The IRS receives over 100 million phone calls per year on a system staffed to handle far fewer. Choosing the wrong time to call can mean a 2-hour hold. Choosing the right time can cut that to 15 minutes. Here's the data on when to call.
IRS Phone Hours in 2026
| Line | Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Individual Taxpayers | 1-800-829-1040 | Mon–Fri 7 AM–7 PM local time |
| Business Taxpayers | 1-800-829-4933 | Mon–Fri 7 AM–7 PM local time |
| Refund Status | 1-800-829-1954 | Automated 24/7 |
| TTY | 1-800-829-4059 | Mon–Fri 7 AM–7 PM local time |
Note: "Local time" means the IRS phone system uses your originating area code to determine your time zone. If you're in California, 7 AM Pacific is when your line opens — not 7 AM Eastern.
Best Days to Call the IRS
Best: Wednesday and Thursday
Mid-week is consistently the best time to reach the IRS. Monday and Tuesday carry compounded backlogs — people who couldn't get through last week, plus the weekend's worth of pent-up questions. By Wednesday, those backlogs have cleared enough to meaningfully reduce wait times.
Avoid: Monday and Tuesday
Monday is the single worst day to call the IRS. Tuesday is nearly as bad. If you call on Monday morning during filing season, expect hold times of 60–120 minutes — and there's a real chance the system will disconnect you before you reach an agent.
Moderate: Friday
Friday mornings are busy (people wanting to resolve issues before the weekend), but Friday afternoons can be surprisingly accessible. Call volume drops significantly after 2 PM on Fridays as the workweek winds down.
Best Hours of the Day
7:00 AM — Best window
The IRS phone system opens at 7:00 AM local time. Calling at exactly 7:00 AM (not 7:05, not 7:15) gets you into the queue before the day's full call volume arrives. Even if you're put on hold, your position in queue is much earlier than callers who dial at 8 AM.
7:00–9:00 AM — Good window
This early window sees the lowest hold times of the day. Call volume builds steadily after the open, but it's still meaningfully lower than mid-morning peaks.
9:00 AM–noon — Worst of the day
The mid-morning peak is when the most callers are active simultaneously. Hold times during this window regularly exceed 45 minutes even outside filing season.
Noon–2:00 PM — Slight improvement
Volume dips slightly during lunch hours as fewer people are free to call. Hold times typically drop 10–20% compared to the morning peak — helpful but not dramatic.
2:00 PM–5:00 PM — Second-best window
Afternoon hours see a meaningful drop in call volume as the business day winds down. This is the best alternative if you can't call at the 7 AM open. 3:00–4:30 PM is the sweet spot.
After 5:00 PM — Avoid
While the IRS is technically open until 7 PM, remaining staff are handling the day's queue backlog. New callers added late in the day often face disconnection notices as capacity fills. Don't start a call after 5 PM.
Filing Season vs. Off-Season
The single biggest factor in IRS hold times is whether you're calling during filing season.
Filing season (late January – mid-April)
Call volume surges 3–5× above off-season levels. Even the best call windows (Wednesday 7 AM) will see hold times of 30–60 minutes. The first two weeks of February and the two weeks before the April 15 deadline are the absolute worst periods to call — expect 90+ minute waits or disconnection.
If your issue isn't time-sensitive, defer your call until after April 15.
Off-season (May–January)
This is when the hold time guidance in this article applies most reliably. A Wednesday 7 AM call in June can reach an agent in 15–20 minutes. The same call in March may take 90 minutes.
Realistic Hold Time Expectations in 2026
| Scenario | Typical Hold Time |
|---|---|
| Wed/Thu 7 AM, off-season | 15–25 minutes |
| Wed/Thu afternoon, off-season | 25–45 minutes |
| Mon/Tue morning, off-season | 45–90 minutes |
| Any day, filing season | 45–120+ minutes |
| First 2 weeks of Feb, peak filing | 90–150 minutes (often disconnected) |
Alternatives to Calling
Before calling, check if your issue can be resolved without waiting on hold:
- IRS Online Account (irs.gov/account): View balance, payment history, apply for payment plans, view/download transcripts
- Where's My Refund (irs.gov/refunds): Refund status without calling
- IRS2Go app: Mobile access to Where's My Refund and payment options
- IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers: In-person appointments for complex issues — find one at irs.gov/help/tac
- Taxpayer Advocate Service: If you're experiencing financial hardship or the IRS isn't resolving your issue, call 1-877-777-4778 for free help
Skip the Hold Entirely
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Get Connected Now →Quick Reference: Best Times to Call the IRS
- ✓ Best day: Wednesday or Thursday
- ✓ Best time: Exactly 7:00 AM local time
- ✓ Second-best window: 3:00–4:30 PM (same days)
- ✓ Avoid: Monday/Tuesday mornings, 9 AM–noon any day
- ✓ Filing season: Expect 2–3× longer waits; defer if possible
- ✓ Don't call after 5 PM