What are the penalties for being a dependent on a parent and never filling taxes

[xmasbaby0]

If you were a dependent that means someone else supported you.   However, it is still possible for you to owe tax if you worked and did not have enough withheld from your paychecks or if you worked as an independent contractor and did not file and pay self-employment tax for Social Security and Medicare.  Your question is kind of a loaded one--- please explain----why are you worried?   If you do not owe tax and did not file to seek a refund of tax withheld, then  the IRS is happy to just keep your money.   

Why do you think you might have a penalty?   What kind of income have you had---and for what tax years?

[Critter-3]

Basically the rules are the same for everyone including dependents.

If you are required to file and you do not then you can be penalized if you owe.  However the if the IRS computes your return because you did not and you are due a refund they will simply keep the money.  It is your responsibility to file a return asking for a refund of the excess taxes paid in ... and you only have 3 years to do so.  After that the IRS gets to keep the money. 

So it is in your best interest to at least complete a return to see if you have a refund coming back to you.  Use one of the IRS FREE FILE options : https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free

[xmasbaby0]

CAN I FILE A RETURN IF I AM A DEPENDENT?

If you can be claimed as a dependent on your parents’ return, you can still file your own return so that you can receive a refund of taxes withheld.  (You will not get back anything for Social Security or Medicare withheld.) Be sure that on your own return you say that you can be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/children-dependents/help/do-i-need-to-file-my-own-taxes-if-i-m-a-d...