IRS PIN Number: How to Get, Recover, or Opt Out

An IRS PIN number is one of two different codes the IRS uses during tax filing: a six-digit Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) that stops anyone else from filing a return under your Social Security Number, and a five-digit Self-Select PIN that works as your electronic signature when you e-file.¹ They do different jobs, you get them in different ways, and most of the confusion around “IRS PINs” comes from mixing the two up.

The Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN)

An IP PIN is a six-digit number known only to you and the IRS. It prevents someone else from filing a tax return using your SSN or ITIN. The program started as a protection for confirmed identity theft victims and is now open to any taxpayer who wants it.¹

A few things to know up front. The IP PIN changes every year, and the IRS mails the new one on Notice CP01A in December or January before filing season opens.² Once you have one, it’s not optional: any e-filed return under your SSN or ITIN will be rejected without the correct current-year IP PIN. Paper filers write it in the signature area of Form 1040. The IP PIN is for federal returns only — do not put it on your state return.¹

The same IP PIN rule applies to amended returns and to e-filed extension requests on Form 4868.³

How To Get an IP PIN

There are three ways to get one, and which one works for you depends mainly on whether you can verify your identity online.

Online: The Fastest Way

Use the “Get an IP PIN” tool on irs.gov. You’ll verify your identity through ID.me by uploading a government-issued ID (driver’s license, state ID, or passport) and taking a selfie.⁴ Once you’re verified, the current-year PIN shows on screen immediately. When you enroll, you pick between staying in the program every year going forward or signing up for the current calendar year only.¹

Form 15227 by Mail

If online verification doesn’t work for you, file Form 15227, Application for an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number. There’s an income limit: adjusted gross income on your most recently filed return must be below $84,000, or $168,000 if married filing jointly.⁵ The IRS mails the PIN to your address on file, which takes several weeks.

In Person at a Taxpayer Assistance Center

If your income is above the Form 15227 threshold and you can’t use the online tool, book an appointment at a local Taxpayer Assistance Center. Bring government-issued ID so staff can verify you on the spot. Find the nearest office with the IRS Taxpayer Assistance Locator or call 844-545-5640.¹

The Self-Select PIN

The Self-Select PIN is a different thing entirely. It’s a five-digit number you pick in your tax software to act as your electronic signature on Form 1040 or Form 4868. You don’t register it in advance; the software prompts you to choose it when you file. The only rule for the number itself is that it can’t be all zeros.³

What matters more than the PIN you pick is the authentication step the IRS uses to confirm you’re the real filer. You need your date of birth, which is checked against Social Security Administration records, plus either your prior-year adjusted gross income or the Self-Select PIN from last year’s original return. If the AGI or prior-year PIN doesn’t match IRS records, the return is rejected on the spot.³

If you’ve never filed a tax return before, enter zero for prior-year AGI. Don’t leave the field blank, or the return will reject.³ Enter zero as well if your prior-year return is still being processed.⁶ On a joint return, you need the prior-year AGI or PIN for both spouses; if one spouse didn’t file last year, enter zero for that person.

Finding Your Prior-Year AGI

A wrong AGI is one of the most common reasons an e-filed return bounces. If last year’s return isn’t within reach, log into your IRS online account at irs.gov and open the Records and Status tab; you can select the prior tax year and read the AGI directly. If you can’t get into your online account, request a free tax return transcript from the IRS, which shows the AGI line from your prior filing.⁷

IP PINs for Dependents

If a dependent on your return has an IP PIN, you have to enter it when you e-file. The IRS requires the dependent’s IP PIN on Form 1040, on Form 2441 for child and dependent care expenses, and on Schedule EIC for the Earned Income Credit. Miss any of those spots and the return rejects. Paper filers get a pass: dependent IP PINs don’t need to be entered on a paper return.¹

A dependent who is 18 or older and has an IRS online account can request their own IP PIN. For dependents under 18, or anyone who can’t create an ID.me account, a parent or guardian can file Form 15227 for them. You can also go in person to a Taxpayer Assistance Center, but bring two forms of ID for the dependent — birth certificate, Social Security card, passport, or school records.¹

Lost, Forgotten, or Compromised PIN

If you misplace your IP PIN, log back into the “Get an IP PIN” tool on irs.gov and re-verify your identity; the current-year PIN will display on screen. If the online tool isn’t an option, call 800-908-4490 for help from an IRS representative.⁸

If you believe someone else has your IP PIN, call the IRS identity theft line at 800-908-4490 right away.⁹ The IRS cannot issue a replacement IP PIN mid-year, so you may have to file on paper until a new one is generated for the next tax year. Filing a report with local law enforcement is also a good step to document the theft.

The Self-Select PIN itself rarely causes trouble because you pick a new one every year. The sticking point is the prior-year AGI used to authenticate it. If an e-file gets rejected for an AGI mismatch, pull the correct number from your IRS online account or a transcript and try again. Without a matching AGI or prior-year PIN, your only route is to mail a paper return.

Opting Out of the IP PIN Program

If you voluntarily signed up for an IP PIN and no longer want to track a new number every year, you can leave the program. Log into your IRS online account, go to your profile page, and use the IP PIN section to opt out. You can also call 800-908-4490.¹

Two limits apply. Opting out is only available if you joined voluntarily and have never been a confirmed victim of tax-related identity theft; confirmed victims are automatically enrolled and cannot leave. After you opt out, allow up to 72 hours before you can e-file without an IP PIN or opt back in.¹

1
Internal Revenue Service. Frequently Asked Questions About the Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN)
2
Internal Revenue Service. Understanding Your CP01A Notice
3
Internal Revenue Service. Self-Select PIN Method for Forms 1040 and 4868 Modernized e-File (MeF)
4
Internal Revenue Service. New Identity Verification Process To Access Certain IRS Online Tools and Services
5
Internal Revenue Service. Form 15227 (Rev. 1-2026)
6
Internal Revenue Service. Validating Your Electronically Filed Tax Return
7
Internal Revenue Service. Adjusted Gross Income
8
Internal Revenue Service. Get an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN)
9
Internal Revenue Service. Reporting Identity Theft