All notices › Collections / Levy
IRS CP508C: Passport Certification — Seriously Delinquent Tax Debt
Straight answer: A CP508C means the IRS certified your tax debt (over the inflation-adjusted 'seriously delinquent' threshold) to the State Department — which can now deny your passport application or renewal, and in some cases revoke it.
Is there a deadline for a CP508C?
No fixed response window, but if you have travel planned or a renewal coming, act immediately — decertification takes weeks after you fix the underlying status.
What should I do right now?
- Get into a qualifying arrangement (installment agreement, offer in compromise, CDP hearing pending, or hardship status) — any of these triggers decertification.
- If you have imminent travel, ask the IRS about expedited decertification.
- Verify the debt actually qualifies — certifications on debts in existing agreements are errors and reversible.
The costly mistake people make with a CP508C
Discovering this at the passport counter. If you owe over the threshold and travel internationally, this notice is the one that turns tax debt into a lifestyle problem.
Do I need professional help with a CP508C?
Yes for anyone who travels — a professional can usually get a qualifying arrangement in place in days, which is the fastest path to decertification.
Want a professional to look at your CP508C?
Tell us what you received and we'll connect you with a licensed tax resolution professional for a free case review. No obligation.
Get my free case review →