog post that assumes every taxpayer can use the same enrollment method.
An IP PIN belongs to the person, not to the tax return preparer
A tax professional cannot obtain your IP PIN for you. You obtain it and provide it to the trusted preparer when the return is ready to file. The IRS says it will not call, email, or text you to ask for the PIN. Treat any unexpected request as suspicious. If a preparer stores the number, ask how it is protected and who can access it. Because the PIN is valid for the calendar year, do not put it into an unencrypted family spreadsheet that will remain unchanged for years.
If spouses filing jointly each have IP PINs, each taxpayer’s own number must be entered where the return requests it. Dependents may also have IP PINs. The filing software or preparer should place each number in the correct field rather than using the primary taxpayer’s PIN for the whole household.
| Situation | What to do | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| You can use IRS Online Account | Retrieve the current IP PIN from the IRS profile and store it securely until filing | Searching old email or tax PDFs for last year’s number |
| You cannot verify online | Review IRS eligibility for Form 15227 or make a Taxpayer Assistance Center appointment | Sending sensitive documents to unofficial “IP PIN help” services |
| You use a paid preparer | Give the PIN directly to the trusted preparer when needed for filing | Allowing a stranger to “retrieve” it for you |
| You file a prior-year return this calendar year | Use the IP PIN valid for the current calendar year, following IRS instructions | Assuming the PIN for that old tax year is the correct one |
| Your PIN is missing near filing time | Use the IRS retrieval guidance before submitting | Guessing a six-digit number or repeatedly filing with a stale PIN |
The calendar-year rule is the detail people miss
A late or prior-year federal return still needs the IP PIN that the IRS instructs you to use at the time you file. That is why an old PIN should not be copied forward from last year's tax folder. Before submitting a prior-year or amended return, check the current IRS instructions for where the IP PIN belongs and which current credential applies. This is a filing-mechanics issue, separate from whether the underlying return is for an earlier tax year.
Store the PIN in a password manager or another secure record you can reliably access. Do not leave the only copy on a phone that could be lost. If another adult in the household has a PIN, label which taxpayer each number belongs to; a six-digit list with no names is an avoidable filing error.
IP PINs prevent one kind of filing misuse, not all tax fraud
The PIN helps the IRS verify that a return using your SSN or ITIN is legitimate. It does not stop a scammer from impersonating the IRS, stealing your tax refund after it reaches a compromised bank account, taking over your tax-software login, or using your SSN for employment. Secure the email and tax-preparation account behind the filing, enable strong MFA, and review your IRS account when there is a reason to suspect misuse.
If your e-file is rejected because another return was already filed, obtaining an IP PIN for future filings is useful, but it does not replace the current identity-theft procedure. Follow the duplicate-return instructions, submit Form 14039 when appropriate, and keep the IRS case separate from preventive enrollment.
- □ Use IRS.gov to obtain or retrieve the PIN; do not follow a link in an unsolicited message.
- □ Confirm that the six-digit number is the current calendar year’s IP PIN.
- □ Store the number with the taxpayer name in a protected password or document vault.
- □ Give it only to the IRS and the trusted tax professional preparing the return.
- □ Retrieve a fresh number each year instead of copying the prior year’s tax organizer.
- □ If a return is already fraudulent, work the identity-theft case separately from IP PIN enrollment.
Family use needs deliberate recordkeeping
Parents can obtain IP PINs for dependents when the IRS process permits and identity can be verified. In a household with several PINs, create a small filing-season checklist: taxpayer name, current calendar year, PIN retrieved, return accepted. Avoid putting the actual PIN in the checklist if the checklist is stored in a less secure location. This separation gives you operational clarity without spreading the credential.
Know the finish line
You are set for the year when the current IP PIN has been obtained from the IRS, stored securely, and supplied only to the trusted filing process. After the return is accepted, preserve the return acknowledgment but continue protecting the PIN for any additional federal return you may file during the same calendar year. In January of the next year, start again with the newly generated number. That recurring rhythm is the feature, not a defect: a stolen old PIN should not remain useful forever.
Questions specific to Getting an IRS Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN)
Does an IRS IP PIN change every year?
Yes. IRS guidance says a new six-digit IP PIN is generated each calendar year. Use the current year’s PIN on federal returns filed during that calendar year as instructed by the IRS.
Can my tax preparer get my IP PIN for me?
No. The IRS says taxpayers must obtain their own IP PIN. You can then provide it to a trusted tax professional who is preparing your return.
Can I get an IP PIN if I have never been a victim of tax identity theft?
Yes. The IRS allows taxpayers who can verify their identity to opt into the program. Confirmed tax-identity-theft victims may be enrolled automatically.
What should I do if I cannot use the online account?
Review the IRS alternatives, which can include Form 15227 for eligible taxpayers or identity verification at a Taxpayer Assistance Center. Use the current IRS requirements because eligibility and processing details can change.