IRS CALLING GUIDE

Call the right IRS line at a better time.

A carefully sourced guide to IRS telephone assistance—plus a growing record of what callers can expect before a person answers.

Information last verified August 31, 2026 against IRS.gov.

PHONE DIRECTORYIRS phone numbersFind the right line for individuals, businesses, nonprofits, estate and gift tax, excise tax, accessibility, and appointments.OPERATING SCHEDULEIRS call-center hoursUnderstand local-time rules, Eastern-time specialty lines, weekdays, peak days, and federal holidays.WAIT GUIDANCEIRS wait timesCompare official seasonal averages with Waitwise’s methodology for measured current wait times.

Before calling the IRS

The IRS says representatives generally need to verify identity before discussing personal information. Individual callers should be prepared with Social Security or taxpayer identification numbers, birth dates, filing status, and a prior-year tax return. The correct preparation depends on who is calling and whose account is involved.

If the IRS has asked you to wait for correspondence or processing, its current guidance may recommend checking published processing times instead of calling or filing a duplicate submission.