What is a CP301 IRS Notice?

Jo Willetts, EA

Director, Tax Resources

Published on: June 10, 2020

IRS notices are letters sent to inform taxpayers of important tax information. Each one is different, but we can explain what the CP301 is about.

Understanding your CP301 notice

When you register for an IRS online service, the IRS sends you notice CP301 to confirm your registration or provide an activation code for the online service.

Type of Notice

Online service

Why you received the CP301 notice

The IRS CP301 notice is a confirmation you signed up for an IRS online service is confirming your registration or sending a needed activation code.

If you didn’t initiate registration of an online account or request an activation code you can lock down the account by following these instructions.

Likely next steps

As always, read the notice carefully. The only reason you need to take any action is if you did not register for an IRS online service. If you did not, you should immediately lock access to your IRS account to prevent fraud. The IRS gives clear next steps on their site here.

CP301 Notice deadline

There is no deadline for notice CP301.

About the Author

Jo Willetts, Director of Tax Resources at Jackson Hewitt, has more than 35 years of experience in the tax industry. As an Enrolled Agent, Jo has attained the highest level of certification for a tax professional. She began her career at Jackson Hewitt as a Tax Pro, working her way up to General Manager of a franchise store. In her current role, Jo provides expert knowledge company-wide to ensure that tax information distributed through all Jackson Hewitt channels is current and accurate.

Jackson Hewitt Editorial Policy