To verify your identity through ID.me for the IRS, create an ID.me account, upload a government-issued photo ID, complete either an automated video selfie or a live video call with an agent, then consent to share your verified identity with the IRS. The self-service route takes about 5–10 minutes if your documents are ready.1ID.me Help Center. IRS and ID.me ID.me is the third-party provider the IRS uses to confirm you are who you say you are before granting access to sensitive tax records.2Internal Revenue Service. Creating an Account for IRS.gov You go through this once, and from then on your ID.me credentials are what you use to sign in to IRS online services.
What to Have Ready Before You Start
Gather everything before you begin. The name, date of birth, and address you type during registration must match your documents exactly, or the system will reject the attempt.3ID.me Help Center. Documents You Need to Verify Your Identity With ID.me
- An unexpired government-issued photo ID: driver’s license, state ID, U.S. passport, or passport card, clearly showing your name, photo, and expiration date.3ID.me Help Center. Documents You Need to Verify Your Identity With ID.me
- Your Social Security number or ITIN.2Internal Revenue Service. Creating an Account for IRS.gov
- An email address for the ID.me account.
- A smartphone or a computer with a webcam to photograph your ID and complete the selfie step.4Internal Revenue Service. New Identity Verification Process to Access Certain IRS Online Tools and Services
Some situations call for a second document. You will need two primary documents, or one primary plus a secondary document, if your driver’s license expired within the last 12 months, you live outside the United States, you have an ITIN instead of a Social Security number, or you only have a non-U.S. passport.3ID.me Help Center. Documents You Need to Verify Your Identity With ID.me Acceptable secondary documents include a Social Security card, birth certificate, marriage certificate, voter registration card, vehicle registration, or a utility bill or bank statement dated within the last year showing your full name and current address.5ID.me Help Center. Documents You Need for ID.me In-Person Verification
Creating Your Account
Start on the IRS website and select the option to access your online account. The site redirects you to ID.me. Create an account with your email and a strong password, then set up multi-factor authentication, which requires a second form of verification every time you sign in. You can receive the code by text message, phone call, or an authenticator app.3ID.me Help Center. Documents You Need to Verify Your Identity With ID.me
Pick a Verification Path
Self-Service With a Video Selfie
Self-service is the fastest route and works for most people. Photograph the front and back of your photo ID and upload the images. Then take a video selfie: position your face inside the on-screen oval, hold still while a series of colored lights flash, and let the software confirm you are a real person matching the ID photo.6ID.me. How to Take a Video Selfie Use a well-lit room, keep the ID flat without glare, and make sure your whole face is visible without glasses or a hat.
If the automated system cannot confirm your identity, usually because of image quality or a data mismatch, you will be offered a live video call with an ID.me agent instead.
Live Video Call With a Trusted Referee
The video call is for anyone who cannot complete self-service or prefers not to use the biometric selfie.7Taxpayer Advocate Service. Identity Verification and Your Tax Return A trained agent, called a Trusted Referee, reviews your documents and verifies your information directly. If you need to verify in another language, tell the agent at the start of the call and they will bring in a third-party interpreter; ID.me supports over 240 languages.8ID.me Help Center. Verifying With an Extended Video Call
In Person at a Retail Location
If you would rather not verify online at all, ID.me offers in-person verification at retail locations across the country. Search by ZIP code, then book an appointment or walk in during business hours.9ID.me Help Center. Verify Your Identity In Person With ID.me at a Retail Location Near You Bring your photo ID and any secondary documents. Start on the IRS website, select “Verify with ID.me,” then choose the “In-Person” option when prompted.
