To check whether a paid tax preparer is legitimate, ask for the preparer’s IRS preparer tax identification number (PTIN), verify any claimed credential with the proper licensing authority, search the IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications, and inspect the completed return before signing. A directory match supports the person’s listed status, but a missing match does not automatically mean the preparer is unauthorized.
Every person paid to prepare or assist with a federal tax return must have a valid PTIN. The PTIN requirement is only one part of due diligence: it does not tell you whether someone is a certified public accountant, attorney, enrolled agent, or Annual Filing Season Program participant, and it does not by itself prove the person will prepare your return accurately.
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What a PTIN proves—and what it does not
A PTIN is an IRS-issued preparer tax identification number. The Internal Revenue Service requires anyone paid to prepare, or to assist in preparing, a federal tax return to have a valid PTIN. The IRS describes a person with an IRS PTIN as authorized to prepare federal tax returns.
The number identifies the preparer for IRS administration; it is not a professional license or a quality rating. A PTIN does not establish that the person is a CPA, attorney, enrolled agent (EA), or AFSP participant. It also does not give the preparer unlimited authority to represent you before the IRS.
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Paid preparers must sign the return and include their PTIN. The PTIN may not appear on the taxpayer’s copy, so do not treat its absence from your copy as proof that the preparer lacks one. Instead, ask for the number directly and check that the signed return contains the required preparer information.
Who needs a PTIN
The requirement applies to people who prepare federal returns for compensation, including a person who helps prepare or substantially assists with a return. If a business has several preparers, each individual who prepares returns for pay generally needs a separate PTIN. An electronic filing identification number (EFIN) identifies an authorized e-file provider or firm; it is not a substitute for an individual preparer’s PTIN.
What a PTIN does not tell you
- It does not confirm a state professional license.
- It does not show how much education or experience the preparer has.
- It does not grant representation rights for an IRS audit, collection matter, or appeal.
- It does not guarantee that the return is complete, accurate, or prepared in your best interests.
- It does not establish that the preparer is listed in the IRS directory.
Use the IRS directory as a credential cross-check
The IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications lets you search by a preparer’s name, city, state, or ZIP code. A result can confirm that the person reported a listed credential or an Annual Filing Season Program (AFSP) Record of Completion and has a valid PTIN for the directory’s listing.
How to search
- Ask the preparer for the exact name used professionally, the office location, and any claimed credential. Obtain the PTIN as well, even though the public directory search is generally performed by name and location.
- Open the IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications.
- Enter the preparer’s name and narrow the search with the city, state, or ZIP code. Use spelling variations if the first search produces no result.
- Compare the result with the person you met: business name, location, credential type, and other identifying details should make sense together.
- Save or print the result for your records. The listing is a point-in-time confirmation of the categories shown by the IRS; it is not a guarantee of future status or work quality.
What a positive result means
A listing indicates that the preparer has a valid PTIN and self-reported one of the qualifications the directory includes, such as an EA credential, a CPA or attorney credential, or an AFSP Record of Completion. It does not mean the IRS employs, endorses, supervises, or recommends that person. The IRS directory confirms the listed category; you still need to verify a state license where applicable and evaluate the preparer’s conduct.
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Why a preparer may not appear in the directory
The directory is not a complete list of every person who prepares returns for pay. PTIN-only preparers who are not AFSP participants are generally excluded, and an otherwise eligible preparer may choose not to appear. Therefore, a missing search result is a reason to ask more questions, not proof that the person is operating illegally.
Questions to ask after a missing result
- What is your current PTIN?
- Which credential or training do you hold, if any?
- If you are a CPA or attorney, what is your state license number and licensing state?
- If you describe yourself as an enrolled agent, can you explain your IRS enrollment status?
- Have you completed the AFSP for the applicable filing season?
- How many returns like mine do you prepare, and what continuing education do you complete?
Ask for clear, verifiable answers. A PTIN-only preparer can legally prepare federal returns while having no professional credential and no listing in the directory. That arrangement may be acceptable if you understand the limits and are comfortable with the person’s training, experience, documentation practices, and willingness to stand behind the work.
