An IRS Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) is a six-digit number that the Internal Revenue Service uses to confirm that you are the person filing certain federal tax returns. It helps stop another person from submitting a fraudulent return with your Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). The number is free, changes every calendar year, and must be entered correctly on covered returns.
An IP PIN is not a credit freeze, a general identity-protection service, or proof of identity for an IRS phone call or office visit. Confirmed victims of tax-related identity theft are placed in the program after their cases are resolved, while other eligible taxpayers can opt in voluntarily. Whether you should enroll depends on your risk concerns and your willingness to retrieve and use a new number every year.
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What is an IRS Identity Protection PIN?
The IRS assigns an IP PIN to eligible taxpayers as an additional filing credential. When a return covered by the program is filed, the PIN helps the IRS match the return to the taxpayer who passed identity verification. Someone who knows your SSN or ITIN but does not have the current IP PIN should have more difficulty filing a return in your name.
The PIN contains six digits. It applies to federal tax-return processing, not to every interaction with the government or every type of identity theft. The IRS’s Frequently asked questions about the identity protection personal identification number (IP PIN), updated May 21, 2026, and Publication 5367, revised June 2026, describe the program as voluntary for taxpayers who choose to opt in.
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- It is for filing: Use it where the IRS requires it on a covered federal return.
- It is not a general identity document: The number does not establish your identity when you call the IRS or visit an IRS office.
- It is not a universal fraud shield: It targets fraudulent federal tax filings made with an SSN or ITIN. It does not protect bank accounts, credit reports, employment records, or every other form of identity theft.
- It changes annually: An IP PIN is valid for one calendar year, and a new one is issued each year.
The official material does not provide a quantified percentage reduction in fraud attributable to IP PINs. Treat enrollment as an additional control against tax-return identity theft, not as a guarantee that all identity theft will be prevented.
Who should get an IP PIN?
Confirmed victims of tax-related identity theft
If the IRS confirms that someone used your SSN or ITIN to file a fraudulent federal return, the agency places you in the IP PIN program after resolving the identity-theft case. You generally must include the assigned PIN on future covered filings. Follow the instructions in any IRS notice you receive; a victim-assistance case is different from ordinary voluntary enrollment.
Eligible taxpayers who have not been victims
You may voluntarily enroll if you have an SSN or ITIN and can pass the IRS identity-proofing process. This can make sense if you want an extra check before a federal return is accepted in your name, particularly if you have experienced other signs of SSN exposure. It is optional: the reviewed IRS guidance does not say that every taxpayer needs an IP PIN, and it does not promise that enrollment will eliminate filing fraud.
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Voluntary enrollment creates an annual task. You must retrieve a new PIN each year, keep it private, and enter it accurately when you file. Someone who rarely files, has difficulty accessing an online account, or is likely to misplace the number should weigh that administrative burden before opting in.
Spouses and dependents
Eligibility is determined for each person, not automatically for an entire household. A spouse who receives an IP PIN uses that spouse’s own number; the other spouse uses a separate number if one has been issued. A dependent may also be eligible after identity verification. Some minors or dependents who cannot create an online account may need an alternative request method, so check current IRS instructions for the dependent’s circumstances.
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People who receive an employment-related SSN-misuse notice
An IRS notice about possible employment-related misuse of an SSN does not necessarily mean that a fraudulent tax return was filed or that the taxpayer’s tax account was compromised. IRS guidance nevertheless identifies an IP PIN as an available additional safeguard for the tax account. Read the notice carefully and use its instructions; do not assume that employment misuse proves tax-return identity theft.
How do I get an IP PIN?
The IRS Online Account is the preferred and generally fastest route. If online identity verification is unavailable, Form 15227 or an in-person Taxpayer Assistance Center appointment may be alternatives.
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Option 1: IRS Online Account
- Create or sign in to your IRS Online Account and complete the identity-verification steps.
- Open the profile area and select the IP PIN option.
- When the seasonal tool is available, retrieve the current-year PIN and store it securely until you prepare your return.
The account route avoids mailing a form and is the method the IRS identifies as fastest. The account holder—not a tax preparer—must complete the identity verification and obtain the number.
Option 2: Form 15227
Use Form 15227, Application for an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number, only if you cannot complete online identity verification and meet the form’s requirements. For 2026 guidance, your adjusted gross income on the last return filed must be below $84,000 for an individual or $168,000 for married filing jointly. You also need a valid SSN or ITIN and access to a telephone.
After you submit the form, an IRS representative calls to verify your identity. This process takes longer than using an Online Account. The income figures are eligibility thresholds for this alternative route, not a limit on who may use the online process.
