The IRS will start accepting and processing 2025 federal tax returns on Monday, January 26, 2026.

Key dates at a glance

  • First day IRS accepts 2025 e‑filed returns: January 26, 2026.
  • Regular filing deadline for 2025 returns: April 15, 2026 (Tax Day).

Some “qualified taxpayers” using the IRS Free File program may be able to submit returns as early as January 9, 2026 , but that early date is limited to certain Free File users and does not apply to everyone.

Quick tips

  • You can usually prepare your return earlier, but it will not be officially accepted until the IRS opening date (Jan 26 for the 2026 season).
  • Expect the IRS to generally open tax season in the last week of January most years, unless they announce a different schedule.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.