To set up access to most IRS online services, you create or sign in to an ID.me account and then complete a separate identity-verification step. Have a personal email address, a unique password, a multifactor-authentication method, your SSN or ITIN, and a valid government-issued photo ID ready. Verification can usually be completed by uploading an ID photo and taking a selfie with a smartphone or webcam; a video-agent route is also available in some situations.
What you need before starting
The IRS account flow has two distinct parts: account creation and identity verification. Gathering the required information first prevents interruptions while you move between the IRS website and ID.me.
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| Requirement | What to prepare | How it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Personal email address | An email account you control and can access during setup | Creates and manages your ID.me sign-in |
| Password | A unique password with at least eight characters | Protects the account; do not reuse a password from another service |
| Multifactor authentication | An authentication app, face or touch unlock, or text message to a cell phone | Adds a second sign-in check after the password |
| Taxpayer number | Your Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) | Connects the verified identity to IRS services |
| Government photo ID | A valid driver’s license, state identification card, passport, or passport card | Provides documentary proof of identity |
| Camera | A smartphone camera or a computer with a working webcam | Captures the identity-document image and, for self-service, a selfie |
Use an identity document that is valid and readable. Before you begin, check that the name and other details on the document match the information you will enter. Put the document on a flat surface in good light, and clean the phone or webcam lens. Glare, cropped edges, motion blur, or an expired document can prevent the system from reading it.
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Do not begin by creating a random account at a separate website. Open the IRS account or service you are trying to use, select its sign-in or account-creation option, and follow the prompts. The IRS routes the process to ID.me, its identity-credential provider for online services.
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- Open the relevant IRS service. Choose the service whose information or action you need, such as an Individual Online Account or an Identity Protection PIN request.
- Select “Sign in” or “Create account.” The wording can vary by IRS page, but the link leads into the ID.me flow.
- Try your existing ID.me account first. If you have used ID.me for an IRS service before, choose sign in. If you start account creation, the flow can detect an existing account and direct you to reset the password instead of opening a duplicate.
- Enter your email and create a password. Use a personal email address and a unique password of at least eight characters.
- Set up multifactor authentication. Pick the method you can reliably use whenever you sign in: an authentication app, face or touch unlock, or text message to a cell phone.
- Continue to identity verification. Enter your SSN or ITIN when requested and select the available verification route.
One ID.me account can generally be used for most IRS accounts and services. Keeping one account avoids confusion over which email, password, and verification status are connected to your tax information.
Self-service verification: ID photo and selfie
The standard self-service route asks you to photograph a government-issued identity document and take a selfie. You can use a smartphone or a computer with a webcam. The screen will tell you when to switch between the IRS page and the ID.me verification window.
How to complete the self-service route
- Choose the document type. Select the document you have, such as a driver’s license, state ID, passport, or passport card.
- Capture the document. Follow the on-screen framing guides. Include the entire document, including all four edges, and avoid reflections or shadows. If the document has information on both sides, photograph each side when prompted.
- Review the image. Retake it if text is out of focus, a corner is missing, or a reflection obscures information. Submitting a poor image can lead to a failure even when the document itself is valid.
- Take the selfie. Position your face within the guide, remove items that hide your facial features, and use even lighting. Hold the phone or face the webcam steadily until the capture finishes.
- Submit and wait for the result shown on screen. Keep the IRS or ID.me window open and follow any request for an additional step.
A selfie is part of this self-service method, so the camera must be able to capture your face clearly. If your computer has no usable webcam, a smartphone is an accepted alternative; the IRS does not require you to buy special equipment.
Video-agent and Trusted Referee options
Self-service is not the only path. ID.me can offer a video chat with an agent, and the IRS accessibility guidance says people who have multiple self-service failures may be directed to a Trusted Referee process. The exact option shown depends on your account and the point at which verification fails.
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Video chat with an agent
You may be able to select the video-chat-agent option before beginning self-service. The Taxpayer Advocate Service describes this route as not requiring biometric data such as a selfie. You still need to provide identity documents and follow the agent’s instructions during the video session. Choose this path when you know a selfie-based check will not work for you or when the option is presented as an alternative on the verification screen.
Trusted Referee after repeated failures
After multiple unsuccessful self-service attempts, ID.me may direct you to a Trusted Referee process. This route involves uploading alternative identity documents and speaking with a referee over video. Read the list of acceptable alternatives shown in your session and provide exactly what it requests; substituting an unlisted document can create another failure.
Accessibility considerations
If a camera, lighting setup, facial-positioning step, or other part of self-service is inaccessible, look for the video-agent choice before starting. The available route can vary by IRS service and by the identity information in your account, so the options on your screen control what you can select.
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For users who verify for the IRS, the Taxpayer Advocate Service says selfie, video, and biometric data are automatically deleted except in cases involving suspicious or fraudulent activity. This statement is limited to those categories of data. It does not mean every piece of information in an ID.me account disappears after verification.
