How to Get an IRS IP PIN for Your Dependent: Form 15227 Steps

To get an IP PIN for a dependent, submit IRS Form 15227 online, by mail, or by fax, then complete a phone identity check when the IRS calls you back. If your income is above the Form 15227 limits or the phone verification doesn’t work, the alternative is an in-person appointment at a Taxpayer Assistance Center. The IRS’s standard online IP PIN tool requires an ID.me account, which dependents under 18 cannot set up, so Form 15227 is the main path for most parents.¹

Who Can Use Form 15227

To apply for a dependent’s IP PIN using Form 15227, you need to meet all three of these conditions:²

Adjusted gross income on your most recently filed return below $84,000 (individual) or $168,000 (married filing jointly).
A working phone number where the IRS can reach you for identity verification.
A valid Social Security Number or ITIN for your dependent.

If your income is over the limit, or you can’t complete a phone verification, skip to the in-person route further down. There is no income cap for a Taxpayer Assistance Center visit.

One boundary worth noting: Form 15227 is only for new opt-in requests. Don’t file it if your dependent has already been assigned an IP PIN.³

What to Have Ready

Gather these before you start:

Your dependent’s full legal name, SSN or ITIN, and date of birth, matching Social Security Administration or IRS records.
Your own name, address, and a reliable phone number where you can be reached during business hours.
Your most recent tax return. The IRS may ask about your filing status or prior-year return details during the verification call.⁴

The form itself doesn’t require attachments, but keep your dependent’s birth certificate and Social Security card accessible in case the IRS asks about relationship or identity during the call.

How to Submit Form 15227

You can send Form 15227 three ways:⁵

Online. Complete and submit the form at irs.gov/dmaf/form/f15227.
Mail. Download the PDF, fill it out, and send it to Department of the Treasury, IRS, Fresno, CA 93888-0025.²
Fax. Send the completed form to 855-807-5720, using a confidential cover sheet to protect the personal information on it.²

The form is a single page. The critical field when you’re applying on behalf of a child is the checkbox indicating that the person listed is a dependent. That flag tells the IRS you’re the parent or guardian submitting for someone else.

The Phone Verification Call

Once the IRS receives your form, a representative calls the number you provided to verify identity. The call is mandatory. Have this within reach when the phone rings:

Social Security Numbers and dates of birth for everyone on your most recent return
Your filing status
A copy of your prior-year return
Any IRS letters or notices you’ve received

Answer carefully. If you fail verification, you’ll have to switch to the in-person route.⁴

How Long It Takes

After you pass verification, the IRS mails the PIN. Processing is targeted at 120 days, but the Taxpayer Advocate Service has reported that 60 percent of applications run longer than that, driven by a surge in identity theft cases.⁶ File as early in the year as you can. The IRS mails CP01A notices with new PINs from mid-December through early January, and applying well ahead of that window gives you the best chance of having the PIN in hand for the upcoming filing season.⁷

The In-Person Alternative

If your income is above the Form 15227 limits, or the phone verification fails, you can get a dependent’s IP PIN through an appointment at a Taxpayer Assistance Center. Call 844-545-5640 to schedule at the office closest to you. IRS offices are open Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays.⁸

Bring all of the following:¹

For yourself: one government-issued photo ID plus one additional form of identification.
For your dependent: two forms of identification, such as a birth certificate and Social Security card.

After in-person verification, the PIN arrives by mail, typically within three weeks. From then on, a new PIN is generated automatically each year.¹

Using the PIN on Your Return

When you e-file a return claiming a dependent who has an IP PIN, enter the six-digit PIN in the designated field on Form 1040. Tax software will prompt for it. If the PIN is missing or wrong, the IRS rejects the e-filed return and you’ll need to fix it and resubmit.⁷

Paper returns work differently. You don’t need to enter a dependent’s IP PIN on a paper return.⁷ Paper takes significantly longer to process, though, so treat it as a fallback.

The IP PIN is federal only. Do not put your dependent’s PIN on any state return.⁷

If the PIN Is Lost or Doesn’t Arrive in Time

A minor’s IP PIN can’t be retrieved through the IRS’s online tool. Call 800-908-4490 instead, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. If the representative can verify your identity on the call, a replacement PIN is mailed to your address on file within 21 days.³

If the filing deadline is close and you still don’t have the PIN, options narrow. You can file a paper return without the dependent’s IP PIN and accept the processing delay, or you can file Form 4868 for an extension, which gives you more time to get the PIN before submitting.

Annual Renewal

An IP PIN is good for one calendar year. A new one arrives each year on a CP01A notice, mailed from mid-December through early January.¹ You don’t resubmit Form 15227; enrollment carries over automatically. Watch your mail during that window, and if the notice hasn’t arrived by mid-January, call 800-908-4490 for a replacement before filing season heats up.

When Your Dependent Turns 18

Once a dependent turns 18, they can take over their own PIN by creating an ID.me account, verifying their identity, and requesting the PIN through the IRS’s online tool. If they already have an IRS online account, they can log in and pull the PIN directly.⁷ Handle this handoff early. If you still claim them as a dependent, you’ll need their PIN on your return, and they’ll need to share it with you. If they file their own return for the first time, the PIN goes on that return as well; it protects the SSN regardless of who is filing.

1
Internal Revenue Service. Get an Identity Protection PIN
2
Internal Revenue Service. Form 15227 Application for an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN)
3
Internal Revenue Service. Retrieve Your Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN)
4
Internal Revenue Service. Be Ready to Verify Your Identity When Calling the IRS
5
Internal Revenue Service. Form 15227 Application for an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN)
6
Taxpayer Advocate Service. Identity Protection PINs: What to Know
7
Internal Revenue Service. Frequently Asked Questions About the Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN)
8
Internal Revenue Service. Let Us Help You