Updated October 19, 2026. Quick answer: Find the number printed in the top right of your IRS paper, then open its page below. This hub covers nineteen notices and letters: return corrections (CP11, CP12, CP13), refund and direct deposit notices (CP05, CP05A, CP53, CP53A, CP53D, CP53E), Earned Income Credit notices (CP09, CP27), income mismatch notices (CP2501, CP3219A), unfiled return notices (CP59, CP515) and identity verification letters (4883C, 5747C, 5071C), plus Letter 12C.
Every notice and letter on this site
| Notice or letter | What it is about |
|---|---|
| Notice CP05 | Refund held up to 60 days while the IRS verifies income and withholding |
| Notice CP05A | Documents requested to verify wages and withholding |
| Notice CP09 | Earned Income Credit you may have missed, Form 15111 |
| Notice CP27 | Earned Income Credit you may have missed, Form 15112 |
| Notice CP11 | Return corrected, amount owed changed |
| Notice CP12 | Return corrected, refund created or changed |
| Notice CP13 | Return corrected, zero balance |
| Notice CP53 | Refund check mailed after direct deposit failed |
| Notice CP53A | Bank rejected the deposit, up to 10 weeks |
| Notice CP53D | Paper check instead of the requested deposit |
| Notice CP53E | Add or update a bank account within 30 days |
| Notice CP59 | No record of your prior year return |
| Notice CP515 | Reminder: no record of prior returns |
| Notice CP2501 | Income mismatch, response required |
| Notice CP3219A | Notice of deficiency, 90 days, Tax Court |
| Letter 4883C | Verify identity and a return by phone |
| Letter 5747C | Verify identity and a return in person |
| Letter 5071C | Verify identity and a return online |
| Letter 12C | More information needed to process your return |
How to use this page
Match the code printed on your paper, not the description. The IRS describes each one on its own page titled “Understanding your” followed by the code, and the pages linked above quote those descriptions. The date on your paper sets your deadline. For the general process see how to respond to an IRS notice and IRS notices, and for the common reply tools Form 2848 and Form 1040-X.
Return corrections
CP11, CP12 and CP13 are the three corrected-return notices. The only difference is the result: an amount owed changed (CP11), a refund created or changed (CP12), or a zero balance (CP13). See also the IRS math error notice.
Income mismatch notices
CP2501 and CP3219A are about income the IRS received from employers or banks that does not match your return. The earlier cousin is the CP2000 notice. CP3219A is the one with a Tax Court petition deadline.
Is the letter real?
Scam letters copy IRS formats. Before you call a number or open a link, check is this IRS letter real. Each IRS page we read gives the official route, such as irs.gov/verifyreturn for the CP5071 series.
Common mistakes
- Responding to the wrong notice because the descriptions look alike. Match the code on your paper.
- Missing the date on the notice. Several of these notices lose rights after the date shown.
- Sending documents nobody asked for. Several of these notices need no response at all.
Related: how to respond to an IRS notice, and is this IRS letter real.
Sources
- IRS, Understanding your CP05 notice (irs.gov): https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-cp05-notice
- IRS, Understanding your CP12 notice (irs.gov): https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-cp12-notice
- IRS, Understanding your CP2501 notice (irs.gov): https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-cp2501-notice
- IRS, Understanding your Letter 4883C (irs.gov): https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-letter-4883c
Read from the IRS pages linked above on October 19, 2026. General information, not tax or legal advice. Your own notice and facts decide the outcome, and the number printed on your notice is the right place to confirm anything consequential.