Get an IP PIN before time's up

If the IRS feels like alphabet soup these days, you're not wrong. Between the preparer tax identification number (PTIN), electronic filing identification number (EFIN), multi-factor authentication (MFA) and the identity protection personal identification number (IP PIN), it's easy to tune out. Don't. It's 2025; identity theft is rampant, and thieves keep finding new ways to pry loose Social Security numbers, dependents' details and refunds. Your clients expect you to cut through the acronyms and lock down their filings. The quickest win is simple yet powerful: the identity protection personal identification number (IP PIN). Enroll clients now before the IRS tool goes offline in mid-November for annual maintenance.

IP PIN basics

An IP PIN is a unique six-digit code the IRS issues to help prevent someone from filing a fraudulent return using a taxpayer's Social Security number (SSN) or taxpayer identification number (TIN). The IP PIN verifies identity on federal returns filed electronically or on paper. It's valid for one calendar year, and a new number is generated each filing season. Anyone who can complete the IRS identity verification process may opt in to the program, including taxpayers, spouses or dependents, even if they've never experienced identity theft. 

Starting in January 2025, the IP PIN also helps avoid duplicate dependent claims that would otherwise stall refunds and trigger manual reviews. If a dependent has already been claimed, the IRS now accepts a second e-filed return only if it includes a valid IP PIN for that dependent. Without it, the second return must be filed on paper.

The timing window you can't ignore

The Get an IP PIN tool is generally available from mid-January through mid-November, when it pauses for annual maintenance. That pause matters for early filers and anyone who wants to avoid January delays. Encourage clients to enroll before the downtime, so their return validates cleanly when e-file opens next year. Clients who enroll online through their IRS account will see their current IP PIN immediately once identity is verified.

When online verification fails

If a client can’t verify their identity online, they still have options.

Form 15227, Application for an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN), is one such option. Note there are four criteria for using this form, including adjusted gross income requirements. After receipt, the IRS will complete a phone verification and mail out the IP PIN for the upcoming season.

If you don’t meet the Form 15227 eligibility requirements, such as having income above the listed threshold or being unable to complete phone verification, schedule an in-person visit at a local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center. Clients should bring a government-issued photo ID and a second identity document. After the appointment, the IRS mails the IP PIN, usually within a few weeks.

Note: Due to the ongoing government shutdown that began Oct. 8, 2025, IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers remain closed until further notice. Services will resume once federal agencies are reopened. Check the IRS website for the latest updates on availability.

Once assigned, the IP PIN must be entered on every federal return that year: original, amended and any prior-year submissions filed during the calendar year. Clients should only share the number with the IRS and a trusted tax preparer or software provider, and for filing purposes only. Remind taxpayers that the IRS won't call, email or text to request an IP PIN. For guidance on prevention and what to do after a suspected incident, refer clients to the IRS’s Identity Theft Central.

How the IP PIN gave Doria a smoother season

Doria, a single filer, learned last spring that someone had attempted to file taxes using her Social Security number. She created an IRS online account, followed the registration steps, and obtained her IP PIN through Get an IP PIN. This season, Doria’s e-file validated on the first try, her refund released without manual review and she avoided the paper identity-theft process entirely. 

That's the result we want for any client at risk, especially early filers and shared-custody households where duplicate dependent claims routinely delay refunds.

Client conversations to have before mid-November

• Tell clients that opting into an IP PIN is free and protective. 
• Provide online-ready clients with the link they need (Get an IP PIN tool), and remind them to enroll before the scheduled maintenance downtime in mid-November. 
• For clients who can't pass online verification, use Form 15227 if eligible, or book a local IRS office appointment. 
• For more background to share with your team or clients, see NATP's explainer, "How to Get an IRS Identity Protection PIN," and search “dependent claims” on the NATP website for additional articles.
  • Taxpayers with an IP PIN are now able to e-file duplicate dependent returns.
• For broader education and next steps after suspicious activity, point to Identity Theft Central. 

Pre-season checklist: lock IP PINs in now

Amid the alphabet soup of IRS acronyms, the IP PIN stands out as one of the most effective ways to protect clients from identity theft. But time is short: the online tool shuts down for maintenance in mid-November. Make IP PIN enrollment part of your pre-season checklist. Verify the current-year IP PIN before transmitting returns, store it securely and remind clients it changes annually. These small steps help prevent duplicate dependent claims, reduce refund delays and steer your filing season clear of identity-theft detours.