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Level 2
April 11, 2025
Question

IP PIN

  • April 11, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 8 views

I am trying to e-file a joint return where the taxpayer has a 5-digit self-select PIN and the spouse has a 6-digit IP PIN. This IP PIN was entered correctly under "Other Tax Situations"/ "Other Return Information"/"Identity Protection PIN".

When I go to e-file the return I get an error message from TurboTax indicating that I need to provide a 5-digit self-select PIN for the souse in order to move forward. Since the leading digit of the IP PIN was "0", I used the remaining five numbers in the Self-Select Pin Box so that I could get past the TurboTax error. This allowed me to move forward in TurboTax, but when I e-filed the return, it was rejected because it had the incorrect PIN.

I need some guidance on how I can e-file this return leaving the Self-Select PIN blank while still being able to move forward to e-filing the return with the correct IP PIN.

 

2 replies

JohnB5677
Level 15
April 11, 2025

You can use the IRS website ID.me to request it.

  • This IRS issued PIN is 6 digits long.
  • Your signature ID (also called a self-select PIN) is a random 5-digit number you entered last year, right before you submitted your return.
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PhilM51Author
Level 2
April 11, 2025

When I use the self-select PIN from last year, the e-filed return gets rejected by the IRS for not being the correct IP PIN.

CatinaT1
Level 15
April 11, 2025

The self-select Pin is 5 digits and different than the IP PIN, which is 6 digits.

 

The IP Pin will change each and every year. This is an Identity Protection Pin.  

  

You can get an Identity Protection pin here, or if you lost your IP PIN, you can go here to Retrieve IP PIN. 

 

Here are two ways to navigate to the section to enter the 6 digit IP PIN: 

  

  1. Log in and open your return ("Take me to my return") 
  2. Once the return is open, then go to the Federal Taxes tab. 
  3. Subtab Other Tax Situations 
  4. Scroll down to Other Return Info. 
  5. Choose Identity Protection PIN and Start (or Revisit.) 
  6. Next screen asks:  "Did you or any of your dependents get an IP PIN from the IRS for this year's taxes?" 

Or another way: 

  1. Open your return if not already open.  ("Take me to my return.") 
  2. Once the return is open, click at the top on MY ACCOUNT, then choose TOOLS. 
  3. In the Tools window choose TOPIC SEARCH. 
  4. Enter IP PIN without quotes. 
  5. In the selection list highlight IP PIN and click GO. 
  6. Next screen asks:  "Did you or any of your dependents get an IP PIN from the IRS for this year's taxes?" 
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Level 2
October 10, 2025

I received the rejection email with the following

 

 

IND-183-01 - The Spouse did not enter a valid Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN). Please visit www.irs.gov/getanippin for further information and resubmit your return with the correct number.
 
I pulled down the six digit number from the IRS website for my spouse.  I went to "Other Tax Situations" and clicked to Update the "Identity Protection Pin" and immediately received the following error message:
 
"Hmmm, looks like we hit a snag.    We recommend you revisit the last topic you were working on to make sure all your info's correct".
 
The first time I had gone into the update page for "Identity Protection Pin" it led me to the five digit number which is different.  As such, I exited out and then went to the IRS to get the six digit number and when I went back it gave me the above error.
 
 
My problem is I wasn't working on anything.  Immediately after the 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Level 15
October 10, 2025

@DougfromHouston wrote:

I received the rejection email with the following

 

 

IND-183-01 - The Spouse did not enter a valid Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN). Please visit www.irs.gov/getanippin for further information and resubmit your return with the correct number.
 
I pulled down the six digit number from the IRS website for my spouse.  I went to "Other Tax Situations" and clicked to Update the "Identity Protection Pin" and immediately received the following error message:
 
"Hmmm, looks like we hit a snag.    We recommend you revisit the last topic you were working on to make sure all your info's correct".
 
The first time I had gone into the update page for "Identity Protection Pin" it led me to the five digit number which is different.  As such, I exited out and then went to the IRS to get the six digit number and when I went back it gave me the above error.
 
My problem is I wasn't working on anything.  Immediately after the 

This is a known issue that has developed in the last few hours in the desktop software and has been happening to several people who try to enter or correct the IP PIN.   Here's a workaround:

 

If you are using desktop software, you can also enter the 6-digit IP PIN in Forms Mode on the Federal Information Worksheet, Part VII. Go to Forms Mode, and in the left column forms list choose "Info Wks". That should be the Federal Information Worksheet. Scroll down to Part VII, and the IP PIN should be the first item in that part of the worksheet.  If it's a Spouse IP PIN, be sure you use the Spouse line.

Please report back if that worked for you.

Level 2
October 10, 2025

Hello, thank you for responding.   It was late and did not see your response until next morning.   When I logged in there was an update to TurboTax and it must have fixed the problem as I resolved the issue through the normal steps without going to forms, etc.    Thanks again!