The IRS website goes down regularly, and you can check its status yourself before you spend time troubleshooting

The IRS website (irs.gov) experiences planned maintenance windows and occasional outages. Planned downtime usually happens on Tuesday and Wednesday nights between 10 p.m. and midnight Eastern Time, though the IRS does not always announce these in advance. If you cannot reach irs.gov, the site may be down for maintenance, or your internet connection may be the problem.

You can check whether the IRS website is actually down by using a third-party status checker, testing your own internet connection, or calling the IRS directly. This article walks you through each method so you know whether to wait, try a different device, or contact the IRS by phone.

Key Takeaways

  • The IRS website performs scheduled maintenance on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, usually between 10 p.m. and midnight Eastern Time, and may be unavailable during those hours.
  • You can check whether irs.gov is down by visiting a status-checking website like DownDetector or IsItDownRightNow without needing to access the IRS site itself.
  • If the IRS website is up but you still cannot reach it, the problem is usually your internet connection, browser cache, or firewall — not the IRS.
  • The IRS phone line (800-829-1040) works when the website is down, though wait times are often long during tax season.
  • If you need to file taxes or check a refund status and the website is down, you can use IRS2Go (the mobile app) or call the IRS instead of waiting for the site to come back online.

How to check if irs.gov is actually down

The fastest way to confirm the IRS website is down is to use a status-checking service. Visit DownDetector.com or IsItDownRightNow.com and search for "irs.gov" in the search box. These sites collect reports from users around the country and show you whether the outage is widespread or isolated to your area. If the status page shows a spike in reports in the last few minutes, the IRS website is likely down for everyone.

Another quick test: open a different website you know works (like Google or your bank) in the same browser. If that site loads fine, the problem is not your internet connection. If that site also fails to load, your internet is down or your firewall is blocking traffic — not the IRS.

Scheduled maintenance windows when the IRS website is offline

The IRS performs routine maintenance on its website most Tuesday and Wednesday nights between 10 p.m. and midnight Eastern Time. During these windows, irs.gov and related services like the IRS2Go app may be slow or unavailable. The IRS does not always announce these maintenance periods in advance, so if you try to access the site during these hours and it is down, maintenance is often the reason.

If you are in a different time zone, convert 10 p.m. to midnight Eastern to your local time. For example, if you are on Pacific Time, that is 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. your time. Avoiding these windows means you are less likely to run into downtime.

What to do if the IRS website is down and you need help now

If irs.gov is down and you need to reach the IRS, call 800-829-1040. This is the main IRS customer service line and it operates even when the website is offline. Wait times vary depending on the time of year — during tax season (January through April), expect to wait 30 minutes to several hours. Outside tax season, wait times are usually shorter.

Have your Social Security number, filing status, and the last dollar amount of your previous year's refund ready before you call. The IRS uses this information to verify your identity over the phone. If you are calling about a specific issue (like a missing refund or a notice you received), have that documentation in front of you as well.

Using the IRS2Go app when the website is down

The IRS2Go mobile app is a separate tool from irs.gov and sometimes remains available even when the main website is down. You can read it free from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app lets you check your refund status, view your tax account, and set up payment plans without using the website.

The app uses the same login as irs.gov (your IRS username or Social Security number), so if you have already created an account on the website, you can sign in when ready. If the app is also down or you do not have it installed, the phone line is your next option.

Troubleshooting when irs.gov is up but you still cannot access it

If the status checker says irs.gov is online but you still cannot reach it, the problem is usually on your end. Start by clearing your browser's cache and cookies. In most browsers, you can do this by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac), then selecting "All time" and clicking "Clear data." After clearing the cache, close the browser completely and open it again.

Next, try accessing irs.gov in a different browser (for example, if you normally use Chrome, try Firefox or Safari). If the site loads in a different browser, the problem is your original browser's settings or extensions. If the site still does not load in any browser, your firewall or antivirus software may be blocking access to irs.gov. Check your firewall settings or contact your internet service provider for help.

If you are on a work network or school network, the network administrator may have blocked irs.gov. Try accessing the site from a different network (like your home WiFi or a mobile hotspot) to test this. If it works on a different network, contact your network administrator to request access.

What information the IRS provides about website outages

The IRS publishes a system status page at irs.gov/newsroom where they occasionally post notices about planned downtime or known issues. However, they do not always update this page in real time, so it may not reflect current outages. The page is more useful for checking whether the IRS has announced a known issue affecting a specific service (like the payment system or the refund tracker).

You can also follow the official IRS social media accounts (IRS on X, formerly Twitter, and IRS on Facebook) for announcements about major outages or system issues. These accounts are updated more frequently than the main website during emergencies.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does IRS website maintenance usually last?

Scheduled maintenance typically lasts 30 minutes to 2 hours. If the site is still down after midnight Eastern Time on a Tuesday or Wednesday, the outage may be unplanned. Check a status-checking website or call 800-829-1040 to confirm whether the IRS is aware of the issue.

Can I file my taxes if the IRS website is down?

You cannot file directly through irs.gov if the website is down, but you can still file using tax software (like TurboTax or H&R Block) or by mailing a paper return. Tax software companies have their own servers separate from the IRS website, so they usually work even when irs.gov is offline. Mail-in filing always works but takes longer to process.

Will my refund be delayed if the IRS website is down?

No. Website downtime does not affect refund processing. The IRS processes refunds on its own schedule regardless of whether irs.gov is accessible. You just will not be able to check your refund status online until the website comes back up.

What should I do if the IRS website has been down for more than 24 hours?

If the site has been offline for more than a day, this is an unusual outage. Call 800-829-1040 to report the issue and ask whether the IRS is aware of it. You can also check the IRS social media accounts or the system status page at irs.gov/newsroom for updates on the outage.

Is there a way to get notified when the IRS website comes back online?

Status-checking websites like DownDetector allow you to set up notifications when a site comes back online. You can also check the site manually every 15 to 30 minutes, or call 800-829-1040 to ask whether the IRS expects the website to be down much longer.