IRS letter help
Getting an IP PIN from the IRS
You want an IP PIN so no one else can file a tax return with your Social Security number.
It is a six-digit number that is good for one calendar year, and the IRS makes you a new one each year.
The fastest step is your IRS online account, and any call that asks for the number is a scam.
Which numbers matter?
$84,000 or $168,000
With adjusted gross income under $84,000, or $168,000 joint, you can mail Form 15227.
Check the adjusted gross income on your last return before you send Form 15227.
Under 18
A dependent under 18 cannot get an IP PIN through the online account.
Use Form 15227 or an in-person visit to get one for a child under 18.
1 calendar year
Last year's IP PIN will not work on this year's return.
Get the new number each year before you file.
What does an IP PIN do?
Only you and the IRS know the number. A return filed with your SSN but without the right IP PIN gets rejected if e-filed, or held if mailed. The number is good for one calendar year, per the IRS IP PIN page.
You enter it in your tax software, or give it to your preparer. It is used only on the Form 1040 family of returns, including 1040-SR for seniors.
What is the fastest way to get one?
Sign in to your IRS online account and open the IP PIN section of your profile. The number shows there, usually from mid-January through mid-November. Parents can get one for a dependent, but anyone under 18 has to use one of the other routes.
What if I cannot use the online account?
If your adjusted gross income on your last return was below $84,000, or $168,000 for a joint return, you can send Form 15227. The IRS calls you to confirm who you are, then mails the IP PIN.
Above that income, or if the call does not work, book an in-person visit at a local Taxpayer Assistance Center. Both routes take longer than the online one.
What if I lost my IP PIN?
If you got it online, sign back in. The current number is under the Profile tab. If the IRS put you in the program after identity theft, it mails a CP01A notice with the new number each year.
Do not send a new Form 15227 to replace a lost number. The IRS page says to use its lost IP PIN steps instead.
Is a call that asks for my IP PIN a scam?
The IRS says it will never ask for your IP PIN. Any call, email or text that asks for it is a scam. Check other contacts with our scam letter checklist.
What should you read next?
Questions people ask
How do I get my IP PIN?
Sign in to your IRS online account and open the IP PIN section of your profile.
Do I need a new IP PIN every year?
Yes. Each one is valid for one calendar year, and a new one is made for your account every year.
What if I lost my IP PIN?
Sign back in to your online account and look under the Profile tab. Do not file a new Form 15227.
Can I get an IP PIN for my child?
Yes. Parents and guardians can ask for one for a dependent, using one of the routes other than the online account if the child is under 18.
Sources
- Get an identity protection PIN. Published by irs.gov.
- Online account for individuals. Published by irs.gov.
Last checked October 2026
What to do now
- Sign in to your IRS online account and open the IP PIN section of your profile.
- If you cannot sign in, send Form 15227 or book a Taxpayer Assistance Center visit.
- Enter the six-digit number in your tax software, or give it only to your preparer.
- Treat any call, email or text that asks for your IP PIN as a scam.
Still not sure the letter is real? Call the IRS at 800-829-1040 and use that number, not one printed on the letter you doubt.