The CP 575 form is the one-page IRS letter that confirms your business has been assigned an Employer Identification Number. The IRS sends it once, automatically, after it processes your EIN application, and it does not reissue it. If you lose the original, the IRS will instead send a replacement called Letter 147C, which serves the same purpose for banks, state agencies, and vendors.
What the CP 575 Shows
The CP 575 is a single page, but it carries everything a third party needs to verify your business with the federal government. The EIN itself, a nine-digit number that works like a Social Security Number for the business, is printed prominently near the top. The letter also lists your entity’s legal name exactly as it appeared on your application and the mailing address the IRS has on file.
Below those basics, the notice identifies your entity type — corporation, partnership, LLC, or another category — because that determines which returns you file. It shows the effective date of the EIN and may name specific federal tax forms you’re expected to file, such as Form 941 for employment taxes or Form 1120 for corporate income tax.
How to Get Your CP 575
You receive a CP 575 by applying for an EIN. The IRS offers three application channels, and the one you choose sets how quickly the letter reaches you.1Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number
Online
The online application is the fastest route. It walks you through a series of questions instead of a paper form and must be completed in a single session, since it times out after 15 minutes of inactivity. If the application is approved, the IRS issues your EIN immediately and lets you print the CP 575 confirmation letter directly from the screen. Save and print it right then. The IRS will not send it again.
By Fax
If you cannot use the online tool, complete Form SS-4 and fax it to 855-641-6935 if you’re in the 50 states or D.C. Include your fax number so the IRS can fax the EIN back to you. Expect a response within about four business days.2Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4
By Mail
Mailed Form SS-4 applications go to the IRS EIN Operation in Cincinnati, OH 45999. Plan ahead: the IRS recommends submitting a mailed application at least four to five weeks before you need the number, and the CP 575 typically arrives in about four weeks.2Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4
Every EIN application requires a “responsible party,” which must be a real person rather than another business entity. That person is whoever owns or controls the entity and manages its funds, and they provide their Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number on the application.3Internal Revenue Service. Responsible Parties and Nominees
When You’ll Be Asked for It
The CP 575 comes up constantly in the first months of running a business. Banks almost always require it to open a business checking account, and lenders ask for it when you apply for business credit. It’s the simplest way to prove your EIN matches your legal business name in federal records.
State and local agencies often want to see it when you register for state tax accounts such as income tax withholding or unemployment insurance. Payroll providers, vendors, and anyone preparing to issue you a Form 1099 may also ask for a copy. Because so many parties rely on this one document, a secure digital copy saves real time later.
Lost Your CP 575? Request Letter 147C
The IRS does not reissue the CP 575. Its replacement is Letter 147C, sometimes called the EIN Verification Letter. For nearly every purpose that would accept the original — banking, state tax registration, vendor onboarding — Letter 147C works just as well.4Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number
To request it, call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933. The line is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. your local time, with Alaska and Hawaii following Pacific time.5Internal Revenue Service. Telephone Assistance Contacts for Business Customers The representative will verify your identity before releasing anything, so have the business name, address, EIN (if you know it), and the responsible party’s Social Security Number ready. Ask the representative to fax the letter. That’s far faster than waiting on the mail.
You can also confirm an EIN by requesting a business entity transcript from the IRS, though that’s a broader tax document rather than a simple confirmation letter.4Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number
Keeping the Information on Your CP 575 Current
The details printed on your CP 575 — legal name, address, and responsible party — need to stay accurate with the IRS. Outdated information means you may miss tax notices, and those notices keep generating penalties and interest whether or not they reach you.
Name Changes
How you report a business name change depends on your entity type. Corporations check a box on their Form 1120 or 1120-S when filing that year’s return. Partnerships do the same on Form 1065. If you’ve already filed for the year, write to the IRS at the address where you submitted the return. Sole proprietors always report a name change by letter. In each case, the notification has to be signed by the appropriate person: the business owner, a corporate officer, or a partner.6Internal Revenue Service. Business Name Change
Some name changes actually require a new EIN rather than an update. IRS Publication 1635 explains when that applies. If you want written acknowledgment of the change, ask for it in your letter.
Address and Responsible Party Changes
Use Form 8822-B to notify the IRS of a new business mailing address or physical location.7Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business The same form covers a change in responsible party, but the deadline is tighter: you must report a new responsible party within 60 days of the change.8Internal Revenue Service. Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business There’s no direct penalty for missing that deadline, but IRS notices about tax deficiencies or demands for payment may go to the wrong person or address, and penalties and interest keep accruing.
Watch for Paid EIN Application Sites
Applying for an EIN through the IRS is free. A number of lookalike websites charge up to $300 to file the same application you can complete yourself in minutes, often using official-sounding names and government-style design to appear affiliated with the IRS. The FTC has warned these operators that impersonating a government agency violates federal law.9Federal Trade Commission. FTC Warns Operators of Websites That Charge for an Employer Identification Number and Claim Affiliation with the IRS If you’ve already paid one, dispute the charge with your bank or card issuer and report the site to the FTC.10Internal Revenue Service. Report Fake IRS, Treasury or Tax-Related Emails and Messages The only legitimate place to apply online is irs.gov.