1040NOW

Tax Year 2025 Electronic Signature Help

Use this page to complete the Electronic Signature screen for your 2025 federal income tax return. The IRS uses the prior-year information and PINs on this screen to verify your identity before accepting an e-filed individual return.

Important: Do not guess. Enter the correct 2024 Self-Select PIN or the correct 2024 adjusted gross income (AGI). If the IRS issued an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN), enter that IP PIN too. Wrong or missing identity information can cause an IRS e-file rejection or delay.

TAXPAYER AUTHENTICATION INFORMATION

Complete lines 1a, 1b, 1c, and 2 for the primary taxpayer listed first on the return. For line 1a or 1b, use the taxpayer's own 2024 information.

Line 1a: 2024 5-digit Self-Select PIN

  • Enter the five-digit PIN you used to electronically sign your 2024 federal return, if you know it.
  • Look in your 2024 e-file records, saved PDF, or the records from the tax software or tax professional you used last year.
  • If you filed your 2024 return by mail, did not file a 2024 return, or cannot find the PIN, leave line 1a blank and use line 1b instead.

Line 1b: 2024 Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)

  • Enter the AGI from line 11 of your original 2024 Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR.
  • Use the amount from the original return the IRS accepted first. Do not use the AGI from an amended return.
  • If you did not file a 2024 federal return, or 2025 is your first year filing, enter 0.
  • If your 2024 return was filed late or was still being processed when you filed this return, try 0 if the actual AGI is rejected.
  • If you do not have your 2024 return, use your IRS Online Account or a tax return transcript to find your prior-year AGI before entering an amount.

Line 1c: Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN)

  • Enter your six-digit IRS Identity Protection PIN only if the IRS issued one to you for tax year 2025.
  • An IP PIN is different from a Self-Select PIN. It may be shown on an IRS CP01A Notice or in your IRS Online Account.
  • If the IRS issued you an IP PIN, you must enter the current-year IP PIN. If you were not issued an IP PIN, leave line 1c blank.
  • Do not enter your prior-year Self-Select PIN in this box.

Line 2: 2025 5-digit Self-Select PIN

  • Create any five-digit PIN to electronically sign your 2025 return.
  • You may reuse your 2024 Self-Select PIN, but you do not have to.
  • Use numbers only. Do not enter all zeros, such as 00000.
  • Remember this PIN with your 2025 tax records. You may need it next year.

SPOUSE AUTHENTICATION INFORMATION

If you are filing a joint return, complete lines 3a, 3b, 3c, and 4 for your spouse. If you are not filing jointly, leave the spouse section blank.

Line 3a: Spouse's 2024 5-digit Self-Select PIN

  • Enter your spouse's five-digit PIN from the 2024 federal return, if your spouse knows it.
  • If your spouse did not e-file in 2024, did not file, or does not know the PIN, leave line 3a blank and use line 3b instead.

Line 3b: Spouse's 2024 Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)

  • If you filed a joint 2024 federal return with the same spouse, enter the same 2024 AGI from line 11 of that joint return.
  • If your spouse filed separately in 2024, enter the AGI from your spouse's own 2024 Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR, line 11.
  • If your spouse did not file a 2024 federal return, enter 0.
  • If you are unsure, verify the amount from your spouse's IRS records before continuing.

Line 3c: Spouse's Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN)

  • Enter your spouse's six-digit IRS IP PIN only if the IRS issued one to your spouse for tax year 2025.
  • If your spouse has an IP PIN, the correct IP PIN must be entered to avoid an e-file rejection or processing delay.
  • If your spouse was not issued an IP PIN, leave line 3c blank.

Line 4: Spouse's 2025 5-digit Self-Select PIN

  • Your spouse must create a five-digit PIN to electronically sign the joint 2025 return.
  • The spouse PIN may be the same as last year's PIN, but it must be numbers only and cannot be all zeros.
Before continuing: Review every PIN and AGI entry carefully. Make sure the AGI is from tax year 2024, the new signature PINs are for tax year 2025, and any IP PIN is the current six-digit IRS IP PIN for 2025.