How long does it take to receive IRS 14-digit verification notice after filing 10 days ago?

Tax professional here. The IRS verification notices (usually Letter 4883C or 5071C) typically take 7-14 business days to arrive after your return is flagged for verification. This is part of the IRS identity theft prevention program. Don't request a new notice yet since you're only 10 days in. The system actually won't process a resend request until at least 14 days have passed from your filing date. Once you get the notice, you'll be able to verify either online at idverify.irs.gov or by phone - the notice will specify which option. The verification process itself is pretty straightforward once you have the notice - you'll need your prior year AGI, filing status, some info from this year's return, and possibly ID documents if doing it by phone.

Hi everyone. I had the same verification issue last month and was so confused trying to figure out what was happening with my return. I ended up using taxr.ai to help understand what was going on. The tool analyzed my transcript and explained exactly why I was flagged for verification and what to expect. Super helpful when you're in that weird limbo waiting for the letter! It helped me understand what codes to look for on my transcript. The site is https://taxr.ai if anyone else is stuck in this confusing cycle.

After waiting 3 weeks for my verification letter and getting nowhere, I tried using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually get someone on the phone at the IRS. Was skeptical at first but it worked! Got a callback within 30 minutes and the agent was able to verify my identity right over the phone. Saved me weeks of waiting for that stupid letter. Best money I ever spent after wasting hours on hold getting nowhere.

I waited for almost 4 weeks for my verification letter last year and it never came. Had to request a resend and then waited another 2 weeks. The IRS is a complete disaster. Eventually got it and verified over the phone, but my refund was delayed by over 2 months. Good times 🙃

When this happened to me in March I actually called the IRS Taxpayer Protection Program directly at 800-830-5084. You can sometimes verify over the phone without waiting for the letter. Had to wait on hold for like 2 hours but it worked. Just have all your tax docs and ID ready.

mine came exactly 12 days after filing. The letter tells you to go to idverify.irs.gov where you verify with ID.me which is a whole other headache lol. Make sure u have a good smartphone camera and drivers license ready.

FYI - if you have an online account with the IRS already, you might be able to see the notice in your online account before it arrives in the mail. Worth checking!

anyone else having USPS mail delays in general? my neighbor got his tax documents 3 weeks after they were supposedly delivered according to informed delivery. might be worth checking if thats happening in your area too.

Quick tip: If you end up needing to verify by phone, call right when they open at 7am Eastern. I got through in only 20 minutes by doing this. If you call midday you'll be waiting forever if you get through at all.

Ok so I went through this EXACT same thing in February. I NEVER received the letter, requested a resend, and still nothing. Ended up using taxr.ai and they helped me figure out exactly what was going on with my transcript and what codes to look for. Then used Claimyr to finally talk to someone at the IRS who verified me over the phone. Refund came one week later. Sometimes ya just gotta use the right tools instead of waiting forever on the IRS's broken system!

just want to say that if you keep waiting and never get the letter, you might want to check if someone stole your mail. my identity was stolen last year and they were intercepting my mail including irs notices. id theft is the reason these verification letters exist in the first place.

HEADS UP: This happened to me and I learned you can also be selected for verification RANDOMLY even if there's no suspicion of fraud. It's just part of their standard security measures. So don't panic thinking you did something wrong!

I kept waiting for my verification letter until my accountant told me to check my spam folder... turns out they had emailed me instead of sending physical mail!! This was last month so maybe they're doing things differently now. Check all your email folders including spam/promotions/etc

I went through this same verification process about 6 months ago and it was such a stressful experience! The waiting is definitely the worst part. From my experience, the letters usually arrive within 10-14 business days, but like others mentioned, USPS delays can definitely extend that timeline. One thing I learned is that you can also check your IRS online account transcript to see if there are any status updates or codes that indicate where you are in the verification process. Sometimes the transcript updates before you receive the physical letter. Also, make sure you're checking the right mailbox if you've moved recently or have mail forwarded - I've heard of people missing their letters because of address issues. The verification process itself isn't too bad once you get the letter, just be prepared to have all your documents ready whether you do it online or by phone. Hang in there - I know the anxiety of waiting for your refund is real, but it will get sorted out!

I'm going through the exact same situation right now! Filed 12 days ago and still waiting for my verification letter. The anxiety is real when you're waiting for your refund and don't know what's happening. From what I've read here and researched myself, it sounds like 10-14 business days is pretty normal, but mail delays can definitely extend that. I've been obsessively checking my mailbox every day lol. One thing that's helped me is setting up USPS Informed Delivery so I can see what mail is coming each day - at least then I know if something IRS-related is on its way. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and timelines. It's reassuring to know this is a common process and not something to panic about, even though the waiting is torture!

I'm in a similar situation - filed 11 days ago and still waiting for my verification letter. The uncertainty is definitely stressful when you're expecting your refund! From everything I've read here, it sounds like 10-14 business days is the normal timeframe, but mail delays can definitely push it longer. I've been checking my mailbox obsessively too. One thing that's helped ease my anxiety is remembering that this verification process is actually a good thing - it means the IRS is working to protect us from identity theft and fraud. Even though it's frustrating to wait, it's better than having someone else file a fraudulent return in our name. I'm going to take the advice from others here and wait the full 14 business days before requesting a resend. And definitely signing up for USPS Informed Delivery so I can at least see what's coming in the mail each day instead of just wondering. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and timelines - it really helps to know we're not alone in this process!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Filed my return 9 days ago and got flagged for verification. The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking, especially when you're counting on that refund. From reading everyone's experiences here, it sounds like the 10-14 business day timeframe is pretty standard, though mail delays can definitely extend it. I've been checking my mailbox every day hoping to see that IRS envelope! One thing I'm going to do based on the suggestions here is set up USPS Informed Delivery so I can at least see what's coming each day instead of just wondering. And I'll definitely wait the full 14 days before requesting a resend since the system won't process it earlier anyway. It's actually somewhat comforting to know this is such a common experience and that so many people have successfully gotten through the verification process. The anxiety of not knowing what's happening with your return is real, but it sounds like patience is really the key here. Thanks to everyone for sharing their timelines and experiences - it really helps to know we're all in this together!