Type the code on your IRS letter.
You have a letter from the IRS, and it has a code in the top right corner.
That code tells you what the letter wants and how long you have: 30 days on an LT11 or CP2000, 90 days on a CP3219A.
Type the code to see your briefing, and call before the date if it warns about a levy or a change.
How long do I have?
30 days
An LT11 or Letter 1058 gives you 30 days to ask for a hearing before a levy starts, and the letter prints the last day.
Mark that printed date on your calendar and call before it.
90 days
A CP3219A gives you 90 days to go to Tax Court. If the letter is addressed to you outside the U.S., you have 150 days.
File your petition before the last day printed on the letter.
20 days
A Letter 12C gives you 20 days to send what the IRS asks for, or your return and refund stay on hold.
Gather the missing forms today and mail them to the address on the letter.
Is your letter a levy warning or a proposed change?
An LT11 gives you 30 days to ask for a hearing, and a CP2000 gives you 30 days to answer a proposed change.
Miss the LT11 date and a levy can start; miss the CP2000 date and a bill can follow.
A licensed tax professional can ask for the hearing or check the amount first, so call now and go over your letter before its date passes.
Call 855-964-5291What happens when you call
- You call during business hours and say which letter or bill you have.
- A licensed tax professional asks for the date, the amount and the tax years on the letter.
- You hear your options for this notice and decide what to do. Nothing is filed without your yes.
A licensed tax professional answers, not the IRS. The call costs nothing, and you give up nothing by calling. IRS Code Lookup is a private tax help service.
Would you rather send your notice details?
Send the code, the date and the amount from your IRS notice so a licensed tax professional can read it with you.
A CP2000, LT11 or CP3219A each runs on its own clock, and those details show which one you face.
Which letter did I get?
Collection and levy
The IRS warns it can take money.
Bills and balances
You owe and the letter says how much.
Changes to your return
The IRS changed or wants to change your tax.
Refunds, filing and information
A refund, a missing return or a question.
Identity letters 5071C and 4883C are on the identity verification page. Business letters 147C, CP575 and CP2100 have their own pages.
Is the letter real?
The IRS writes first by U.S. mail, as its contact page says. It emails or texts only if you signed up for that, and a social media message is never from the IRS.
A fake letter often has no notice number or wants payment by gift card or wire. Look up the number on the IRS notice page to see what a real one asks for. If you still doubt it, check your IRS online account through irs.gov, or call 800-829-1040 and use that number, not one printed on the letter.
Which letter has which deadline?
| Letter | Time you have |
|---|---|
| CP14 and other bills | The due date printed on the bill |
| Letter 12C | 20 days to send what is missing |
| CP2000 | 30 days to reply |
| LT11 or Letter 1058 | 30 days to ask for a hearing; the letter prints the last day (IRS appeals FAQ) |
| CP3219A, the 90-day letter | 90 days to go to Tax Court, no extensions (IRS CP3219A page) |
Enter the date on your letter in Count my days and you get the last day to act.
What happens if I ignore it?
A bill does not go away. Interest builds every day, and the late payment penalty adds 0.5% of the unpaid tax each month, up to 25%. That rate is on the IRS failure to pay penalty page. So a $1,840 bill grows by about $9.20 a month in penalty alone. Pay it, or ask for a payment plan, before the due date.
Unpaid bills can step up from a CP14 through a CP501 and CP503 to a CP504. After that comes a final notice such as an LT11. Once its 30 days pass, the IRS can take money from your bank or paycheck.
Where do I find more help?
- When the IRS is about to take your money: the letters that come before a levy and how to stop one.
- Payment plans when a notice comes: the fees, the limits and a monthly cost calculator.
- Real or fake? Checking an IRS letter: the signs of a fake and where to report it.
- Where to get help with an IRS letter: free clinics, IRS offices and paid help.
Every other guide is on the full code list.
Questions people ask
Why did I get a letter from the IRS?
The IRS writes when you have a balance due, your refund changed, it has a question about your return, it needs to verify your identity, or it changed your return. The code on the letter tells you which.
Where is the notice number on an IRS letter?
In the top right corner. It starts with CP, LTR or LT, or it is a number followed by C, like 4883C.
How do I know if an IRS letter is real?
Search the code on the IRS notice page or look for the notice in your IRS online account. If you still doubt it, call the IRS at 800-829-1040.
Do I have to reply to every IRS letter?
No. The IRS says you only need to reply if the letter asks you to, you owe money, or you disagree.
What happens if I ignore an IRS letter?
For a bill, interest and penalties grow and the letters get more serious, up to a levy. For a deadline letter, you can lose your right to a hearing or to Tax Court.
Can I get IRS letters in large print?
Yes. Send Form 9000 to get notices in Braille, large print or audio.
Sources
- Understanding your IRS notice or letter. Published by irs.gov.
- How to know it's the IRS. Published by irs.gov.
- Failure to pay penalty. Published by irs.gov.
- Collection due process (CDP) FAQs. Published by irs.gov.
- Understanding your CP3219A notice. Published by irs.gov.
Last checked October 2026
What to do now
- Find the code printed in the top right corner of your letter.
- Type that code into the search box and read what it means.
- Count the days from the date on the letter and mark the deadline.
An LT11 gives you 30 days to ask for a hearing and a CP2000 gives you 30 days to answer, so call now and go over your letter before its date passes.
A licensed tax professional answers, not the IRS. The call costs nothing, and you give up nothing by calling. IRS Code Lookup is a private tax help service.