Verify the credential outside the IRS directory
The IRS directory is a useful cross-check, not a replacement for the authority that issues a license. Confirm the underlying status through the appropriate regulator before relying on a claimed designation.
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|---|---|---|---|
| Enrolled agent (EA) | The IRS | Unlimited representation rights, subject to the rules governing the credential | That the person is an enrolled agent in good standing and that the directory information matches |
| Certified public accountant (CPA) | A state board of accountancy | Unlimited representation rights when the state credential is valid | The state license, status, and name through the relevant state board |
| Attorney | A state bar or other state licensing authority | Unlimited representation rights when the state credential is valid | The active bar license and jurisdiction through the relevant state bar |
| AFSP participant | Voluntary IRS Annual Filing Season Program | Limited practice rights | The current AFSP Record of Completion and the directory listing |
| PTIN-only preparer | PTIN issued by the IRS | Generally no IRS representation rights, except for certain returns filed before January 1, 2016 | An active PTIN and the preparer’s training, experience, and business practices |
Enrolled agents
An enrolled agent is licensed by the IRS. The person must pass the three-part Special Enrollment Examination or qualify through the applicable IRS process, pass a suitability check, and complete 72 hours of continuing education every three years. EAs have unlimited representation rights before the IRS, so they can generally represent clients in examinations, collections, and appeals within the scope of those rights.
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CPAs and attorneys
CPAs and attorneys receive their professional licenses from states, not from the IRS. When their state credentials are valid, both have unlimited IRS representation rights. The IRS directory may show the claimed status, but you should independently check the state board of accountancy or state bar. A person who once held a license, or who is licensed in another state, may not have the active status you expect.
Annual Filing Season Program participants
The AFSP is voluntary and results in an IRS Record of Completion for the applicable filing season. Participants have limited practice rights. They may not describe the designation as “certified,” “enrolled,” or “licensed,” imply that they work for the IRS, or claim that the IRS endorses them. Treat language that suggests any of those things as a warning sign and ask the preparer to state the qualification accurately.
PTIN-only preparers
An active PTIN authorizes preparation of federal returns, but a PTIN-only preparer who is not an AFSP participant generally has no IRS representation rights. The IRS recognizes a narrow exception for certain returns filed before January 1, 2016. If you expect the preparer to deal with an audit or collection issue, ask specifically who would represent you and under what credential.
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Credential checks cannot replace a line-by-line review of the return. The IRS advises taxpayers never to sign a blank or incomplete return. A legitimate preparer should give you a complete copy, explain entries you do not understand, ask for records supporting the information, and sign the return with the required preparer details.
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Review this information
- Your name, address, Social Security number or taxpayer identification number, filing status, and dependents.
- Wages, interest, dividends, retirement income, self-employment income, and other amounts against your Forms W-2, 1099, brokerage statements, and books.
- Deductions and credits, including eligibility facts such as dates, expenses, mileage, education costs, charitable gifts, and dependent-care records.
- Bank account and routing information. Any refund should go to an account you control, not an account chosen by the preparer.
- The preparer’s signature, date, identifying information, and PTIN on the filed return.
- All schedules and forms included with the return, not just the first two pages of the main form.
Ask for an explanation of every unusual number or position. If the preparer says you will receive a copy only after payment, refuses to show the finished return, or pressures you to sign immediately, stop and resolve the issue before authorizing e-filing or mailing.
Payment and refund warning signs
- A fee calculated as a percentage of your refund can create an incentive to claim unsupported deductions or credits.
- A preparer who refuses to sign the return or provide a PTIN is not following the paid-preparer rules.
- A demand that your refund be deposited into the preparer’s personal account or an account you cannot access is unsafe.
- Claims of being “IRS certified,” “IRS licensed,” or an IRS employee should be checked carefully; those descriptions do not accurately describe the credentials above.
- Requests for records that do not relate to your tax situation, or instructions to create documents after the fact, should be treated as serious concerns.
