IRS Transcript Code 420: Examination Indicator
Your return was referred to the exam function for consideration. This is the transcript's actual audit-related code.
The official definition, IRS Document 6209
Examination Indicator. Indicates that return has been referred to the Examination or Appeals Division.
What it means for your refund
Usually held while the referral is open. But a referral is not a verdict: code 421, Reverse Examination Indicator, exists precisely because referrals close, including without a full audit.
The folklore, corrected
Myth: A 420 guarantees a full audit.
Document 6209 defines it as a referral to Examination or Appeals. Referrals can close with no examination (reversed by 421), a correspondence question, or an audit; the code marks the referral, not the outcome.
Reading the transcript around it
Codes rarely act alone: holds (570, 810) pair with releases (571, 811), a 971 often flags the letter that explains a hold, and the refund itself is always the 846 line. The full code index maps the neighbors, including the cycle code and As-of date explained without the folklore. If the account shows a balance rather than a refund, the letters that follow are decoded in our IRS notice decoder.
Sources: IRS Document 6209, Section 8A; IRM 21.5.6; IRS refund myth page. Verified July 2026.
General educational information, not tax advice. A transcript entry only means something in the context of your account; a credentialed tax professional can read yours in full. ClearChoiceRadar is not affiliated with the IRS or any government agency.