IRS Code 570 After Identity Verification: What Happens Next
Direct answer: If IRS Code 570 is on your transcript after you verified your identity, that is normal. The IRS says to wait 2 to 3 weeks before checking, and processing can take up to 9 weeks after verification. The hold stays until the IRS clears it, which posts as Code 571, then Code 846 when your refund is issued.
Why IRS Code 570 Appears When the IRS Flags Your Identity
The IRS Taxpayer Protection Program (TPP) runs fraud filters on every return. When a return scores high on identity-theft risk, the IRS freezes it and mails you a verification letter. Code 570 on your account transcript is the hold that freezes your refund while that review is pending. For the general meaning of the code, see IRS Code 570: Refund Hold Meaning, Timeline & What To Do.
Common things that trip the fraud filters:
- A new mailing address compared with your prior-year return
- A first-time e-filer, or a return filed much earlier or later than usual
- A new bank account for direct deposit, especially an online bank
- Large refundable credits (EITC, Additional Child Tax Credit) the IRS must match against wage records
- An unusually large refund compared with your history
The verification letter the IRS sends determines how you prove it is really you. Each letter has a control number and a method attached to it.
| Letter | How you verify | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Letter 5071C | Online through the IRS identity verification service | irs.gov/verifyreturn |
| Letter 4883C | By phone with the Taxpayer Protection Program | Number printed on the letter |
| Letter 5747C | In person at a Taxpayer Assistance Center | Appointment required |
Do not try to verify before the letter arrives — the service asks for the notice control number. If the letter never reached you, check the Notices and Letters section of your IRS online account; digital copies often post before the paper mail arrives.
How to Complete IRS Identity Verification
The IRS offers three ways to verify, listed fastest to slowest.
Online. Letter 5071C (and 5447C) recipients can verify through the IRS identity verification service at irs.gov/verifyreturn. You sign in with or create an IRS online account (usually through ID.me) and answer questions about the return shown on your notice. Most people finish in 15 to 20 minutes with the notice, the return, and a photo ID ready.
By phone. Letter 4883C requires a call to the Taxpayer Protection Program number on the letter. Call when lines open, have your letter, prior-year return, and ID documents ready, and expect questions about past addresses and accounts.
In person. If online or phone verification fails, or you received Letter 5747C, schedule a Taxpayer Assistance Center appointment and bring the letter, a copy of the return, a government photo ID, and a second document such as a Social Security card or utility bill.
Important: if you verified your return, you do not need to file Form 14039 (the Identity Theft Affidavit) unless the IRS tells you to. Filing it anyway creates a second case and slows things down — more below.
What Happens on Your Transcript After Identity Verification
Here is the sequence most people see after they verify. Learn to read each line in How to Read an IRS Account Transcript: Step-by-Step Guide.
| Code | Meaning | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| 570 | Additional account action pending | The hold is still active — the refund cannot move yet |
| 571 | Additional account action resolved | The IRS released the hold — processing resumed |
| 971 | Notice issued | The IRS mailed a letter (sometimes just the 9-week processing notice) |
| 846 | Refund issued | Your refund was approved, with an issue date |
570 does not disappear the moment you verify. Verification only clears the identity flag. The hold is released later, when the IRS picks your return back up and finishes processing it. That release posts as IRS Code 571: Additional Account Action Resolved. Some people see 971 before 571 — for example, if the IRS sends a letter about the review, as explained in IRS Code 570 and 971: What Do They Mean Together?.
The end of the chain is IRS Code 846: Refund Issued, which carries the date your refund was approved. If weeks pass with no 846 at all, the diagnostic walkthrough in No IRS Code 846 on Your Transcript: What It Means helps you read the signs.
The IRS-Published Timeline After Identity Verification
This is the one timeline number you can trust, because it comes from IRS.gov itself:
> “Wait 2-3 weeks after you use this service to check your refund. It may take up to 9 weeks to process your return after you verify it.”
That is the official guidance, verified on IRS.gov. Two practical rules follow from it:
- Do not check Where’s My Refund daily in the first two to three weeks. The tool lags behind your transcript, and nothing useful shows up that early. This matches the official page, which tells you to wait 2 to 3 weeks before checking.
- The 9-week clock starts when the IRS confirms your identity, not when you filed. If you filed in February and verified in April, your window runs from April.
Do not treat the 9 weeks as the typical wait. In widely reported filer experience, online verifications often resolve in 2 to 4 weeks — but that is experience, not a promise. The only number the IRS publishes is up to 9 weeks, so treat anything within that window as normal processing.
