You can create an IRS individual online account by starting at IRS.gov’s account or service page, selecting Sign in or create account, and completing the ID.me sign-up and identity-verification steps. You must be at least 18. Have a personal email address, a unique password of at least eight characters, your SSN or ITIN, and a government-issued photo ID ready. Identity verification normally uses a photo of that document and a selfie from a smartphone or a computer webcam; a video-chat agent route is also described by the IRS for people who prefer live help or cannot complete self-service verification.
What an IRS online account is—and who can create one
An IRS individual online account is a secure sign-in for viewing tax information and completing selected tasks without waiting for paper correspondence or calling the agency. The IRS currently directs individuals to ID.me for access to IRS tax information and services. The exact sign-in choices can vary by service, so begin from the IRS.gov page for the task you need rather than from a search advertisement, email, text message, or an old bookmark.
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The IRS account-creation page says the person creating an account must be 18 or older. A personal email address is required, and the password must be unique and at least eight characters long. You also need multifactor authentication (MFA), which can use an authentication app, face or touch unlock, or a cell phone that receives text messages. Creating the sign-in and proving your identity are separate stages: an email, password, and MFA protect the account, while your SSN or ITIN and photo ID establish that the account belongs to you.
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Prepare these items before you start
| Item | What the IRS or ID.me uses it for | Practical preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Personal email address | Account registration, notices, and recovery | Use an inbox you control and can access while registering. Avoid a shared work or family address. |
| Unique password | Primary account credential | Use at least eight characters and do not reuse the password on another site. A password manager can generate and store a longer one. |
| MFA method | Second check after the password | Choose an authenticator app, device face/touch unlock, or text messages to a mobile phone. |
| SSN or ITIN | Identity-verification record | Enter the number exactly as issued. The IRS provides separate help links for ITIN holders and people outside the United States with an SSN. |
| Government photo ID | Document check during verification | Examples listed by the IRS include a driver’s license, state identification card, passport, or passport card. Have the physical document available and readable. |
| Camera-equipped device | Document image and selfie | A smartphone or a computer with a webcam can be used. A webcam is optional if your phone works. |
Keep the document clean, unexpired if possible, and free of glare when you photograph it. Use a well-lit location for the selfie and follow the on-screen framing instructions. Do not email or text photographs of your identity document to anyone claiming to be IRS support; upload them only through the official IRS-to-ID.me flow.
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Step-by-step: create the account
- Open the official starting point. Type IRS.gov into your browser or use the IRS page for the specific service you need. Select the individual account or service, then choose Sign in or create account. Starting at IRS.gov helps you avoid look-alike pages.
- Continue to ID.me. Follow the ID.me prompts presented by the IRS. If ID.me reports that an account already exists for your email address, do not create a second account. Use the password-reset option instead; duplicate accounts can leave you unsure which identity record is connected to IRS services.
- Register your email and password. Enter your personal email address, confirm it through the message sent to that inbox, and create a unique password of at least eight characters. Do not use your email password, a tax-filing password, or a password used for banking or shopping.
- Turn on multifactor authentication. Select the available method that you can reliably use when signing in: an authenticator app, face or touch unlock on a supported device, or text messages to a cell phone. Complete the test challenge before leaving setup. If you change phones later, update the MFA method while you still have access to the account.
- Start identity verification. Provide your SSN or ITIN and select an accepted government-issued photo ID. The IRS lists a driver’s license, state ID, passport, and passport card as examples. Enter information exactly as it appears on the documents; mismatched names, dates, or addresses can cause a review or failure.
- Photograph the ID and take a selfie. ID.me’s self-service process asks for an image of the identity document and a selfie. The IRS accessibility guidance confirms that the selfie can be taken with a smartphone or with a computer that has a webcam. Follow the live instructions for lighting, positioning, and removing glare rather than submitting an old photograph.
- Finish and return to the IRS service. After ID.me confirms the verification result, continue back to the IRS page. The first sign-in may ask you to accept service-specific terms or confirm contact information. Save the account-recovery details in your password manager, not in an unsecured note.
Verification can take longer than registration because it compares your document and selfie with identity records. A successful email-and-password registration does not by itself grant access to tax records; the identity step must also be completed.
Choose a verification route that fits your situation
Self-service photo and selfie
Self-service is usually the quickest route when you have an accepted photo ID and a usable camera. Use a steady connection, bright indirect light, and a plain background. Clean the camera lens, hold the document inside the displayed border, and make sure all corners and text are visible. If the system rejects an image, correct the specific issue it identifies—glare, blur, cropping, or poor lighting—before trying again.
Video-chat agent or Trusted Referee
The IRS accessibility guide describes an ID.me video-chat agent option for people who prefer to speak with an agent or who repeatedly fail self-service checks. Availability, waiting time, and the documents requested are controlled by ID.me’s current process. Select the live-agent route from the official verification flow; do not call a number supplied in an unsolicited message. A live agent can guide the capture process, but no route is guaranteed to succeed if the identity information does not match official records.
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ITIN holders and people outside the United States
The IRS account-creation page links to specific ID.me help for people using an ITIN and for people who live outside the United States while holding an SSN. Follow those instructions instead of assuming that a domestic address, phone number, or document combination will work. Eligibility for a particular IRS service can also differ from the ability to create an ID.me account.
If sign-in or verification fails
- Existing-account message: Stop registration and reset the password for the email address shown. Creating another identity can make recovery harder.
