IRS Identity Verification Process: Letters, ID.me, and Deadlines

If the IRS mailed you a letter asking you to prove your identity, the IRS identity verification process works like this: confirm which letter you received, gather your photo ID and the tax return that was flagged, then verify online through ID.me, by phone, or in person depending on what the letter directs. You generally have 30 days from the date on the letter to respond, and your refund stays on hold until you do.¹

Which Letter You Received

The letter number in the top corner determines your options. Five letters trigger this process, and they are not interchangeable.

Letter 5071C is the most common. It lets you verify online or by phone.
Letter 4883C is issued for returns filed with a U.S. address and typically directs you to call rather than verify online.²
Letter 5747C requires an in-person visit to a Taxpayer Assistance Center and is used for higher-risk situations.³
Letter 6483C also requires an in-person appointment, but it is strictly an identity check and you won’t need tax documents.⁴
Letter 6330C is part of a separate pilot program and functions similarly to Letter 5071C.

Every letter carries a control number printed near the top. You’ll enter it during online verification or read it to the agent by phone, so keep the letter with you through the whole process.

You Have 30 Days

Letter 5071C gives you 30 days from its date to respond.¹ The IRS will not process the return or release any refund in the meantime. Missing the window doesn’t end your case, but it usually means calling the Taxpayer Protection Program line at 800-830-5084 to restart things. Taxpayers living outside the U.S. should call 267-941-1000.⁵ Deal with the letter the week it arrives; delay only pushes your refund further out.

What to Have Ready Before You Start

For Letters 5071C, 4883C, and 6330C, gather all of this before you begin:

The IRS letter itself, for the control number.
A current photo ID: driver’s license, state-issued ID, or U.S. passport.³
Your Social Security number or ITIN.
The tax return that was flagged (Form 1040 or 1040-SR for that year). The system asks about specific line items.
Supporting income documents for that year: W-2s, 1099s, Schedule C, and similar records.³
A prior-year return, which the IRS uses to cross-reference your filing history.

Letter 6483C is the exception. You’ll need identity documents but not tax records, and the appointment confirmation will spell out exactly what to bring.⁴

Verifying Online Through ID.me

If your letter offers an online option, this is the fastest route. The IRS uses ID.me as its identity verification service.⁶ Go to the web address printed in the letter, then sign in to an existing ID.me account or create one.

The self-service flow asks you to upload photos of your ID with a smartphone camera or webcam and then take a video selfie so the system can match your face to the photo on the ID. A liveness check runs during the selfie to confirm you’re a real person and not holding up a picture.

Once ID.me clears you, you’re sent back to the IRS verification page. You enter the control number from your letter and answer questions drawn from your return: specific dollar amounts, filing status, and address. A confirmation screen tells you the IRS received the verification.

If You Don’t Have a Smartphone or Webcam

ID.me offers a live video call with an agent as an alternative to the automated biometric process.⁵ A real person walks you through the ID check without the automated selfie step. You still need a camera and internet connection, but not specifically a smartphone.

When Online Verification Fails

Most rejections come from blurry ID photos, poor lighting on the selfie, or a name mismatch between the ID and IRS records (a married name versus a maiden name, for example). Retake the photos in a well-lit room against a plain background, and remove glasses and hats for the selfie. If it still won’t accept you, the video chat agent is the next step before falling back to the phone.

Verifying by Phone or in Person

Every letter lists a toll-free number. When you call, an automated system routes you to a specialized agent who asks detailed questions from your current and prior-year returns. Have both returns and all supporting documents open in front of you before dialing. The agent won’t hold while you look for paperwork, and there’s no callback if the session ends.

Letter 5747C requires a Taxpayer Assistance Center visit from the start.² The same applies if a phone agent can’t verify you; they’ll direct you to schedule an appointment.⁵ Use the scheduling line in your letter to book a slot, and bring your physical ID, the letter, and the tax documents listed above. The agent performs a manual review and clears the identity flag on your account during the visit.

If You Didn’t File the Return the IRS Is Asking About

A verification letter for a return you never filed means someone likely used your Social Security number to submit a fraudulent one. Don’t ignore the letter; acting quickly limits the damage.

Use the online verification service listed in the letter to tell the IRS the return isn’t yours.⁷ Then file Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, to formally report the fraud. You can submit it online at irs.gov (the preferred method), by fax, or by mail.⁸ Since you’re responding to a specific letter, check Box 2 in Section A and include the letter number. Use only one submission method for the same incident.

Filing Form 14039 does not cancel any real tax obligation you owe. If identity theft blocked you from e-filing your own legitimate return because someone else already used your SSN, print and mail it separately to the address where you normally file. Do not send your return to the Form 14039 address.⁸

How to Tell a Real Verification Request From a Scam

The IRS always initiates contact by mail. It does not send initial contact through email, text, or social media. Any message claiming to be identity verification that arrives by email or text is a scam. The IRS also never leaves pre-recorded voicemails threatening arrest, and it will never ask you to pay with gift cards, prepaid debit cards, or wire transfers.⁹

If a physical letter looks off, log into your IRS Online Account to see whether the notice shows up in your file. You can also call the IRS at a number listed on irs.gov rather than any number printed in a suspicious letter.⁹

What Happens After You Verify

Once verification is complete, the IRS restarts normal processing on your return. The agency states it can take up to nine weeks from that point to finish processing and issue any refund.⁷ If you owe a balance instead, verification ensures the payment posts to the correct account.

Track the refund with the “Where’s My Refund?” tool on irs.gov or the IRS2Go mobile app.¹⁰¹¹ Neither requires a sign-in. Enter your SSN or ITIN, filing status, and exact refund amount. Give the system time to update after verification before checking repeatedly. If nine weeks pass with no movement, the holdup is probably a separate issue, and calling the IRS makes sense at that point.

Preventing This Next Filing Season With an IP PIN

After going through verification once, an Identity Protection PIN keeps it from happening again. The IP PIN is a six-digit number tied to your account. Any return filed under your SSN without the correct PIN is rejected automatically.¹²

Any taxpayer with an SSN or ITIN can opt in voluntarily; you don’t need to be a confirmed identity theft victim. Confirmed victims are enrolled automatically and receive a new PIN each year by mail on a CP01A notice.¹² Parents and guardians can request IP PINs for dependents too, which is worth doing since children’s SSNs are often misused for years before anyone notices.

The fastest route is through your IRS Online Account. If you can’t set up an online account and your adjusted gross income is below $84,000 (or $168,000 for married filing jointly), you can apply using Form 15227. Otherwise, request one in person at a Taxpayer Assistance Center.¹² The PIN changes every year. If you opted in online, retrieve the new one from your account each January rather than waiting for mail.

1
Taxpayer Advocate Service. Letter 5071C
2
Internal Revenue Service. Internal Revenue Manual 25.25.6 – Taxpayer Protection Program – Section: 25.25.6.1.7
3
Internal Revenue Service. Understanding Your Letter 5747C
4
Internal Revenue Service. Understanding Your Letter 6483C
5
Taxpayer Advocate Service. Identity Verification and Your Tax Return
6
Internal Revenue Service. New Online Identity Verification Process for Accessing IRS Self-Help Tools
7
Internal Revenue Service. Verify Your Return
8
Internal Revenue Service. Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit
9
Internal Revenue Service. Ways to Tell if the IRS Is Reaching Out or if Its a Scammer
10
Internal Revenue Service. About Wheres My Refund
11
Internal Revenue Service. The IRS2Go App
12
Internal Revenue Service. Get an Identity Protection PIN