Information provided by the previous commentor is that if you already have a verified IRS online account, you will get your IP pin online as soon as you sign up. The trick then is to get a verified IRS online account. If you already have one, no problem. If you don’t have a verified IRS online account, the sign-up process offers two or three different methods to verify your identity.
One method involves answering questions from your credit report. Another method involves the IRS sending an automated message to your cell phone based on records provided by the cell phone company. However, these methods don’t always work for everyone. The third way to verify your identity to get an online account is for the IRS to mail a verification code to your address of record. This should take 5 to 10 days, and is probably automatic and not affected by Covid delays, although I don’t think there’s any way to know for sure until you try it.
If you have a verified IRS online account, it sounds like you can get your IP pin immediately. If you don’t have a verified online account, then you are probably safe in opening the account now even though it might take 10 days to get your activation code by mail.
If you wait until you move, you will need to file the IRS change of address form and then you will have to wait an additional length of time for it to be processed and input into the computers before you could open your online account using mail in verification. And we don’t really know how long it is taking the IRS to process those kinds of forms, except that they are probably backlogged on everything. I don’t work for the IRS, but I suggest that the smoothest way to get an IP pin if you don’t have an IRS online account, is to apply for the account now so that if a verification code is needed, it can be mailed to your current address before you move. Then use the online account to opt into the IP pin.
