Fraud Cleanup

How to Get an IRS Identity Protection PIN

An IP PIN blocks someone else from filing a tax return with your number. Here is who needs one and how the IRS says to request it.

Someone could try to file a tax return with your taxpayer identification number. The IRS has a tool for that. It is called an Identity Protection PIN, or IP PIN. Here is what it does, who it is for, and the two ways the IRS says you can request one.

What an Identity Protection PIN actually does

The IRS identity theft central page tells you how to get an Identity Protection PIN. The IRS guide says an identity protection PIN keeps someone else from filing a return with your taxpayer identification number. Think of it as a second lock on your tax account. Your number alone is no longer enough to file.

The IRS guide says to get an identity protection PIN to protect your tax account. It is one protective step inside the IRS's own identity theft guidance. It is not a cure for every kind of identity theft, and later on this page we will get to what it leaves out.

Warning signs of tax identity theft

Some people get an IP PIN before anything goes wrong. Others get one after a sign of trouble. The IRS guide names several clues that identity theft may have happened. Watch for these:

  • A tax return that is rejected.
  • A Form 1099-G for unemployment money you never asked for and never received.
  • An employer identification number you did not apply for.
  • A notice saying you failed to report income, such as one from the CP2000 series.
  • A Social Security account that lists pay from jobs you never worked.
  • Accounts created or accessed that you did not create or access.
  • Messages telling you a password was changed or a sign-in was confirmed when you did no such thing.

The IRS guide says these warning signs do not always mean you have been affected by identity theft, but you should still be cautious. The IRS sends a letter or notice when it suspects identity theft on a return. Sometimes getting IRS mail is your first sign you could be affected. If that happens, read about what an IRS identity theft letter means and follow the instructions in it right away.

The IRS guide says to stay calm and act fast if you suspect identity theft. If you want the wider picture of how stolen details get used at tax time, see our page on tax identity theft.

Who can be a target

The IRS guide says targets of identity theft could be you, your children, other dependents and nonfilers.

One note on dependents. The IRS guide says the dependent does not need an IP PIN unless one was previously issued to them. The IRS guide also says to check if you should file Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, if your dependent's identity was stolen.

How to get an IP PIN: the two ways the IRS says you can request one

The IRS gives two routes, and which one you use depends on whether you can use an online account.

1. Request one through an IRS online account. The IRS guide says you must register and validate your identity before you can request an IP PIN through an online account. That validation step is the gate.

2. File Form 15227. The IRS guide says you can request an IP PIN by filing Form 15227 online if you cannot access or create an online account. If the online route is closed to you, this form is the other door.

The IRS guide says to secure your Online Account with a complex, unique password. It also says to be cautious about someone wanting to help with your Online Account.

What to do if you already have an IP PIN

The IRS guide says if you already have an IP PIN, use that to e-file your return. Keep it somewhere safe, because your return needs it.

What the IP PIN does not cover

An IP PIN guards your tax account. It does not guard everything else. The IRS guide points to further moves you can make:

  • Follow recovery steps on IdentityTheft.gov.
  • Check with your state tax agency for other steps.
  • Keep records of letters, phone calls and emails.
  • Protect personal and financial information, including Social Security numbers, account usernames, passwords and data for dependents and deceased persons.
  • Monitor accounts and reports for taxes, Social Security, credit and finances.
  • Consider filing Form 14039 if a data breach leaked your information.
  • Learn about the IRS Identity Theft Victim Assistance Program.

The IRS guide says to call the IRS to verify your identity and tax return status. It gives a number for questions about your tax account and for checking whether a notice or letter is real. The guide also says you can look the notice up on the web instead.

The IRS identity theft central page has help to protect your identity, your computer and your phone, and to avoid phishing emails. The page also explains where to report a stolen identity, a tax scam or fraud. Our page on IRS identity theft walks through what the agency says to do when your details get used at tax time.

Where to go next on this site

An IP PIN is one lock, not the whole house. For the wider picture, start with our guide to identity fraud protection. It covers the steps beyond your tax account, so a thief with your number has fewer doors to try.

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