You go to your IRS Online Account, click sign in, and you are stuck. Maybe the password no longer works, the security code never arrives, or the screen throws an error you have never seen. Tax deadlines do not wait, so this is stressful.
Here is the key fact that changes how you fix it. The IRS does not store your sign-in password. It hands sign-in to a third-party identity provider, either ID.me or Login.gov. Recovering your IRS account really means recovering your account with that provider.
The fixes below are ordered quickest and most common first. Start by confirming which provider you enrolled with, then jump to the section that matches your exact problem.
Confirm Which Provider You Use
Recovery steps differ completely between ID.me and Login.gov, so identify yours first.
Go to the IRS service you need (for individuals, the Online Account) and select Sign in or create account. This routes you to the IRS sign-in page at sa.www4.irs.gov/ola/.
On that page you are sent to your identity provider. Note which one appears: a Sign in with ID.me button means ID.me; a Login.gov sign-in screen means Login.gov.
The IRS Help Center states you need an ID.me account and refers technical and password issues to the ID.me help center, while Login.gov lists the IRS as a supported agency. Because the providers can differ, always start at the live IRS sign-in page to see which one your account uses.
Reset Your ID.me Password
If you have ID.me and forgot your password, this is the fastest fix. ID.me no longer supports signing in with Google, Apple, Facebook, or DS Logon, so if you originally used a social login, you have no password set yet and this same flow creates one.
Open the ID.me sign-in page (reached by choosing Sign in with ID.me from the IRS sign-in page).
Next, enter your email address and select Continue.
Select Forgot password?.
Then re-enter your email address and select Continue.
Open the email titled ID.me - Your password reset link, sent from [email protected]. It can take up to 10 minutes; check spam and junk folders.
In the email, select Reset your password, or copy the 6-digit code into the browser and select Confirm.
Enter your new password twice (at least 8 characters) and select Continue.
Return to the sign-in page, sign in with the new password, and complete multi-factor authentication.
The reset link expires after 15 minutes, so use only the most recent email. If nothing arrives, go back to the forgot-password page, select Resend my verification, and confirm your email address is correct.
Recover ID.me Multi-Factor Authentication
If you know your password but cannot get past the security code (new phone, changed number, lost device, or a reinstalled authenticator app), use the MFA recovery process. Have your phone or new authentication device ready before you start, because the clock is tight.
Go to the ID.me sign-in page, enter your credentials, and select Sign in.
On the Complete Your Sign In screen, select the MFA recovery process link.
Confirm ownership of your wallet using an offered method: a live selfie, a video call, confirming your email, verifying personal information, or uploading an identity document.
After ownership is confirmed, set up a new MFA method within 30 minutes by following the on-screen prompts.
If you do not finish within 30 minutes, you must restart the process and re-verify ownership. Note that resetting MFA settings still requires access to your email and password.
Sign In When You Cannot Access Your ID.me Email
This is the hard case. If you have lost access to the email on your ID.me account, the standard password reset and MFA recovery will not work, and there is no documented self-service way to change the email yourself.
Go to the ID.me sign-in page and enter the email associated with your wallet, even if you can no longer open that inbox.
Enter any password you commonly use. If it works, follow the prompts to complete MFA.
If you cannot get past password or MFA, select the blue circle with the white chat bubble in the lower-right corner of the page.
Type that you cannot sign in and answer the support questions to reach an agent. An agent must recover the wallet for you.
Reset Your Login.gov Password
If your provider is Login.gov and you forgot your password, use this flow.
Go to secure.login.gov.
Select the Forgot your password? link near the bottom of the page.
Enter your email address and select Continue.
Open the Login.gov email and click the Reset your password button.
Enter a new password of at least 12 characters; avoid common phrases, repeated characters, parts of your email, or personal dates.
Select Change password.
If you have your personal key, sign in with the new password, select Reactivate your profile now from the deactivation alert, choose I have my key, enter your most recent personal key, re-enter your password, and save the new key. If you do not have access to the account email and do not remember the password, Login.gov instructs you to create a new account with an email you control and re-verify your information.
Recover a Lost Phone or Personal Key on Login.gov
Try these in order, easiest first.
Regain your original phone number. If you can get the same number back, request a one-time code; it should arrive even on a new device.
Use a backup method. Sign in with email and password, and when prompted for the security code, select Choose another security option, then pick a method you previously set up.
Use your personal key. This 16-character code encrypts your account data and is found on your account page, where you can copy, download, or print it. It is single-use and reissued after each password reset.
If you have no backup method and no personal key, you must delete the account and create a new one, then re-verify. Login.gov enforces a two-step process with a 24-hour waiting period to delete when you have lost access to your authentication methods. The only reliable way to avoid this path is to set up multiple authentication methods (backup codes, a second device, or a security key) in advance.
Match Your Login.gov Error Code
Login.gov surfaces specific codes when IRS access is blocked.
5001: Retry sign-in and consult the Trouble signing in help.
6000: A security condition is preventing access; follow the on-page guidance or contact the IRS.
6001: The name on your credential does not match Social Security Administration records; correct the name on your credential or with SSA.
6101: Your identity was verified without an SSN, but IRS access requires an SSN; re-verify with your SSN.
Your Login.gov account holds no tax data, so tax-specific questions go to the IRS, not Login.gov.
Finish Identity Verification to Regain Access
Once your credentials work, your first IRS sign-in may prompt you to upgrade or verify your wallet. Have ready a mobile phone with a camera, your email, an accepted photo ID (U.S. driver's license or state ID, U.S. passport, or U.S. passport card), and your Social Security Number.
From the IRS application, select Sign in with ID.me, enter your email and password, and complete MFA.
Verify via self-service by uploading documents or submitting a selfie. This is the fastest path, typically 5 to 10 minutes.
If self-service fails repeatedly, you are redirected to verify through a short live video call with an agent, where you upload a document and join the call.
Get Your Tax Info Without Signing In
If you cannot sign in at all and just need your records, use the no-sign-in fallback.
Go to the IRS account or service you need and select Sign in or create account.
Select the link at the top of the page, get your information without signing in.
Alternatively, request an account transcript by mail, or submit Form 4506-T for transcripts (used by businesses or filers of forms other than the 1040).
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does fixing my IRS account mean fixing ID.me or Login.gov?
The IRS delegates sign-in to a third-party identity provider and does not store your password. Recovering access means recovering your ID.me or Login.gov account, which is why the IRS refers password and technical issues to those providers.
How long do I have to set up a new MFA method on ID.me?
Thirty minutes after you confirm ownership of your wallet. If you miss that window, you must restart the entire process and re-verify ownership, so have your new device ready before you begin.
What if I lost both my Login.gov phone and my personal key?
If you also have no backup authentication method, you cannot recover the account. You must delete it and create a new one, then re-verify your identity. Login.gov requires a two-step process and a 24-hour waiting period to delete in this situation.
The ID.me reset email never arrived. What now?
Check spam and junk first; it can take up to 10 minutes. Then return to the forgot-password page and select Resend my verification, confirming your email is correct. Use only the most recent email, since reset links expire after 15 minutes.
I created my account with a Google or Apple login and cannot sign in. Why?
ID.me no longer supports Google, Apple, Facebook, or DS Logon sign-ins. An account made that way has no password set, so run the ID.me password reset to create email and password credentials.
What do I need to verify my identity if I have to rebuild access?
A personal email address, a unique password (at least 8 characters for ID.me, at least 12 for Login.gov), and a multifactor method. For identity verification, have your SSN or ITIN and a valid government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license or state ID, passport, or passport card.