Linking Your Verified ID.me Account to the IRS
After verification, ID.me redirects you back to the IRS website. A consent screen shows exactly what identity information ID.me will share with the IRS. Select “Allow” to complete the link.2Internal Revenue Service. Creating an Account for IRS.gov Your identity verification does not expire. Once your ID.me account shows a “Verified Identity” card, you will not need to go through the process again.10ID.me Help Center. When ID.me Verifications Expire and How to Reverify
With the accounts linked, you can view tax transcripts, see balances owed and payment history, make online payments or apply for a payment plan, and retrieve or obtain an Identity Protection PIN.4Internal Revenue Service. New Identity Verification Process to Access Certain IRS Online Tools and Services
If You Live Abroad or Only Have a Non-U.S. Passport
The standard self-service path is not built for you. During the verification selection step, choose “I don’t live in the United States” or “I don’t have the above documents” rather than the self-service or standard video chat options.11ID.me Help Center. Verify With ID.me Using a Non-U.S. Passport
You will need a valid, unexpired non-U.S. passport and an address document such as a bank statement, utility bill, or foreign driver’s license, showing the same international address you enter during verification. These must be original documents; copies and photos are not accepted. The process ends with a video call where an agent reviews your documents and confirms your information.11ID.me Help Center. Verify With ID.me Using a Non-U.S. Passport One security note: if someone other than ID.me sends you a video call link, report it to the agent immediately. Fraudsters sometimes use fake verification links to steal personal information.
When Verification Fails
Name Mismatches and Rejected Documents
The most common failure is a name mismatch: the name you typed does not match what appears on your ID or in your ID.me account. If you see a “Mismatched Information” error, check for typos and make sure the name you entered matches exactly what your ID.me account displays.12ID.me Help Center. Fix the ID.me Mismatched Information Error During Identity Verification This catches people who go by a middle name, use a nickname, or recently changed their name through marriage or divorce. To update your name on ID.me, submit a request through their support team. Name updates typically take up to three business days but can take longer during busy periods.13ID.me Help Center. Change or Update Your Name on ID.me
Documents also get rejected when uploaded photos are blurry, cropped, or show glare. Lay the ID flat on a dark surface, make sure all four edges are visible, and avoid overhead lighting that creates a bright spot on the card.
Selfie Failures
The video selfie step fails most often because of poor lighting or incorrect positioning. Use a well-lit area, fill the on-screen oval with your face, and hold still while the colored lights flash.6ID.me. How to Take a Video Selfie Remove glasses, hats, and masks. If the selfie keeps failing, switch to the Trusted Referee video call rather than fighting the automated system.
Lost Access to Your Multi-Factor Device
If you lose the phone or device you set up for multi-factor authentication, you can still recover the account. Go to the ID.me sign-in page, select the MFA recovery link on the sign-in screen, then follow the prompts to confirm your identity and set up a new authentication method.14ID.me Help Center. Fix MFA Errors Like “You Do Not Have Multi-Factor Authentication Enabled” If you deleted the ID.me Authenticator app entirely, reinstall it and set up code generator authentication again.
Who to Contact
ID.me handles all verification and account access issues. The IRS cannot help with problems on the ID.me side. If you have tried the steps above and still cannot verify, contact ID.me support directly.12ID.me Help Center. Fix the ID.me Mismatched Information Error During Identity Verification Document reviews, when required, are usually completed within 24 hours, though busy periods can extend that.15ID.me Help Center. How Long ID.me Document Review Takes
If You Cannot or Will Not Use ID.me
ID.me is the standard path to IRS online services, but you can still handle IRS business without it. If you need to verify your identity but do not have a letter from the IRS, call the Taxpayer Protection Program line at 800-830-5084, or 267-941-1000 from outside the U.S.7Taxpayer Advocate Service. Identity Verification and Your Tax Return In limited cases, the IRS may ask you to visit a Taxpayer Assistance Center in person. Call ahead to schedule an appointment and bring two forms of original identification, one of which must be a current government-issued photo ID.16Internal Revenue Service. Contact Your Local IRS Office
Your Biometric Data and How to Avoid It
The selfie step collects biometric data, specifically a facial geometry map compared against your photo ID. ID.me retains this information for up to 36 months, with the exact retention period set by the government agency you first verified with. Some agencies require the data to be purged within 24 hours of successful verification; others require longer retention. ID.me will not retain biometric data beyond 36 months unless compelled by a subpoena or warrant.17ID.me Help Center. Understanding and Managing Your Biometric Information
If biometric collection is a dealbreaker, the Trusted Referee video call does not require the biometric selfie.7Taxpayer Advocate Service. Identity Verification and Your Tax Return You can also verify in person at an ID.me retail location or skip ID.me entirely and use the phone or in-person IRS alternatives above.