Compare preparers on more than credentials
Two preparers can have different credentials yet both be suitable for a particular return. Compare the factors that affect the work you need, and document the answers before hiring.
| Comparison factor | Questions to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Credential and license | What is your exact credential, where is it issued, and is it active? | Establishes the person’s regulatory status and available rights. |
| IRS representation | Could you represent me in an audit, collection matter, or appeal? | PTIN-only and AFSP statuses have different limits from EA, CPA, and attorney status. |
| Relevant experience | How often do you handle my type of income, business, investments, or filing status? | Tax rules and documentation differ substantially by situation. |
| Training | What continuing education or technical training do you complete? | Tax law changes; ongoing education is especially important for complex returns. |
| Review and records | Will you explain the return and give me a complete copy? | You need to understand and retain what was filed. |
| Fees | Is the fee fixed, hourly, or contingent on the refund? | A transparent structure is easier to evaluate and reduces conflicts. |
| Availability | Who answers questions after filing, and how should I send records? | Tax notices often arrive after filing season. |
Check a preparer’s PTIN activity when appropriate
The IRS Returns per PTIN feature shows the number of Form 1040-series returns processed under a PTIN through a specified date. The feature is updated weekly. A substantially higher count than you would reasonably expect can indicate that a PTIN is being misused.
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This check is most useful for a preparer who says the number of returns filed under the PTIN should be modest or limited to a particular practice. It is not a measure of accuracy or client satisfaction, and a high count can have legitimate explanations, such as a large firm or a preparer who handles many returns. If the count appears inconsistent with what you were told, preserve the information and ask the preparer to explain it. The IRS directs preparers who suspect PTIN misuse to file Form 14157.
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What to do if something is wrong
Document the facts
Keep the signed engagement or fee agreement, invoices, emails, text messages, copies of every form and schedule, proof of payment, and the preparer’s name, business name, address, PTIN, EFIN, and employer identification number (EIN) when known. Write a timeline while events are fresh. Do not alter the filed return yourself or discard the records needed to explain what happened.
Report preparer misconduct with Form 14157
Use Form 14157, Tax Return Preparer Complaint, to report suspected misconduct. Include the preparer’s name and business, PTIN, EFIN, EIN, contact information, documents, and a factual description of what occurred whenever those details are available. Examples include refusing to sign, using a PTIN that appears to belong to someone else, directing a refund to an account you do not control, fabricating deductions, or misrepresenting a credential.
Correct an unauthorized individual return with Form 14157-A
Use Form 14157-A, Tax Return Preparer Fraud or Misconduct Affidavit, when a preparer filed or altered an individual Form 1040-series return without your consent and you want the IRS to change your account. Explain which return was unauthorized, what information was changed or submitted, and provide supporting records. This form addresses an unauthorized individual return; it is different from a general complaint about service or competence.
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Review IRS notices and account information promptly after discovering a problem. Keep copies of correspondence and submit requested identity or filing evidence through the IRS process described in the notice. If the issue involves identity theft, an altered return, or a material balance due, consider obtaining advice from a qualified EA, CPA, or attorney who is willing to explain the scope and cost of the representation in writing.
A practical verification checklist
- Ask for the preparer’s legal or professional name, business name, office address, PTIN, and claimed credentials.
- Search the IRS directory by name and location.
- If there is no listing, ask whether the person is PTIN-only, opted out, or holds a credential not shown in the search, and request evidence.
- Verify a CPA license with the applicable state board of accountancy.
- Verify an attorney’s active license with the applicable state bar.
- Confirm an EA status through the IRS and check that any directory entry matches the person.
- Ask an AFSP participant for the current filing-season Record of Completion and confirm that the person describes the designation accurately.
- Discuss representation rights before hiring if you expect an audit, collection matter, or appeal.
- Agree on fees, who will answer follow-up questions, and how records will be handled.
- Provide complete records, review every form and schedule, and refuse to sign a blank or incomplete return.
- Confirm the preparer signs the return, includes the PTIN, gives you a complete copy, and sends any refund to your own bank account.
- Document and report suspected misconduct with the appropriate IRS form.
Bottom line: a layered check is the reliable check
A valid PTIN is the starting legal requirement for a paid federal tax preparer, not a professional endorsement. The strongest verification combines the IRS directory, an independent state-license check for CPAs and attorneys, confirmation of EA or AFSP status, a discussion of representation rights, and a careful review of the completed return. If a preparer will not provide identifying information, sign the return, explain the entries, or give you a complete copy, do not sign or authorize filing until the problem is resolved.
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