An EIN confirmation letter comes in two forms: the CP 575, which the IRS sends once when it first assigns your Employer Identification Number, and Letter 147C, which the IRS issues on request anytime afterward as a replacement. Both are accepted by banks, lenders, and government agencies as official proof of your EIN. If you’ve misplaced the original, you request a 147C by calling the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line.
What the CP 575 Is
The CP 575 is the notice the IRS generates automatically when it assigns a new EIN, whether you applied online, by fax, by mail, or by phone using Form SS-4. If you applied by mail or fax, it arrives by U.S. mail at the address on your application. If you applied online, the IRS issued your EIN on screen and prompted you to print the confirmation right then.1Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number
The CP 575 is a one-time document. The IRS does not reissue it. The notice lists your nine-digit EIN, the legal name registered with the IRS, a four-character name control the IRS uses to match your filings, the tax forms your entity is required to file, and the mailing address on record. The filing-requirements section is worth reading carefully: it tells you exactly which returns are due and when, which is easy to overlook once you have the number itself.
Check First: Did You Save the Online Confirmation?
Before assuming your CP 575 is gone, check your files. If you applied through the IRS online tool, the system displayed your EIN and told you to print or save the confirmation letter at that moment.1Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number That printout or PDF is your CP 575. Many owners who think they’ve lost it saved it to a downloads folder or emailed it to themselves and forgot. Check email attachments, cloud drives, and physical files before calling the IRS.
One catch: the online application cannot be saved partway through, so if you closed the browser before printing, no copy exists on your end. In that case, request a 147C.
Letter 147C: The Replacement
Letter 147C is the IRS’s EIN verification letter, and it carries the same weight as the CP 575 for banking, licensing, and contracts. The IRS lists two ways to verify an EIN: requesting a 147C or pulling an entity transcript.2Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number You can request a 147C as many times as you need.
Banks accept it routinely. Under the USA PATRIOT Act, financial institutions must verify a customer’s identity before opening an account, and an IRS letter confirming the EIN and legal name meets that requirement.3Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. USA PATRIOT Act Some banks actually prefer the 147C over an older CP 575 because the 147C reflects the entity’s current status in the IRS database, which matters if the business has changed its name or address.
There is no IRS fee.
Who Is Allowed to Request It
The IRS releases EIN information only to people connected to the entity:
- The responsible party listed on the EIN application, meaning the person with ownership or control. For corporations that’s typically a principal officer; for partnerships, a general partner; for trusts, the grantor or trustee.4Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4 (12/2025)
- Sole proprietors, partners, or corporate officers named in the entity’s governing documents.
- An accountant, attorney, or enrolled agent with a valid Form 2848 (Power of Attorney) or Form 8821 (Tax Information Authorization) on file with the IRS.5Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 8821
Before the agent releases anything, you’ll need to state the entity’s legal name and EIN and provide your own Social Security Number or ITIN so the agent can confirm you’re authorized.1Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number Any mismatch with the IRS record ends the call without a letter. Having the entity’s exact formation date at hand helps if a database conflict comes up, especially with common business names.
How to Request a 147C by Phone
Call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933. Hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time (Alaska and Hawaii follow Pacific time), closed on federal holidays.6Internal Revenue Service. Telephone Assistance Contacts for Business Customers Work through the prompts to the EIN option and hold for a live agent.
Once you’re verified, the agent offers two delivery methods:
- Fax. The agent sends the 147C to your fax number during the call. Be at the machine when you call, because the agent will ask whether the fax is private and secure. Cloud fax services work as long as they’re secure. This is the fastest route, and the letter arrives in minutes.
- Mail. The IRS sends the letter to the address on file, typically arriving in four to six weeks.
If a bank account, loan closing, or contract is waiting on the letter, fax is the practical choice. Mail delivery can stall a deal for a month or more.
Entity Transcript as an Alternative
The IRS also offers an entity transcript, which is a printout of your business’s IRS account information showing the EIN, entity name, and filing history.2Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number Some banks and lenders accept it in place of a 147C; others don’t. Acceptance depends on the institution’s internal policy, so confirm with your bank before relying on the transcript alone.
Update Your Address or Responsible Party First
The 147C is only useful if the IRS has current information for your business. If you’ve moved or the responsible party has changed and the IRS wasn’t told, the letter goes to the wrong address, or the agent can’t verify you at all. File Form 8822-B to update the IRS on a change of mailing address, physical location, or responsible party.7Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party
A change in responsible party has a hard deadline: report it within 60 days. The form asks for the entity’s name, EIN, old and new addresses, and the signature of an officer, owner, general partner, or authorized representative. If a third party signs, attach the power of attorney. Processing runs about four to six weeks, so file it as soon as the change happens rather than the day you need a 147C.8Internal Revenue Service. Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party — Business
A common failure pattern: a business changes hands, the new owner tries to open an account, calls the IRS for a 147C, and the agent can’t verify them because the prior responsible party is still on file. Filing the 8822-B first prevents it.
One more practical note on timing. Phone waits on the Business and Specialty line run long during peak filing months at the start of the year. Calling early in the morning, or later in the week, tends to produce shorter holds. Have your entity name, EIN, formation date, and personal identifying number in front of you before you dial so verification moves quickly once an agent picks up.