- Rejected document or selfie: Retry in brighter, even light; remove glare; clean the lens; keep the entire document in frame; and use the physical, readable document. If repeated attempts fail, use the video-chat option described in the IRS accessibility guide.
- MFA code does not arrive: Confirm that the phone has service, check the number or authenticator entry, and use the recovery method offered on the sign-in screen. Do not give a code to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.
- You lost access to the email, phone, or authenticator: Use the official ID.me recovery and help path reached from the IRS sign-in page. Be prepared to repeat identity checks; support will not bypass them merely because a message claims urgency.
- The IRS page will not open the sign-in window: Start again from IRS.gov, update your browser, disable extensions that block pop-ups, and avoid links copied from messages. If the service is temporarily unavailable, try later rather than repeatedly submitting identity data.
Some tax information may be available through a service page’s get your information without signing in path. That alternative is service-specific and does not replace an online account for tasks that require authenticated access.
What you can do after signing in
| Account capability | Typical use | Availability qualification |
|---|---|---|
| View tax-return information | Review key data associated with filed returns. | Displayed information depends on the return, processing status, and account. |
| Check a refund or amended-return status | See the status shown by the IRS instead of relying only on mailed notices. | Status is updated as the IRS processes the filing; an account does not accelerate processing. |
| Get account transcripts | Retrieve transcript information for tax, lending, or recordkeeping purposes. | The transcript type and years available depend on IRS records. |
| Request an Identity Protection PIN | Use the account to request or manage an IP PIN that helps prevent fraudulent returns. | Follow the IRS eligibility and annual-use instructions shown in the account. |
| Make payments and manage a payment plan | Review balances, make an electronic payment, or handle payment-plan tasks. | Available actions depend on the tax module and plan status. |
| View IRS notices | Read digital notices and retain a copy for your records. | The IRS said in Tax Tip 2026-16 that individual accounts provide access to more than 200 IRS digital notices; the notices shown to you depend on your account. |
| Approve authorization requests | Review and approve power-of-attorney or tax-information-authorization requests. | You must review the named representative and authorization details before approving. |
| Download selected tax documents | Access certain wage, investment, or marketplace forms when listed. | The IRS announcement identifies Forms W-2, 1095-A, 1099-NEC, 1099-DIV, 1099-INT, and 1099-MISC for tax years 2023, 2024, and 2025. Not every user or document is available in every account. |
Use the account as a recordkeeping tool, but download important notices and transcripts to a secure location. Online availability can change as the IRS processes returns, updates systems, or retires a service.
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Understand balance and payment timing
A balance displayed in the account is not necessarily real-time. The Taxpayer Advocate Service says balances generally update once every 24 hours, usually overnight. If you made an electronic payment recently, allow the next update cycle before assuming it failed. Payments by check or money order can take up to three weeks to appear, according to the Taxpayer Advocate Service’s February 25, 2026 guidance. Keep the payment confirmation, mailing proof, and copy of the check until the account reflects the payment.
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Do not send a second payment solely because the balance has not changed yet; first confirm the payment method, date, and confirmation number. If the applicable posting window has passed, use the IRS payment-support instructions linked from the official account or payment page.
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Use a unique password and protect recovery methods
Use a long, unique password that is not used anywhere else, and store it in a reputable password manager or another protected method. Never share the password, MFA code, recovery code, or identity-document image with a caller, texter, or email sender. Lock your phone and computer with a device passcode or biometric protection, and install operating-system and browser security updates.
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Recognize IRS impersonation attempts
The IRS states: “We never call, email or send text messages asking you to provide information or sign in to get a transcript or update your profile.” Treat an unexpected request to click a sign-in link, confirm a Social Security number, pay immediately, or send a document as suspicious. Close the message and navigate to IRS.gov yourself. The IRS2Go app FAQ likewise directs users to verified IRS links or official app-store listings and warns against submitting information through suspicious messages.
Check the browser address before entering credentials. A page that imitates IRS branding, demands gift cards or cryptocurrency, or threatens arrest for not signing in is not a legitimate account-security procedure. The IRS does not require a taxpayer to use a tax-preparation product to create or protect an account.
What to do if information may have been stolen
- Open the IRS account by typing IRS.gov into the browser, not by following the suspected message.
- Change the IRS/ID.me password immediately to a new, unique password.
- Review and update MFA and recovery details so an intruder cannot retain access.
- Report the incident through the IRS and ID.me help channels linked from the official sign-in pages. Include what was exposed and when, but do not send credentials in an ordinary email.
- Change any other accounts that reused the exposed password and monitor financial and email accounts for unauthorized activity.
Do you need to buy a webcam?
No. The IRS accessibility guide says a smartphone can take the selfie, and a computer with a webcam is another option. Most people can complete the process with devices they already own. Consider a basic USB webcam only if you prefer the larger computer screen and do not have a suitable phone camera or built-in webcam; it is optional equipment, not an IRS requirement. Confirm that the camera works in the browser before starting verification.
Keep access reliable over time
- Store the account email, password-manager entry, and MFA recovery information together in a protected location.
- Update your phone number or authenticator method before replacing a device.
- Sign in by navigating to IRS.gov rather than saving links from messages.
- Download notices, transcripts, and payment confirmations you may need for records, while keeping the files encrypted or otherwise protected.
- Review account activity and contact details periodically, especially after a move, name change, lost phone, or suspected phishing attempt.
An IRS online account is most useful when the identity record, MFA method, and recovery information remain current. The safest routine is simple: start at IRS.gov, verify through the official ID.me flow, use a password that exists nowhere else, and treat unsolicited requests for sign-in information as scams.
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