An IRS Letter 147C (EIN Previously Assigned) is an EIN verification letter that confirms a business’s Employer Identification Number (EIN), legal name, and mailing address on file. It confirms an existing number rather than assigning one. The responsible party or another authorized person requests the 147C letter by phone; it can’t be requested online.
Key Facts:
- IRS EINs are federal tax ID numbers for businesses, tax-exempt organizations, and others.
- Eligible Business Tax Account users can download a digital CP575, Employer Identification Number Verification Notice, which the IRS accepts as a substitute for Letter 147C, or you can call the Business and Specialty Tax Line provided by the IRS to request a formal Letter 147C, EIN Previously Assigned.
- Fax delivery is generally faster than mail. The IRS doesn’t publish a set delivery time for either, so timing varies.
- The responsible party on file, or a representative authorized to receive the information (for example, through an IRS Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative, on file), can request an IRS Letter 147C.
What Is an IRS Letter 147C?
An IRS Letter 147C is a verification letter that confirms the EIN and business name of a company. It’s often necessary if a business lost its original CP 575 notice. Most often, a third party, such as a lender, is requesting a copy of the CP 575.
What an IRS Letter 147C Is Used For:
A Letter 147C replaces your original CP 575 notice that provided your business with an EIN. The original document is valuable to keep on hand, but it is not uncommon to lose it.
Some of the most common times a business needs to request an LLC 147C include:
- Opening or adjusting the terms of a bank account for the business
- Applying for a business credit card
- Applying for business loans of any type
- Obtaining a state or local business license
- Obtaining state or local permits
- Establishing payroll with a company
If you have your original CP 575, you do not need a new form to complete these tasks. If you lost the original document or do not have it for any other reason, follow these steps. If you have a lost EIN number rather than a lost notice, the IRS suggests checking past tax returns, your business bank, or state license records first (verified November 2026).
How to Get an IRS Letter 147C
The most direct way to obtain an IRS Letter 147C is to call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 1-800-829-4933 during operational hours (Monday through Friday, 7:00 am to 7:00 pm local time; Alaska and Hawaii follow Pacific time) (verified November 2026).
You may also obtain a digital CP 575, which is a digital substitute for the original paper CP 575 notice you received and for an IRS Letter 147C. To obtain a digital substitute, log in to your Business Tax Account on the IRS website (available to eligible users). Click on the Tax Records section to find your form.
What Is the Difference Between a CP 575 and 147C?
The CP 575 and Letter 147C are both IRS documents that confirm an EIN for a company. The difference is when they are issued and what the purpose of each is. CP 575 vs 147C comes down to the following:
A CP 575 Notice:
- The original EIN confirmation letter the IRS automatically issues when you submit Form SS-4, your application for an EIN.
- It is sent to you digitally or by mail after you create your EIN.
- The IRS does not issue duplicates of the original paper CP575 notice (IRS CP575 notice page, verified November 2026).
A Letter 147C:
- An EIN verification letter that officially replaces or serves as an alternative to the original CP 575. It’s often necessary if you lost the EIN documentation previously received.
- You can request this letter if you lost your CP 575, misplaced it, or need a copy for any reason, unless a digital CP575 from your Business Tax Account meets the requester’s needs.
- The IRS issues it after you call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line, follow the prompts, and confirm how you wish to receive the document.
| Feature | CP 575 | Letter 147C | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | The original notice the IRS issues when it assigns your EIN; the IRS can’t duplicate the original paper notice | “EIN Previously Assigned” letter confirming an existing EIN | IRS: CP575 notice |
| How to get it now | Eligible Business Tax Account users can download a digital CP575 | Call the Business and Specialty Tax Line and request it | IRS: EIN |
| Phone line and hours | Not applicable (online download) | 800-829-4933, Mon–Fri 7 a.m.–7 p.m. local time (tax-exempt and government entities: 877-829-5500) | IRS: Business telephone contacts |
| Delivery | Download from Business Tax Account | Fax or mail; IRS procedures allow faxing to the taxpayer or an authorized third party | IRM 21.7.13 |
| Timing | Available to download once in your account | The IRS doesn’t publish a standard fax or mail delivery time | No published IRS timeframe |
Can I Get a 147C Letter Online?
