The Office of Commissioner of Internal Revenue was created by Congress on July 1, 1862. The Bureau of Internal Revenue was created to collect taxes used to finance the Civil War. The income tax was abolished after 10 years but the agency remained to collect other revenues. The income tax was reinstated in 1913. Commissioners are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The IRS Commissioner and the IRS Chief Counsel are the only appointees within the agency. All other employees are career civil servants. Since the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, commissioners have been appointed to a five-year term. 2020s Douglas O’Donnell (Acting) November 12, 2022 to March 12, 2023 Charles P. Rettig October 1, 2018 to November 11, 2022 2010s David J. Kautter (Acting) November 13, 2017 to September 30, 2018 John Koskinen December 23, 2013 to November 12, 2017 Daniel Werfel (Acting) May 22, 2013 to December 23, 2013 Steven T. Miller (Acting) November 10, 2012 to May 21, 2013 Douglas H. Shulman Ohio March 24, 2008 to November 9, 2012 2000s Linda E. Stiff (Acting) Germany September 9, 2007 to March 23, 2008 Kevin M. Brown (Acting) Virginia May 29, 2007 to September 8, 2007 Mark W. Everson New York May 1, 2003 to May 28, 2007 Bob Wenzel (Acting) Illinois November 7, 2002 to April 30, 2003 1990s Charles O. Rossotti New York November 13, 1997 to November 6, 2002 Michael P. Dolan (Acting) Iowa June 1 to November 12, 1997 Margaret Milner Richardson Texas May 27, 1993 to May 31, 1997 Michael P. Dolan (Acting) Iowa January 21 to May 26, 1993 Shirley D. Peterson Colorado February 3, 1992 to January 20, 1993 1980s Fred Goldberg, Jr. Missouri July 5, 1989 to February 2, 1992 Michael J. Murphy (Acting) Wisconsin March 5 to July 4, 1989 Lawrence B. Gibbs Texas August 4, 1986 to March 4, 1989 James I. Owens (Acting) Alabama May 1 to August 3, 1986 Roscoe L. Egger, Jr. Indiana March 14, 1981 to April 30, 1986 William E. Williams (Acting) Illinois November 1, 1980 to March 13, 1981 1970s Jerome Kurtz Pennsylvania May 5, 1977 to October 31, 1980 William E. Williams (Acting) Illinois February 27 to May 4, 1977 Donald C. Alexander Ohio May 26, 1973 to February 26, 1977 Raymond F. Harless (Acting) California May 1 to May 25, 1973 Johnnie M. Walters South Carolina August 6, 1971 to April 30, 1973 Harold T. Swartz (Acting) Indiana June 23 to August 5, 1971 1960s Randolph W. Thrower Georgia April 1, 1969 to June 22, 1971 Sheldon S. Cohen Maryland January 25, 1965 to January 20, 1969 Bertrand M. Harding (Acting) Texas July 11, 1964 to January 24, 1965 Mortimer M. Caplin Virginia February 7, 1961 to July 10, 1964 Charles I. Fox (Acting) Utah January 21 to February 6, 1961 1950s Dana Latham California November 5, 1958 to January 20, 1961 O. Gordon Delk (Acting) Virginia October 1 to November 4, 1958 Russell C. Harrington Rhode Island December 5, 1955 to September 30, 1958 T. Coleman Andrews Virginia February 4, 1953 to October 31, 1955 Justin F. Winkle (Acting) New York January 20 to February 3, 1953 John S. Graham (Acting) North Carolina November 19, 1952 to January 19, 1953 John B. Dunlap Texas August 1, 1951 to November 18, 1952 1940s George J. Schoeneman Rhode Island July 1, 1947 to July 31, 1951 Joseph D. Nunan, Jr. New York March 1, 1944 to June 30, 1947 Harold N. Graves (Acting) Illinois January 23 to February 29, 1944 Robert E. Hannegan Missouri October 9, 1943 to January 22, 1944 1930s Guy T. Helvering Kansas June 6, 1933 to October 8, 1943 Pressly R. Baldridge (Acting) Iowa May 16 to June 5, 1933 David Burnet Ohio August 20, 1930 to May 15, 1933 H. F. Mires (Acting) Washington August 16 to August 19, 1930 1920s Robert H. Lucas Kentucky June 1, 1929 to August 15, 1930 David H. Blair North Carolina May 27, 1921 to May 31, 1929 Millard F. West (Acting) Kentucky April 12 to May 26, 1921 William M. Williams Alabama April 1, 1920 to April 11, 1921 1910s Daniel C. Roper South Carolina September 26, 1917 to March 31, 1920 William H. Osborn North Carolina April 28, 1913 to September 25, 1917 1900s Royal E. Cabell Virginia September 1, 1909 to April 27, 1913 John G. Capers South Carolina June 5, 1907 to August 31, 1909 Henry C. Rogers (Acting) Pennsylvania May 1 to June 4, 1907 John W. Yerkes Kentucky December 20, 1900 to April 30, 1907 Robert Williams, Jr., (Acting) Ohio November 28 to December 19, 1900 1890s George W. Wilson Ohio March 1, 1899 to November 27, 1900 Nathan B. Scott West Virginia January 1, 1898 to February 28, 1899 W. St. John Forman Illinois November 27,1896 to December 31, 1897 Joseph S. Miller West Virginia April 19, 1893 to November 26, 1896 1880s John W. Mason West Virginia March 21, 1889 to April 18, 1893 Joseph S. Miller West Virginia March 20, 1885 to March 20, 1889 Walter Evans Kentucky May 21, 1883 to March 19, 1885 John J. Knox (Acting) Minnesota May 11 to May 20, 1883 Henry C. Rogers (Acting) Pennsylvania May 1 to May 10, 1883 1870s Green B. Raum Illinois August 2, 1876 to April 30, 1883 Daniel D. Pratt Indiana May 15, 1875 to August 1, 1876 John W. Douglass Pennsylvania August 9, 1871 to May 14, 1875 Alfred Pleasonton New York January 3, 1871 to August 8, 1871 John W. Douglass (Acting) Pennsylvania November 1, 1870 to January 2, 1871 1860s Columbus Delano Ohio March 11, 1869 to October 31, 1870 Edward A. Rollins New Hampshire November 1, 1865 to March 10, 1869 William Orton New York July 1, 1865 to October 31, 1865 Joseph J. Lewis Pennsylvania March 18, 1863 to June 30, 1865 Joseph J. Lewis (Acting) Pennsylvania March 5 to March 17, 1863 George S. Boutwell Massachusetts July 17, 1862 to March 4, 1863 Related About IRS IRS history timeline IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998