Why Code 570 Is Still There Weeks After You Verified
If verification succeeded and 570 is still sitting on your transcript, one of these is almost always the reason.
Transcript updates run on a weekly cycle. IRS accounts process in batches — daily-cycle accounts update earlier in the week, weekly-cycle accounts typically on Fridays. Your verification can be complete days before the next cycle posts Code 571. If your IRS Cycle Code ends in 05, check on Friday mornings, not every day.
The return re-enters the normal pipeline. After the identity hold lifts, the IRS still compares your filing against wage and income data, checks the math, and validates credits like EITC. If anything there needs a look, the 570 hold persists for that separate review.
A second review reason got attached. Verifying your identity clears the identity question only. If the IRS also flagged an income mismatch, a credit discrepancy, or unreported income, the 570 stays for that review. A companion code like 420 (examination) or a 971 notice pointing to a CP05 letter tells you a second issue is in play.
The future-date wrinkle. Sometimes 570 carries a future date or appears alongside a zero balance, which confuses people into expecting a refund date. That pattern is covered separately in IRS Code 570 With a Future Date or Zero Balance, and the related behavior of your return posting code is explained in IRS Code 150 With a Future Date: What It Means.
None of these mean your verification failed. If the IRS needed something else, it would send another letter — which is exactly what a new 971 code would signal.
What to Do When the 9-Week Window Passes
If nine weeks have passed since verification with no 571, no 971, and no refund, now is the time to act — not before.
Call the number on your original verification letter. This is the point where a call makes sense. Have your verification date ready so the representative can confirm the window has elapsed. The regular IRS line is 800-829-1040 if you no longer have the letter.
Check your transcript first. Pull a fresh transcript before you call: a 971 may have posted, and a notice may be sitting in your online account that you missed.
If you face financial hardship, contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service. TAS handles cases like facing eviction, inability to afford medical treatment, or utility shutoffs, and can push for an expedited release when you can document the hardship.
Keep the IRS Transcript Codes: Complete List and Meanings pillar handy as a reference for every code on your transcript.
Mistakes That Slow Down Your 570 Release
A few common missteps restart the clock or add weeks to a post-verification hold.
Filing a duplicate return. Never e-file or mail a second copy of the same return. A duplicate creates a second case file and can trigger a new identity review from scratch.
Amending while 570 is active. Filing Form 1040-X while the hold is pending layers an amended-return review on top of the verification review. Wait until the original return fully processes before amending.
Filing Form 14039 unnecessarily. You do not need the Identity Theft Affidavit after a successful verification unless the IRS tells you otherwise. An unnecessary 14039 adds a second identity-theft case to your account.
Verifying with wrong information. Answering the identity questions incorrectly, or with a spouse’s data, can fail verification silently and leave the hold in place. If you suspect a failed attempt, verify again using the exact figures from the return on the notice.
Related Guides
- IRS Code 570: Refund Hold Meaning, Timeline & What To Do
- IRS Code 571: Additional Account Action Resolved
- IRS Code 570 With a Future Date or Zero Balance
- No IRS Code 846 on Your Transcript: What It Means
FAQ
Is it normal for IRS Code 570 to stay on my transcript after I verify my identity?
Yes. Verification clears the identity flag, but the 570 hold is released in a later step that posts as Code 571. The IRS says to wait 2 to 3 weeks before checking your refund, and processing can take up to 9 weeks after verification.
How long does it take for Code 570 to clear after identity verification?
The IRS publishes one number: up to 9 weeks from the date you verified. In widely reported filer experience, many online verifications resolve in 2 to 4 weeks — but that is not an IRS promise.
Will I get a notice after I verify my identity?
Sometimes. A Code 971 on your transcript means the IRS issued a notice. Check the Notices and Letters section of your IRS online account — digital copies often appear before the paper letter arrives.
What comes after 570 on my transcript once the hold is released?
Code 571 (hold released) posts first, then Code 846 (refund issued) with your refund date. A Code 971 (notice issued) can appear at any point in between if the IRS mails you something.
Should I call the IRS if 570 is still there a month after verification?
Not yet. Wait until the full 9-week window has passed, then call the number on your original letter with your verification date handy. Before 9 weeks, agents can generally only confirm what your transcript already shows.
Does verifying my identity guarantee I will get the full refund I expected?
No. After verification your return re-enters normal processing, so math checks, wage matching, and credit validation still apply. Your refund can be adjusted, or reduced through the Treasury Offset Program if you owe other debts.
*Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not tax advice. IRS procedures and timeframes can change, and every tax account is different. If you are unsure about your situation, consult a qualified tax professional or contact the IRS directly.*