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IRS notice decoder · Identity and return verification

5747C: the IRS wants to verify your identity in person

A 5747C means the IRS needs you to verify your identity and a return, possibly in person at a Taxpayer Assistance Center, before it processes it.

By the Carry Forward Learning team Reviewed by Hunter Nottingham, JD, CPA

No dated figures Checked Review by

CheckedOct 19, 2026

What a 5747C means

A 5747C is an identity check. The IRS says it received a Form 1040-series return under your Social Security number or ITIN and needs you to verify your identity and that return before it keeps processing it. source 1

The difference from its cousins: you may need to visit a Taxpayer Assistance Center in person. source 1

If you didn't file the return, the IRS needs to hear that from you. source 1

As with every identity letter, start only by typing irs.gov yourself or using the numbers printed on the letter. Never start from a link in a message.

The date that counts

The IRS page sets no window of its own. It says that until you verify, it can't process the return, issue a refund or credit an overpayment, so act on the instructions in the letter. source 1

Why people get one

  • You filed, and the IRS wants to confirm in person that the return came from you.
  • Someone else filed a return using your Social Security number or ITIN.

First steps

  1. Start verification only by typing irs.gov into your browser yourself. Never start it from a link in an email, text or social media message, even one that looks like it came from the IRS.
  2. If you didn't file, call the Taxpayer Protection Program hotline printed on your letter to say so. source 1
  3. If you did file, call the Taxpayer Assistance Center number printed on your letter to schedule an in-person appointment. source 1
  4. Bring the letter, the return it names, a prior-year return if available, and supporting documents for each year. Forms W-2 and 1099 are not returns. source 1
  5. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID plus at least one more document from the IRS list, such as a Social Security card, a lease or mortgage, or a utility bill matching your address. source 1
  6. A representative can come with a Form 2848 on file, but you have to attend yourself so your identity can be checked. source 1

What not to do

  • Don't start verification from a link in an email, text or social media message. Type irs.gov yourself.
  • Don't file Form 14039; the IRS says to follow the letter's instructions instead. source 1
  • Don't ask the letter's numbers for refund status; the IRS says it isn't available there. source 1
  • Don't send someone in your place. The IRS says the taxpayer must be present. source 1
  • Related 5071C A related identity letter that may let you verify online.
  • Related 4883C A related identity letter that asks you to verify by phone.

Keep reading

Questions

What ID do I bring for a 5747C appointment?

The IRS lists a valid government-issued photo ID plus at least one more document, such as a second government ID, a Social Security card, a mortgage or lease with your address, a car title, a voter registration card, a matching utility bill or current school records, among others on the IRS list. source 1

Can my tax professional go to the 5747C appointment for me?

An authorized representative can represent you, the IRS says, but you must be present to verify your identity. source 1

What happens if I ignore a 5747C?

The IRS says it can't process the return, issue a refund or credit overpayments to your account. source 1

Sources

  1. IRS, Understanding your letter 5747C (updated May 16, 2026) (external site) checked Oct 19, 2026

Every rule on this page comes from the IRS page in the list, read on the date shown. Your notice itself is the final word on its own dates and amounts.