To use the IRS online account, transcript tool, payment agreement portal, or Identity Protection PIN system, you have to verify your identity through ID.me, the third-party service the IRS uses for digital sign-in. The process asks for a government photo ID and a selfie-based facial recognition check, with a live video call as the backup when the automated step fails. Most people finish in under 15 minutes if their documents are ready and their camera is decent.
What ID.me Unlocks on IRS.gov
Several of the IRS’s most useful self-service tools sit behind this sign-in. A verified ID.me credential gets you into your Online Account (balance by tax year, payment history, payment plan details, Economic Impact Payment amounts), Get Transcript Online, the Online Payment Agreement tool, and the Identity Protection PIN system. The six-digit IP PIN prevents anyone else from filing a return under your Social Security number or ITIN, and it protects both e-filed and paper returns.1Internal Revenue Service. New Identity Verification Process to Access Certain IRS Online Tools and Services
If none of those apply to your situation, you may not need to verify at all. Transcripts can come by mail, payment plans can be set up by phone, and a tax professional with their own credentials can act on your behalf. More on those routes below.
What to Have Ready Before You Start
Verification fails most often because something small on the ID doesn’t match IRS records. Gather these before you sign up:
- Your Social Security number or ITIN.
- A government-issued photo ID: driver’s license, state ID, passport, or passport card. The name and address on it must match what the IRS has on file. A missing middle initial or an abbreviated street name can cause the automated check to reject you.
- An email address for account creation and recovery.
- A mobile phone number for multi-factor authentication. If you live outside the United States and have no U.S. number, ID.me has an international verification path.2ID.me Help Center. IRS and ID.me
- A smartphone or a computer with a webcam. Camera quality affects whether the facial recognition check passes on the first try.3Internal Revenue Service. Creating an Account for IRS.gov
Use your full legal name exactly as it appears on your most recent tax return. If you changed your name through marriage or a court order and haven’t yet updated it with the IRS, the mismatch will probably knock you out of the automated flow.
ITIN holders go through a slightly different path. ID.me requires a video call rather than the self-service flow and asks for either two primary documents (such as a passport plus a national ID card) or one primary document plus a secondary document like a utility bill, pay stub, or W-2. Originals only. If a document is in another language, photograph the original and its English translation side by side.4ID.me Help Center. Verify With ID.me Using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
Verifying Online, Step by Step
Verification happens on the ID.me site, not IRS.gov. You build the account there first, then link it to the IRS at the end.
Create your ID.me account. Go to ID.me and set up a login with your email and a strong password. This is separate from anything you may already have on IRS.gov.
Upload your photo ID. Pick the document type and photograph both the front and back. Good lighting matters here. The system reads the text optically, so shadows and glare cause rejections. A dark, flat surface works best.
Pass the facial recognition check. You position your face in a frame and may be asked to move your head slightly as a liveness check. The system compares the live capture to the photo on the ID you uploaded. This is where most self-service attempts stall, usually from poor lighting or a low-resolution camera.1Internal Revenue Service. New Identity Verification Process to Access Certain IRS Online Tools and Services
Set up multi-factor authentication. Text message codes are the default option, but ID.me also offers passkeys (your device’s face recognition, fingerprint, or PIN), rotating codes from the ID.me Authenticator app, push notifications, and physical security keys. Whichever you pick, generate backup codes during setup. They are one-time codes that let you back in if your primary method is unavailable, and setting them up now saves a lot of trouble later.5ID.me Help Center. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Options for ID.me
Link to the IRS. Return to IRS.gov, choose sign in with ID.me, and authorize the IRS to read your verified credential. You land on your account dashboard.
