The IRS relaunched its Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN) program this week and all US taxpayers are encouraged to enroll for added security against identity theft and fraudulent returns.
An Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) is a six-digit number assigned to a taxpayer that must be used when filing a tax return. This number is only valid for the current year, with a new one assigned each tax year.
As this PIN is only known to you, your accountant (if not self-filing), and the IRS, it prevents scammers from filing a tax return using your Social Security Number and personal information.
In October, the IRS encouraged all taxpayers to enroll in the Identity Protection PIN program to protect themselves against fraudulent returns.
“As the 2025 tax season approaches, the IRS encourages all taxpayers to take an important step to safeguard their identity by signing up for an identity protection personal identification number (IP PIN),” reads an IRS bulletin from October.
“This simple yet crucial step can provide an added layer of security, helping protect against tax-related identity theft.”
However, the program shut down in December due to maintenance and relaunched this week.
US taxpayers who previously suffered tax-related identity theft are automatically enrolled in the program. However, the IRS also strongly recommends all taxpayers apply to the Identity Protection PIN program to proactively protect themselves from fraudulent returns that attempt to steal their tax refunds.
For those enrolled, the IRS began notifying taxpayers this week that their 2025 IP PIN is available in their account on the IRS website. If you are not enrolled, you should do so immediately to prevent scammers from filing a return in your name before you submit your legitimate return.
The IRS Identity Protection Personal Identification Number program is even more critical this year, with over 100 million people’s Social Security Numbers exposed in the massive National Public Data data breach.
Last year, the IRS’s Taxpayer Protection Program (TPP) flagged 2.8 million tax returns as suspicious, making this a threat worth avoiding.
How to Obtain an IP PIN
Taxpayers can obtain an Identity Protection PIN by creating an account on the IRS website and verifying their identity through ID.me.
Once the account has been verified and you are logged in, you can click the Profile link. When you are on your profile page, scroll down and opt into the Identity Protection PIN program.
When opting in, you will have the option to select either “Continuous enrollment” (receive one every year) or “One-time enrollment” (only for the current calendar year). It is suggested that you select continuous enrollment to obtain an IP PIN every year.
Those unable to register online can also request a PIN by submitting Form 15227 as long as your adjusted gross income is $79,000 or less or $158,000 or less for those married filing jointly. You can also schedule an in-person appointment at a Taxpayer Assistance Center.
Not registering an account and submitting Form 15227 may be the safest route, as you will be protected from potential infostealer infections stealing the credentials for your IRS account.
Once enrolled, you will either receive your IP Ping in the mail in a CP01A notice or via your IRS account if you have one. This IP PIN should be kept private and only shared with your accountant if they are helping you file your return.
The IRS advises taxpayers to enroll as early as they can in a calendar year, as cybercriminals commonly attempt to send their tax returns in before taxpayers submit their own.
In many cases, taxpayers do not realize that they suffered tax-related identity theft until they try to file a return and find out that someone has already filed one under their Social Security Number.
An IP PIN is free to obtain, requiring only some time to set up an account. However, it can save you days of frustrating and stressful work trying to resolve identity theft if a fraudulent return is filed under your Social Security Number.