OSCPA staff report

The Ohio Department of Taxation will require a driver’s license or state ID number on electronic returns for Tax Year 2016. If the taxpayer has neither, they must declare so on the return.

That information was previously optional. The department discussed the change Nov. 16 at its Virtual Tax Academy webinar.

“The requirement for driver’s license or state issued identification is for all electronic filing of income tax and school district income tax returns,” Tax Program Assistant Administrator Pat Zimmerman, MTax, told OSCPA. “However, it does not currently apply to paper returns or when filing a domicile affidavit form.”

Zimmerman said if a license or ID is not issued by Ohio, the taxpayer needs to indicate which state issued the number.

He added that the IRS and many other states are requiring additional information from taxpayers this year to help protect their personal information and to combat tax fraud.