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The IRS says ID.me must retain information as a credential service provider. Account and credential records can therefore remain subject to the provider’s requirements even when selfie, video, or biometric files are deleted. Review the privacy information presented during the ID.me process, and do not assume that identity-document or account records are never stored.
If identity verification fails
A failed attempt does not necessarily mean your identity cannot be verified. Start with the error message, then correct the specific problem rather than repeatedly submitting the same image.
Document image rejected
- Use a current, government-issued photo ID from the document types displayed in the flow.
- Photograph the full document with all edges visible; do not use a photocopy or a cropped screenshot.
- Move to even lighting and turn off a flash that creates glare.
- Clean the camera lens and hold the device still while it focuses.
- Make sure the name and identifying details are legible before submitting.
Selfie rejected
- Use the camera the system requests rather than switching devices midway unless the page offers that choice.
- Face the camera directly, keep your head inside the guide, and use steady, even light.
- Remove hats, dark glasses, masks, or anything else that hides facial features when the instructions require it.
- Check that the camera has permission to operate in your browser or phone settings.
Account or password problem
If you may already have an ID.me account, stop creating a second one and use the password-reset path offered by the account-creation flow. A duplicate account can make it unclear which credentials are linked to your IRS information. If you cannot sign in, use the ID.me sign-in help linked from the IRS account setup page.
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Still unable to verify
Use ID.me help for verification-specific problems and sign-in help for credential problems. If the IRS service page offers a link to obtain information without signing in, that may provide a limited alternative. The availability and scope of that option differ by service.
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Service-specific alternatives are not universal
Do not assume that an alternative listed for one IRS task works for every account function. The IRS Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) process illustrates the distinction. A taxpayer who cannot validate identity or access an online account may, if eligible, submit Form 15227. Someone who is not eligible for that form may be able to schedule an appointment at a Taxpayer Assistance Center. These are IP PIN procedures, not general substitutes for ID.me verification across all IRS services.
For another service, the IRS may provide a no-sign-in information link, a paper form, or an in-person process—or none of those. Read the instructions on the exact service page you are trying to use before choosing an alternative.
Protect your IRS and ID.me credentials
- Create a strong, unique password and never reuse it on another site.
- Do not share your password, multifactor code, recovery code, or complete sign-in details with anyone.
- Use only the IRS page you intentionally opened and the ID.me screens reached through that page.
- Be suspicious of messages that create urgency or ask you to sign in through an unexpected link.
- The IRS says it will not call, email, or text asking you to provide information or sign in to get a transcript or update a profile. If you receive such a message, do not reply or use its link; follow the IRS instructions for reporting fake messages.
When using a shared computer, sign out of both the IRS service and ID.me, and avoid saving the password in a browser that other people can access. On a personal phone, protect the device with its own screen lock because it may be used for multifactor authentication.
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After verification, an IRS Individual Online Account provides access to several tax-account functions. Depending on the service and your taxpayer profile, you can:
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- View key information from filed returns.
- Request an Identity Protection PIN.
- Check refund status and amended-return status.
- Access account transcripts.
- Approve power-of-attorney or tax-information authorization requests.
- Set language preferences and use alternative-media features listed by the IRS.
Verification establishes your identity for the account; it does not guarantee that every IRS feature will appear immediately or that every service uses the same eligibility rules. A service can require additional information or provide a separate access path.
A practical preparation checklist
Use this checklist immediately before opening the IRS service:
- Personal email account is open and able to receive messages.
- Unique password of at least eight characters is ready.
- Authentication app, face or touch unlock, or cell phone for text authentication is available.
- SSN or ITIN is at hand.
- Valid driver’s license, state ID, passport, or passport card is available.
- Phone camera or computer webcam works and has browser permission.
- Document surface is clean, flat, and brightly but evenly lit.
- You know whether you already have an ID.me account.
- You have the official IRS service page open rather than relying on an unexpected message link.
When to stop retrying and get help
Repeatedly uploading the same unreadable document or taking the same unsuccessful selfie is unlikely to solve the problem. After correcting lighting, camera permissions, document condition, and account credentials, use the support route shown by the IRS or ID.me. If the process offers a video agent, consider that route instead of continuing self-service attempts. Multiple self-service failures can also trigger the Trusted Referee process, which uses alternative documents and a video conversation.
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Bottom line for a successful setup
Open the IRS service you need, use the ID.me sign-in or account-creation link, and treat account creation and identity verification as separate steps. Prepare your email, unique password, multifactor method, SSN or ITIN, and valid photo ID. Self-service normally combines an ID photograph with a selfie from a phone or webcam, while video-agent and Trusted Referee routes can provide alternatives. If you cannot finish, use the support and no-sign-in options presented for that particular IRS service; an option available for the IP PIN process is not automatically available for every IRS task.
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