Does the IRS Use Login.gov or ID.me for Verification?

For the tools most taxpayers care about, the IRS uses ID.me, not Login.gov. Login.gov can sign you in to a narrow set of IRS web applications, but the identity verification required to see your Online Account, pull a transcript, set up a payment plan, or request an Identity Protection PIN runs through ID.me, the third-party credential service the agency has contracted for identity proofing.¹ So the practical answer to whether the IRS uses Login.gov or ID.me is: both exist in the system, but ID.me is the one you will actually need.

What Login.gov Does at the IRS

Login.gov is a sign-in service run by the General Services Administration that gives you one set of credentials across multiple federal agencies. Its IRS help page states that Login.gov is “for secure sign in only,” meaning it confirms you are the person who created the account but does not perform the deeper identity verification the IRS requires for its main self-service tools.²

Login.gov offers partner agencies three tiers: basic authentication, basic identity verification, and enhanced identity verification certified to the federal IAL2 standard.³ For the IRS’s higher-security tools, the agency routes taxpayers through ID.me for identity proofing rather than Login.gov.¹ If you already have a Login.gov account from another agency, you can use it for certain lower-security IRS applications, but you will still need an ID.me-verified identity for the tools listed below. One catch worth flagging: if you verified your Login.gov identity without providing a Social Security number, you will hit an error trying to reach IRS services, because an SSN is required.²

What ID.me Does

ID.me is the third-party credential service provider the IRS uses to verify taxpayer identities for its secure online tools.⁴ The verification meets IAL2 through document review, biometric matching, and multi-factor authentication.

If you already have an ID.me account from a state agency, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or another federal agency, you do not need to verify again. That existing verified credential carries over to IRS tools.¹

Which IRS Tools Require ID.me Verification

You will run into ID.me when you try to open any of the following individual taxpayer tools:

Online Account, which shows your balance, payment history, and digital copies of certain IRS notices⁴
Get Transcript Online
Online Payment Agreement, to set up an installment plan
Get an Identity Protection PIN

Tax professionals go through the same verification for the Tax Pro Account and to submit Forms 2848 and 8821 online.¹

Not every IRS tool requires it. “Where’s My Refund?” and “Where’s My Amended Return?” use simpler authentication — your Social Security number, filing status, and expected refund amount — without an ID.me or Login.gov account.

What You Need Before You Start

Gather these before opening the verification flow so you can finish in one session:

A photo ID: driver’s license, state-issued ID card, or current passport¹
Your Social Security number
A smartphone or a computer with a webcam, for the selfie step⁴
An email address to create the ID.me account
Your mailing address as it appears on your identity records

If you do not have a driver’s license or passport, ID.me accepts secondary documents to support your identity: a Social Security card, a U.S. birth certificate with an official seal, a health insurance card, a W-2, a bank or financial institution statement, a pay stub, or an electric bill.⁵ Each has its own rules. Bank statements and utility bills, for instance, cannot be more than a year old. Secondary documents are typically reviewed during a video call with an ID.me agent rather than through the automated system.

How the Verification Runs

You start on the IRS.gov sign-in page and pick ID.me as your credential provider. From there:

Create the account with your email and a password, then set up multi-factor authentication such as a text code or an authentication app.
Upload clear photos of the front and back of your ID. The document must be unexpired, and good lighting matters — glare is a common reason images fail.⁶
Take a selfie. The system compares your live photo to the image on your ID.¹
Once verified, you’re redirected to the IRS tool you were trying to open.

If the automated flow cannot confirm your identity, ID.me offers a live video chat with an agent who can walk through the process and review your documents in real time.¹ Having secondary documents ready for that call helps if your primary ID raised questions.

One further situation to know: if you have a security freeze on your credit report, the online check may fail because it cannot access credit header data. You can temporarily lift the freeze with the relevant bureau, or fall back to the video chat or an in-person option.

If Online Verification Won’t Work for You

Not everyone can finish verification online. Damaged IDs, no smartphone or webcam, or records that will not match are all real obstacles. The IRS provides other paths.

Video Chat With an ID.me Agent

This is the built-in fallback. If the self-service option fails, you’re directed to schedule a call.⁴ The agent reviews your documents on camera and can accept the secondary documents the automated system does not handle.

In Person at a Taxpayer Assistance Center

If you received an IRS identity-verification letter such as Letter 5747C, or online just isn’t an option, you can verify in person at a Taxpayer Assistance Center.⁷ TACs run on appointment only. Call 844-545-5640 to schedule.⁸ Bring a current government-issued photo ID, your Social Security card or taxpayer identification number, and, if you filed one, a copy of the return in question. TAC offices are closed on federal holidays.

By Phone

Some IRS letters, such as Letter 4883C, list a toll-free number for phone verification.⁷ Have your prior-year return, the current-year return, and any IRS letters in front of you when you call. If the representative cannot confirm your identity by phone, you may be asked to visit a TAC.

What Happens to Your Selfie

Because the process captures a selfie, the natural next question is what ID.me does with it. ID.me may retain biometric information, including the selfie, for up to 36 months. The exact period depends on the agency you first verified with, and some agencies require deletion within 24 hours of a successful verification.⁹

You can delete the selfie yourself. Sign in to your ID.me account, go to “Sign in & Security,” open “Privacy,” and choose “Delete my selfie.” Processing can take up to seven days.¹⁰ Deleting the selfie does not affect your ability to keep signing in to IRS tools; your verified credential stays active.

Login.gov’s enhanced verification service also uses facial matching, and the agency states the image is used only for verification and is not retained for other purposes.³ Because the IRS routes most taxpayers through ID.me, though, ID.me’s retention rules are the ones that will apply to you.

1
Internal Revenue Service. How to Register for IRS Online Self-Help Tools
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Login.gov. Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
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Login.gov. Our Services
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Internal Revenue Service. New Identity Verification Process to Access Certain IRS Online Tools and Services
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ID.me Help Center. Primary and Secondary Identification Documents
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Internal Revenue Service. New Online Identity Verification Process for Accessing IRS Self-Help Tools
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Internal Revenue Service. IRS Identity Theft Victim Assistance – How It Works
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Internal Revenue Service. Contact Your Local IRS Office
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ID.me Help Center. Understanding and Managing Your Biometric Information
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ID.me Help Center. Delete Selfies and Biometric Information