To log in to your EFIN account, go to irs.gov/e-services and sign in through the ID.me or Secure Access gateway using the credentials tied to your verified identity, then complete the multi-factor authentication prompt sent to the device you registered.1Internal Revenue Service. E-Services The general IRS.gov login built for individual taxpayers will not get you into e-file management tools, so make sure you’re on the e-Services page before you enter anything.
If your credentials are already set up, the whole process takes about a minute. If you’ve never enrolled, or if you’ve lost access to your MFA device, you have some setup or recovery work to do first.
Signing In Step by Step
Open irs.gov/e-services and choose the login option that routes through ID.me or Secure Access.1Internal Revenue Service. E-Services
Enter the username and password you created during Secure Access setup. That’s the first authentication factor. The system then sends a temporary security code to the device you registered during enrollment. Depending on what you chose, that code arrives as a text message, a phone call, or a prompt from an authenticator app.2Internal Revenue Service. Security Summit: Protect Against Tax Identity Theft With Multi-Factor IDs, Identity Protection PINs, IRS Online Accounts
Type the code into the field on the login page. Once it’s verified, you land on the e-Services dashboard. Select your organization from the list and click the View/Edit icon to reach your EFIN management tools, including the E-file Application tab and the EFIN Status page.3Internal Revenue Service. How to Maintain, Monitor and Protect Your EFIN
When the Login Fails
Most sign-in problems fall into a handful of categories, and each has its own fix.
Wrong password or a locked account. After several failed attempts, Secure Access locks the account. Use the Forgot Password link on the login page. You’ll answer your security questions or verify your identity again to reset the password and regain access.
The MFA code never arrives. Confirm that the phone number or email on file is still active and belongs to the device you’re using. If you switched phones or carriers, the registered number may no longer route to you. Update your contact information in your ID.me account settings.
You’ve lost the MFA device. If you saved backup codes when you enrolled, use one of those single-use codes to sign in. If you didn’t, go through ID.me’s account recovery process, which may require verifying your identity again from scratch.
The page itself misbehaves. The portal works with current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. Make sure cookies and JavaScript are enabled, and clear your cache if the page won’t load.
For anything these steps don’t resolve, call the IRS e-help desk at 866-255-0654, open 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Central time.4Internal Revenue Service. FAQs About Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFIN)
Setting Up Credentials for the First Time
If you’ve never logged in before, you can’t just create a username and start. You have to complete identity proofing first. The IRS uses ID.me as its verification provider for tax professionals, and this replaces the older in-person visits to Taxpayer Assistance Centers.5Internal Revenue Service. New Identity Verification Process to Access Certain IRS Online Tools and Services
Have a government-issued photo ID ready: a driver’s license, state ID, or passport works.5Internal Revenue Service. New Identity Verification Process to Access Certain IRS Online Tools and Services ID.me may also ask for proof of address and will cross-reference your documents against various databases. You’ll need a smartphone with a camera to photograph your ID. If the automated check fails, ID.me offers a live video call with an agent as a fallback.
Once your identity clears, you create a username and password and register a phone number or authenticator app for the multi-factor step that runs on every future login. Multi-factor authentication is required for all tax professionals under the FTC Safeguards Rule, so there’s no opt-out.2Internal Revenue Service. Security Summit: Protect Against Tax Identity Theft With Multi-Factor IDs, Identity Protection PINs, IRS Online Accounts
The last piece is linking your verified identity to your firm’s EFIN. That link is what unlocks the EFIN-specific tools inside the dashboard. Only individuals listed on the EFIN as principals or responsible officials can complete it. If you’re an employee who isn’t on that list, no amount of identity verification on your end will give you access; the firm has to add you to the application first.
One boundary worth naming: this login is for the EFIN itself, not for a preparer’s PTIN account, and not for the Tax Pro Account used to view client authorizations. Those are separate portals with separate credentials, even though they all sit under the broader IRS umbrella.
What You Can Do Once You’re In
The dashboard’s E-file Application tab is where you handle administrative updates: firm address, phone number, business name, and the list of principals and responsible officials. Adding a new person requires that they already hold a valid PTIN and agree to the IRS suitability check.6Internal Revenue Service. Become an Authorized E-File Provider Keep the contact details current, because the IRS sends compliance letters to whatever information is on file and does not chase down returned mail. Publication 3112 spells out the maintenance obligations in full.7Internal Revenue Service. IRS Publication 3112 – IRS E-File Application and Participation
The dashboard also shows your EFIN’s current status: Active, Suspended, or Revoked. A suspended status generally points to a compliance issue such as unfiled firm returns or a security lapse. If yours shows anything other than Active, call the e-help desk at 866-255-0654 with your case number.4Internal Revenue Service. FAQs About Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFIN)
The most useful screen inside the portal, and the one most firms never open, is the EFIN Status page. Select your organization, click View/Edit, choose EFIN Status from the top menu, and scroll to EFIN Stats at the bottom. The IRS shows how many returns it received under your EFIN, and the numbers update weekly during filing season.3Internal Revenue Service. How to Maintain, Monitor and Protect Your EFIN
Compare those totals against your own records. If the IRS count is significantly higher than what you transmitted, someone may be filing under your EFIN without authorization. Most EFIN fraud gets caught here or not at all, because firms don’t check. Call the e-help desk immediately if the numbers don’t match.3Internal Revenue Service. How to Maintain, Monitor and Protect Your EFIN
Make that check part of your routine after each successful login. It takes a minute, and it’s the single strongest use of the access you just went through so much verification to get.