When the Automated Check Fails: Video Chat
If facial recognition does not pass, or if you don’t have a smartphone, ID.me routes you to a live video agent.6ID.me Help Center. Verifying With an Extended Video Call
For the call, have your photo ID plus at least one secondary document. Accepted secondary documents include utility bills (water, gas, phone, cable), medical bills, phone bills, and tax forms such as a W-2 or 1099. Each one must show your full name and current address and be no more than a year old. An informal notification or letter from a provider doesn’t count; it has to be an official statement or bill.7ID.me Help Center. Other Secondary Documents for Identity Verification
On the call, you hold up the documents for the agent to see, answer a few verification questions, and the agent approves you manually when things check out.
Wait times vary a lot. Some people connect in under an hour; others report multi-hour waits during peak periods. You can skip the queue by scheduling an appointment up to a week ahead on ID.me’s site. If you’re joining live instead, early morning Eastern Time tends to be shortest. The queue runs on Eastern Time regardless of your location.8ID.me Help Center. Schedule an ID.me Video Call Appointment Online
If you’d rather verify in a language other than English, tell the agent at the start of the call. ID.me supports more than 240 languages through third-party interpreters who join the session.
Getting Back In: Lockouts and Lost Devices
Too many bad password attempts will lock the account. Use the unlock link on the lockout screen, enter your email, and watch for the email from ID.me. The unlock link inside expires after 15 minutes, so act on it quickly. If it expires, request a new one. If unlocking still fails, wait 24 hours before trying again.9ID.me Help Center. Unlock Your ID.me Wallet
Losing the phone tied to multi-factor authentication is the most common post-setup headache. From the sign-in page, follow the prompts to the “Complete Your Sign In” screen, then choose the MFA recovery option. ID.me will confirm you own the account through a selfie, video call, email check, or document upload. Once confirmed, you have 30 minutes to set up a new authentication method; miss that window and recovery starts over.10ID.me Help Center. ID.me MFA Recovery Steps if You Lost Access or Can’t Sign In Backup codes bypass all of this, which is why generating them during setup is worth the extra two minutes.
Alternatives if You Can’t or Won’t Use ID.me
The IRS still handles tax business without an ID.me credential; the online tools just aren’t available.
Mail-order transcripts. File Form 4506-T to receive a transcript at the address the IRS has on file. Most requests are processed in about 10 business days. The IRS mails only to the address of record, not to a different address you specify.11Internal Revenue Service. IRS Form 4506-T – Request for Transcript of Tax Return
Phone. Call the IRS toll-free line for payment plan questions or notice responses. Expect long holds in filing season. The representative identifies you with questions drawn from your prior filings.
IP PIN without ID.me. Taxpayers with adjusted gross income at or below $84,000 ($168,000 for married filing jointly) can submit Form 15227. The IRS then calls the number on the form to verify identity before issuing the PIN. If you’re over that income threshold or can’t verify online, book an in-person appointment at a Taxpayer Assistance Center.12Internal Revenue Service. Get an Identity Protection PIN
Taxpayer Assistance Center. Call ahead to schedule; walk-ins may not be seen. Bring a current photo ID, a second form of identification, your Social Security card or ITIN documentation, and any related tax papers. The IRS may cancel the appointment if you arrive more than 15 minutes late without checking in.13Internal Revenue Service. Contact Your Local IRS Office
A tax professional. A CPA or Enrolled Agent with a verified Tax Pro Account can pull your transcripts and resolve account issues on your behalf, so you never have to go through ID.me yourself.
What Happens to Your Biometric Data
The facial recognition step is the part most people pause on. ID.me may retain biometric information for up to 36 months after verification, though some agencies require purging within 24 hours of a successful check. The exact retention period depends on which agency you first verified with. ID.me states it does not keep biometric data beyond 36 months unless compelled by a subpoena or warrant.14ID.me Help Center. Understanding and Managing Your Biometric Information
To delete the account later, sign in and go to Sign In & Security, then Privacy. Under “Manage my data,” select “Remove my data” and follow the prompts. Profile information is deleted within seven days, and during that window you can contact ID.me support to reinstate the account. Closing it means losing access to any IRS tool that requires ID.me, and you would have to verify from scratch to get back in.15ID.me Help Center. Close or Delete Your ID.me Wallet