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IRS notice decoder · Identity and return verification

CP01A: your identity protection PIN for the year

A CP01A carries your identity protection PIN (IP PIN) for the year. Here is where it goes on your return and how to keep it safe.

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

No dated figures Checked Review by

CheckedOct 19, 2026

What a CP01A means

A CP01A is not a bill and not a problem. It's the letter that delivers your identity protection personal identification number, the IP PIN, with instructions for using it. source 1

The IRS says it issues these every year, and a new CP01A with a new IP PIN arrives each December or January. source 1

We think of the IP PIN as a second lock on your Social Security number for federal returns. It only works if you use it, and it only stays useful if you keep it to yourself.

The date that counts

There's nothing to send back. The IRS says the IP PIN must be used on federal returns you file during the calendar year, including prior-year returns filed that year, and that a new one is mailed each December or January. source 1

Why people get one

  • You're enrolled in the IP PIN program, and this is the yearly letter with the new PIN.
  • You were a victim of tax-related identity theft in the past, and the IRS now protects your account with an IP PIN.

First steps

  1. Check your IRS online account (typed in yourself at irs.gov) to see the notice and confirm it's real. source 1
  2. When you file Form 1040, 1040-SR, 1040-NR or 1040-SS this year, enter the IP PIN in the right place. On a paper return it goes in the Identity Protection PIN box beside the signature line of the person it belongs to. source 1
  3. On an e-filed return, everyone who received an IP PIN enters it, including a spouse and dependents. A dependent's IP PIN also goes on Form 2441 and Schedule EIC when those are filed. source 1
  4. Give the IP PIN to your tax preparer and to no one else. source 1
  5. Store the notice with your tax records, somewhere secure.

What not to do

  • Don't e-file without it. The IRS says an e-filed return without a valid IP PIN will be rejected, and a paper return without one may take longer, which can delay a refund. source 1
  • Don't use it on your state return. The IRS says it applies only to federal income tax returns; a state PIN is a different thing. source 1
  • Don't file Form 14039 just because a CP01A arrived. The IRS says that's only needed if you experience identity theft after getting it. source 1
  • Don't act on a link or phone number from an unexpected email or text that claims to be about this notice. Use irs.gov, typed in yourself.
  • Related CP01S The notice that says the IRS received your identity theft claim.

Questions

Do I need to file Form 14039 after getting a CP01A?

No. The IRS says you don't need to unless you experience identity theft after receiving the CP01A. source 1

What happens if I leave the IP PIN off my return?

The IRS says an e-filed return without a valid IP PIN will be rejected, and a paper return may take longer to process, which can delay any refund. source 1

Can I use last year's IP PIN?

The IRS says a new IP PIN is mailed each December or January and is used on returns filed during that calendar year, including prior-year returns. Use the current one. source 1

Sources

  1. IRS, Understanding your CP01A notice (updated July 17, 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.