More than 800,000 tax preparers in the U.S. are now able to renew their Preparer Tax Identification Numbers (PTINs) for the 2026 tax season, the IRS has announced.

Paid tax preparers are required by law to maintain a valid PTIN to prepare federal tax returns for compensation.

Why It Matters

All tax professionals who prepare, or help to prepare, federal tax returns for compensation must have an active PTIN, and they must include it on all returns and claims submitted to the IRS. They are required to renew their PTIN every year, and failure to do so could result in the IRS issuing them a penalty, an injunction, or even disciplinary action .

This also applies to enrolled agents—regardless of their current tax return preparation status—if they want to maintain their active status.

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