Option 3: Taxpayer Assistance Center appointment
If you cannot verify online and are not eligible to use Form 15227, request an appointment at a Taxpayer Assistance Center. Bring the identity documents the IRS instructs you to provide. Appointment availability and processing time can vary, so this is generally slower than online enrollment.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →| Route | Who it fits | What you need | Relative speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRS Online Account | People who can complete online identity proofing | Online account and required verification information | Fastest or preferred route |
| Form 15227 | People unable to verify online who meet the income and other requirements | AGI below $84,000 individual or $168,000 married filing jointly, valid SSN or ITIN, and telephone access | Slower; identity verified by phone |
| Taxpayer Assistance Center | People unable to verify online or use Form 15227 | Scheduled appointment and identity documents | Alternative that generally takes longer |
Do not file Form 14039 merely because you want to opt in. That affidavit is part of IRS procedures for suspected or confirmed tax-related identity theft. If the IRS sent you a specific notice, follow that notice instead of choosing a different form.
Do I need a new IP PIN every year?
Yes. An IP PIN is valid for one calendar year, so you need a new number each year you remain enrolled. The IRS’s online IP PIN tool is generally unavailable from mid-November through mid-January. Voluntary online enrollees should sign in and retrieve the new number when the tool reopens.
Taxpayers whom the IRS enrolled after an identity-theft case may receive a CP01A notice containing the new annual PIN. Keep the notice or securely record the number. A prior year’s PIN will not substitute for the current year’s number.
The calendar-year rule means the PIN applies to covered returns filed during that year, including current-year, prior-year, and amended returns where the IRS requires an IP PIN. Check the current filing instructions if you are submitting a return for an unusual tax period or correcting an older return.
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Where do I enter the IP PIN?
Use the PIN on the covered federal forms listed by the IRS:
- Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
- Form 1040-NR, U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return
- Form 1040-PR, Federal Self-Employment Contribution Statement for Residents of Puerto Rico
- Form 1040-SR, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return for Seniors
- Form 1040-SS, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
- Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, where applicable
Tax software normally prompts for the number in the identity-protection section. If a preparer completes your return, give the PIN only to that trusted preparer for the purpose of filing. A preparer cannot obtain an IP PIN on your behalf.
Joint returns
Each spouse who has been issued an IP PIN enters that spouse’s own number. Do not use one spouse’s PIN for both people, and do not assume that a spouse without a PIN should invent or repeat one.
Dependents
If the IRS issued a PIN to a dependent, enter it when e-filing where required. The IRS states that a dependent’s IP PIN is not required on a paper return. Follow the software prompts and the current IRS filing instructions for the specific return.
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The PIN is not entered on a state income-tax return or on Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. It is a federal filing credential for the covered forms, not a general number to place on every tax document.
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What if I lost my IP PIN?
Sign in to your IRS Online Account and use the IP PIN feature to retrieve the current number. The IRS also lists a telephone route for reissuance. Use the current-year number, not a PIN from an old notice or a prior filing season.
If an electronically filed return is rejected because the IP PIN is missing or incorrect, retrieve the correct number, update the return, and resubmit it. A paper return with a missing or incorrect PIN may be delayed while the IRS verifies the information. Check the rejection explanation or IRS correspondence before sending another paper copy so that you do not create duplicate filings.
Will the IRS ask me for my IP PIN?
The IRS says it will not request your IP PIN by email, text message, or telephone call. Treat any message asking you to disclose the number as a potential scam. The legitimate situations in which another person may need it are limited: you may provide it to a trusted tax preparer or enter it into tax software while preparing a covered return.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsStore the number securely until you file. Do not post it in an email thread, leave it in an unsecured note, or share it with an unsolicited caller. If you suspect that someone obtained the PIN, contact the IRS through an official channel and follow the instructions associated with your account or notice.
What an IP PIN does—and does not—protect
| Helps address | Does not address |
|---|---|
| Fraudulent federal income-tax returns filed with your SSN or ITIN | Unauthorized credit-card or bank-account activity |
| Identity matching on covered federal returns | Credit-file access or the need for a credit freeze |
| Repeated tax-return filing attempts after a confirmed tax identity-theft case | Employment-record misuse, except that the IRS may offer an IP PIN as extra tax-account protection |
| Additional verification when you voluntarily opt in | Proof of identity for an IRS call or in-person visit |
Because the program is limited to tax-return processing, continue using other appropriate protections for credit, banking, employment, and account security. An IP PIN should complement—not replace—those measures.
A practical decision checklist
Consider enrolling if all of the following describe your situation:
- You have an SSN or ITIN and can pass IRS identity verification.
- You want an additional barrier against a federal return being filed with your number.
- You can retrieve a new PIN every year, including after the online tool reopens in January.
- You can keep the PIN private and enter it accurately on each covered return.
If the IRS confirmed tax-related identity theft, enrollment is generally assigned as part of case resolution rather than left to personal choice. If your concern is only a general fear of identity theft, remember that an IP PIN addresses federal tax-return fraud specifically; it is not a substitute for broader identity-security steps.
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How much does an IP PIN cost?
The IRS enrollment methods—Online Account, Form 15227, and Taxpayer Assistance Center assistance—are government processes and do not require buying a product or subscription. You may use tax software or a professional preparer to file a return, but neither is needed to obtain the PIN, and the preparer cannot request it for you.
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