You cannot directly request a 147C Letter from the IRS online. However, you can download a digital alternative, called a digital CP575 EIN Verification Notice. That can be done by logging into your IRS Business Tax Account and going to the Tax Records section. You can then download the notice linked there. The IRS says banks and other institutions accept the digital CP575 as written confirmation of an EIN (verified November 2026).
Step-By-Step IRS Letter 147C Call
Some people want to receive an official letter by mail or fax. To do this, you can call the IRS through the following steps to receive it.
- Call the IRS EIN phone number at 1-800-829-4933.
- Verify your identity. This typically means providing your business name, address, and other identifying details for the responsible party on file.
- Request that a representative fax the letter to you or request that it be mailed to you.
Example: a bank asks for EIN proof (illustrative)
Maple Street Bakery LLC, a fictional single-member LLC, is opening a business checking account, and the bank asks for written EIN confirmation. The owner, who is the responsible party on file, can’t find the original CP 575. She first checks whether she can download a digital CP575 from the IRS Business Tax Account, which the IRS says banks accept. If that isn’t available to her, she calls 800-829-4933 during business hours, answers the agent’s identity questions about herself and the business, and asks for Letter 147C by fax, with a fax number ready. If her bookkeeper calls instead, the bookkeeper needs IRS authorization to receive the information. Delivery times vary.
Who Can Request a 147C Letter?
The responsible party for the business associated with the EIN can request a 147C Letter. The responsible party is the person who controls, owns, or manages the entity’s funds and assets. Unless the business is a government entity, this person must be an individual (a natural person), generally with a Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (Form SS-4 instructions, verified November 2026). A registered agent or attorney who doesn’t own or manage the company generally isn’t the responsible party, though an authorized representative may be able to request the letter on the business’s behalf. IRS procedures allow Letter 147C to be faxed to the taxpayer or an authorized third party (IRM 21.7.13, verified November 2026).
In most cases, the responsible party is:
- The principal officer of the company
- A partner of the company
- The owner or manager of the LLC
- The business owner in a sole proprietorship
- The grantor, trustee, or executor of a trust or estate
- The principal officer or authorized party for a tax-exempt organization
What If You’re Not the Responsible Party Listed?
If you’re not determined to be the authorized person to receive this information, you will need to change or update the authorized person on your EIN.
To do that, file Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business. Mail this form to the IRS address listed in its Where To File section, and don’t attach it to your annual tax return. The IRS says processing generally takes 4 to 6 weeks (Form 8822-B, verified November 2026).
How Long Does the IRS Take to Send a 147C EIN Verification Letter?
The IRS will ask you how you wish to have the letter sent to you.
- Fax delivery: This is the fastest way to get the letter sent to you. During the phone call with the IRS, they will ask you if you wish to receive the letter by fax. If so, you will need to supply a fax number. The IRS agent can fax the letter to the number you provide, which is generally faster than mail, though the IRS doesn’t publish a fax delivery time. Fax is best for those who need a Letter 147C urgently, such as for a bank or payroll provider.
- Mail delivery: Standard postal delivery is another option. It takes longer, and the IRS doesn’t publish a standard delivery time, so plan ahead if a bank or vendor has a deadline.
Be sure you have a fax number ready to provide if you plan to use this method.
FAQs on How to Get a 147C Letter
The IRS will verify the identity of the caller against its records. The process includes asking questions about your name, title, and the business itself. If you aren’t authorized, the responsible party or an authorized representative will need to make the request.
Tax-exempt organizations and government entities can call 877-829-5500 during the normal hours of operation (Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, in your local time zone; Alaska and Hawaii follow Pacific time) (verified November 2026) to request this letter. This is a different phone number from most businesses requesting this information.
Sources
- IRS: Employer identification number (verified November 2026)
- IRS: Telephone assistance contacts for business customers (verified November 2026)
- IRS: Understanding your CP575 notice (verified November 2026)
- IRS: Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party (Rev. December 2019) (verified November 2026)
- IRS: About Form 2848, Power of Attorney (verified November 2026)
- IRS: Instructions for Form SS-4 (verified November 2026)
- IRS: Internal Revenue Manual 21.7.13, Assigning Employer Identification Numbers (verified November 2026)