A CP05 means the IRS is holding your refund while it verifies the income and withholding on your return. It is not an audit and not a bill. Usually you don’t need to do anything — the IRS allows itself up to 60 days to finish. If 60 days pass with no refund, call the number on the notice.
A CP05 notice tells you the IRS has flagged your return for a routine income-and-withholding review and is holding your refund until it finishes. It is one of the most common notices and, by itself, means nothing is wrong — the IRS is simply matching the wages, withholding, and credits you claimed against what employers and payers reported. Per the notice itself, the review can take up to 60 days from the date printed on it, and in most cases you are not asked to do anything. What you should NOT do is amend your return or call repeatedly in the first weeks; that slows things down. The two things that matter: keep copies of your W-2s, 1099s, and final pay stubs in case the IRS escalates to a CP05A (a request for documents), and mark your calendar 60 days out. If that date passes with no refund and no further letter, call the number on the notice or the Taxpayer Advocate Service.
No. A CP05 is an automated refund-verification hold, not an examination. The IRS is matching your reported income and withholding to third-party records before releasing your refund. Most CP05s resolve with no action from you.
The notice states the IRS may take up to 60 days from the notice date to complete its review. If 60 days pass and you have not received your refund or another letter, call the number on the notice.
Not for a plain CP05 — it asks for nothing. Only if the IRS follows up with a CP05A do you send documents. Keep your income records ready in case that happens.
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