U.S. · Tax professionals
IRS enrolled agent and tax preparer lookup.
The IRS publishes a directory of federal tax return preparers with credentials and select qualifications. This guide explains what it can and cannot tell you and links to the IRS pages.
Important, up front: this is a guide, not a verification service. It links to the official register and never queries it for you. The live record on the official site is the only thing that confirms a licence or registration.
How to check, step by step
- Ask the preparer for their credential (CPA, enrolled agent or attorney) and confirm they have a PTIN: the IRS says anyone paid to prepare federal returns must have one.
- Open the IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications.
- Search for the preparer and check the credential listed.
- For a CPA or attorney, also check the state board or state bar, since those credentials come from the states.
- Read the IRS page on choosing a tax professional before you hand over documents.
The IRS defines an enrolled agent as a person who has earned the privilege of representing taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service, and says enrolled agents have unlimited practice rights like attorneys and CPAs.
The IRS notes the directory can help you find preparers who currently hold credentials recognized by the IRS, and that non-credentialed preparers may be listed by taking part in the Annual Filing Season Program. Not being listed is not proof of wrongdoing.
No public check-digit rule is documented on these IRS pages, so this page does not validate PTINs.
Official lookups
Sources
- IRS — Choosing a tax professional (retrieved October 2026)
- IRS — Enrolled agent information (retrieved October 2026)
- IRS — PTIN requirements (retrieved October 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What can I search for in the IRS directory?
The IRS describes it as a directory of federal tax return preparers with credentials and select qualifications. Open it to see the current search options.
Who needs a PTIN?
Per the IRS, anyone who prepares or helps prepare federal tax returns for compensation must have a valid PTIN, and all enrolled agents must have one too.
Is a PTIN a credential?
No. The IRS says anyone can be a paid preparer as long as they have a PTIN; credentials such as CPA, enrolled agent or attorney are separate.
Does this page check the preparer for me?
No. It only links to the IRS and never sees what you type.
Guide only — not an official verification
TNAADO is not affiliated with any regulator or registry named here. Registers change; confirm on the official site and, for anything binding, with the regulator. Nothing you might type here is transmitted anywhere and this page collects no personal data. This page cannot confirm anyone’s licence or registration.