Main Street Practitioner Blog

The IRS would like to remind tax return preparers to renew their Preparer Tax Identification Numbers (PTINs) before they expire on December 31, 2019.

“Last year we issued more than 813,000 PTIN’s and are asking tax preparers to renew now to avoid a last-minute rush,” said IRS Return Preparer Office Director Carol Campbell. “Having this essential element done now will make the transition to tax season much easier.”

Tax preparers with who have a PTIN issued or renewed in 2019 should use online renewal to speed up the process, which can take four to six weeks to turn around if submitted by mail.

To renew your PTIN online:

• Go to IRS.gov/tax-professionals
• Select “Renew or Register” button
• Enter the user ID and password to login to the online PTIN account.
• Follow the prompts to verify information and answer a few questions.

Once completed, users will receive confirmation of their PTIN renewal. There is no fee for renewing or obtaining a PTIN for 2020. However, tax preparers who do not have a valid PTIN may be subject to penalties.