IRS Letter 4883C is an official notice sent by the Internal Revenue Service when additional identity verification is required before a tax return can be processed. The letter is issued to confirm that the return was filed by the rightful taxpayer and to prevent identity theft and fraudulent refunds.
What IRS Letter 4883C Means
Receiving IRS Letter 4883C means that the IRS has paused processing of a tax return because it could not confidently verify the filer’s identity. This does not mean that the taxpayer has done anything wrong, nor does it mean that identity theft has been confirmed. It indicates that verification is required before processing can continue.
How IRS Letter 4883C Is Used by the IRS
The IRS uses Letter 4883C as part of its identity protection procedures. When certain risk indicators appear during return processing, the IRS temporarily stops processing and sends this notice to ensure the return is legitimate before issuing any refund.
What IRS Letter 4883C Is Not
IRS Letter 4883C is not a bill, not a penalty notice, and not a request for payment. It does not require the taxpayer to send money to the IRS. It is also not a form that must be filled out and mailed back. Instead, it initiates a separate identity verification process.
How This Letter Fits Into the Tax Return Process
Until identity verification related to IRS Letter 4883C is completed, the IRS will not finalize the tax return or issue any associated refund. Once verification is successful, the return moves forward through standard IRS processing.
Related Guidance
This page explains what IRS Letter 4883C is and what it represents. For a full overview of what to do after receiving this letter and how to respond, see the main guidance page.
IRS Letter 4883C: what it means and how to respond
For the official description of the notice and its role within the tax system, refer to the document overview.
IRS Letter 4883C. Potential Identity Theft During Original Processing