IRS PIN Number: IP PIN, Self-Select PIN, and How to Get One

An IRS PIN number is one of two codes the agency uses during filing, and knowing which one you need saves a lot of confusion. The Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) is a six-digit code the IRS assigns to keep anyone else from filing a return under your Social Security Number or ITIN. The Self-Select PIN is a five-digit number you pick yourself inside your tax software to electronically sign your return. Different purposes, different rules, and only one of them requires anything from you ahead of filing.

What the Identity Protection PIN Does

An IP PIN is a six-digit number shared only between you and the IRS. It exists to stop someone else from filing a fraudulent return with your SSN or ITIN. The program started for confirmed identity theft victims and is now open to any taxpayer who wants the added protection.¹

Your IP PIN changes every year. The IRS mails a new one each December or January before filing season opens.² A stolen PIN becomes useless once the calendar turns.

Once you have an IP PIN, using it is mandatory. The IRS will reject any e-filed return submitted under your SSN or ITIN if the correct current-year IP PIN is missing or wrong. Paper filers write the number in the signature area of Form 1040. The IP PIN applies only to federal returns. Do not put it on your state return.¹

How To Get an IP PIN

You have three routes, depending on whether you can verify your identity online.

The Online Tool

The fastest option is the “Get an IP PIN” tool on irs.gov. You verify your identity through ID.me by uploading a government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, or passport) and taking a selfie with a phone or webcam.³ Your current-year IP PIN appears on screen right after verification. When you sign up, you choose between continuous enrollment, which keeps you in the program going forward, or one-time enrollment, which covers only the current calendar year and drops you at year-end.¹

Form 15227 by Mail

If the online verification doesn’t work for you, file Form 15227, Application for an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number. There’s an income cap: adjusted gross income on your most recently filed return must be below $84,000, or $168,000 if married filing jointly.⁴ After processing, the IRS mails the IP PIN to your address on file. Expect several weeks.

In-Person at a Taxpayer Assistance Center

If your income is too high for Form 15227 and the online tool won’t work, book an appointment at a local Taxpayer Assistance Center. Bring government-issued ID so staff can verify you in person. Find the nearest office through the IRS Taxpayer Assistance Locator or by calling 844-545-5640.¹

IP PINs for Dependents

Dependents can be issued IP PINs too, and this catches a lot of filers off guard. If your dependent has an IP PIN, you must enter it on your e-filed return. The number is required on Form 1040, on Form 2441 for the Child and Dependent Care Expenses credit, and on Schedule EIC for the Earned Income Credit. Miss any of those entries and the return gets rejected.¹

Paper filers get a pass: you don’t need to enter a dependent’s IP PIN on a paper return.¹

A dependent who is 18 or older and has an IRS online account can log in and request their own IP PIN. For dependents under 18, or anyone who can’t create an ID.me account, a parent or guardian can submit Form 15227 on their behalf. You can also visit a Taxpayer Assistance Center, but bring two forms of ID for the dependent, such as a birth certificate, Social Security card, passport, or school records.¹

Amended Returns and Extensions

Your IP PIN isn’t only for original returns. On an e-filed amended return, the IRS rejects the submission without the correct IP PIN. For a paper-filed amendment, include the IP PIN on the Form 1040 that accompanies your Form 1040-X.¹

Extensions work the same way. When you e-file Form 4868, the software prompts you to enter your IP PIN if one has been assigned.⁵

Opting Out of the IP PIN Program

If you enrolled voluntarily and no longer want to track a new number each year, you can opt out. Log into your IRS online account and go to the IP PIN section of your profile, or call 800-908-4490.¹

Two caveats. You can only opt out if you joined voluntarily and have never been a confirmed victim of tax-related identity theft. Identity theft victims are enrolled automatically and cannot leave. After opting out, allow up to 72 hours before you can e-file without an IP PIN or opt back in.¹

The Self-Select PIN for E-Filing

The Self-Select PIN is a different animal. It’s a five-digit number you pick inside your tax software, and it works as your electronic signature on Form 1040 or Form 4868. You don’t register it with the IRS ahead of time. You just choose it when the software prompts you.⁵

Before the IRS accepts that PIN as a valid signature, it needs to confirm you’re really you. The check uses your date of birth plus one of two numbers: your prior-year adjusted gross income (AGI) or the Self-Select PIN you used on last year’s original return.⁵ If the AGI or prior PIN doesn’t match, the return is rejected on the spot.

One rule for the number itself: it can’t be all zeros. Pick something memorable, because the software uses it to generate the electronic signature record that goes with your return.⁵

First-Time Filers and Joint Returns

Never filed before? Enter zero for prior-year AGI. Don’t leave the field blank or the return will be rejected.⁵ Same instruction if last year’s return is still being processed: enter zero.⁶

Married couples filing jointly enter a prior-year AGI or prior-year PIN for both spouses. If one spouse didn’t file last year, that spouse’s AGI is zero.⁵

Finding Your Prior-Year AGI

A wrong AGI is one of the most common reasons e-filed returns bounce. If last year’s return isn’t in reach, log into your IRS online account and open the Records and Status tab, then select the prior tax year to see your AGI. If you can’t access the online account, request a free tax return transcript from the IRS. It will show the AGI line from your prior filing.⁷

Lost, Forgotten, or Compromised PINs

Lost or Forgotten IP PIN

The quickest fix is the “Get an IP PIN” tool on irs.gov. Re-verify your identity and the current-year IP PIN displays on screen. If the online tool won’t work, call 800-908-4490.⁸

Compromised IP PIN

If you think someone has your IP PIN, contact the IRS identity theft line at 800-908-4490 right away.⁹ The IRS does not issue a replacement mid-year. You may need to file a paper return until a new IP PIN is generated for the next tax year. Filing a report with local law enforcement helps document the theft.

Self-Select PIN Problems

The Self-Select PIN itself rarely causes issues, because you pick a new one each year. The real stumbling block is the prior-year AGI that unlocks the signature. If your e-file is rejected for an AGI mismatch, pull the number from your IRS online account or a transcript before trying again. Without the correct AGI or prior-year PIN, your only remaining option is a paper return by mail.

1
Internal Revenue Service. Frequently Asked Questions About the Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN)
2
Internal Revenue Service. Understanding Your CP01A Notice
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Internal Revenue Service. New Identity Verification Process To Access Certain IRS Online Tools and Services
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Internal Revenue Service. Form 15227 (Rev. 1-2026)
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Internal Revenue Service. Self-Select PIN Method for Forms 1040 and 4868 Modernized e-File (MeF)
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Internal Revenue Service. Validating Your Electronically Filed Tax Return
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Internal Revenue Service. Adjusted Gross Income
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Internal Revenue Service. Get an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN)
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Internal Revenue Service. Reporting Identity Theft