To get a copy of your tax ID certificate, call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933 and ask for an EIN Verification Letter, known as the LTR 147C. The IRS mails the original confirmation, the CP 575 notice, only once when your Employer Identification Number is first issued, so the 147C is the standard replacement that banks, lenders, and licensing agencies will accept.
Before you call, it’s worth checking whether you actually need the letter or just the number itself.
Check What You Already Have
If you only need the nine-digit EIN, the IRS suggests looking in a few places first:
- Past federal business tax returns, which display the EIN on every filing.
- The bank where you opened your business account, which recorded the EIN at setup.
- State or local permit and license applications, which usually list it.
- The original CP 575 notice the IRS mailed when the number was assigned.
If you applied for your EIN online, the IRS generated a confirmation letter at the end of the application that you could print immediately.1Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number Many owners close the browser before saving it. If that’s you, the formal replacement below is what you need.
A phone agent can also read the number to you after verifying your identity.2Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number But most banks and government agencies want a letter on IRS letterhead, not a number recited from memory. That’s what the 147C is for.
CP 575 vs. LTR 147C
The CP 575 is the one-time confirmation the IRS mails to the address on your EIN application. It shows your EIN, the legal name of the entity, and the tax returns you’re expected to file. It’s one of the standard documents used to open a business bank account.3U.S. Small Business Administration. Open a Business Bank Account
There is no process for ordering a duplicate CP 575. The LTR 147C is the verification letter the IRS issues in its place, and for practical purposes it does the same job.
What to Have Ready Before You Call
The IRS will only release a verification letter to the responsible party on the account or to someone with legal authorization to act for the business. Have this in front of you:
- The exact legal entity name on file with the IRS, matching prior tax returns.
- The current mailing address the IRS has on record.
- The Social Security Number or ITIN of the responsible party listed on the original EIN application.
- The requester’s title in the business, such as owner, president, or managing member.
Every detail has to match. A misspelled entity name, a previous address you never updated, or a responsible party who has since changed can all cause the agent to deny the request. If any of that has shifted since you applied for the EIN, fix it first (see below).
Making the Call
Dial the Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933. It’s open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time, with Alaska and Hawaii on Pacific time.4Internal Revenue Service. Telephone Assistance Contacts for Business Customers From the automated menu, select Employer Identification Numbers, then the option for existing EINs, and you’ll be routed to a live agent.
After the agent verifies your identity, you can receive the LTR 147C two ways:
- By fax, sent to you while still on the call. This is same-day.
- By mail, sent through USPS to the address on file. Expect roughly seven to ten business days.
Call volume runs heaviest during tax season and around quarterly filing deadlines. Early morning or after 3 p.m. on a weekday other than Monday tends to cut hold times.
When Someone Else Is Calling for You
If your accountant, attorney, or another representative needs to request the letter on your behalf, the IRS has to have written authorization already on file. Two forms cover this, and they grant different levels of access.
Form 2848: Power of Attorney
Form 2848 authorizes a representative to act on your behalf before the IRS, including requesting the LTR 147C and speaking with agents. The representative has to be someone eligible to practice before the IRS, such as an attorney, CPA, or enrolled agent.5Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 2848 Describe the matter as the request for an EIN verification letter, and enter “Not Applicable” for the tax form number and year if the request isn’t tied to a specific return. An officer with authority to bind the business must sign.
Form 8821: Tax Information Authorization
Form 8821 lets someone inspect and receive your confidential tax information without the power to represent you.6Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 8821 It works when you want a bookkeeper or office manager to receive the 147C but don’t need them negotiating anything else. The designee can receive documents; they cannot speak for you in a dispute.
Update Your IRS Records First If Anything Has Changed
The most common reason a call goes sideways is outdated information on file. If the business address or responsible party has changed since the EIN was issued, the agent won’t be able to verify your identity and will decline to release the letter.
You’re required to report any change in the responsible party within 60 days using Form 8822-B.7Internal Revenue Service. Responsible Parties and Nominees The responsible party is the person who controls or manages the entity, such as a new owner after a sale or a new managing member of an LLC. If a nominee (a formation agent, for example) was originally listed instead of the true responsible party, the same form corrects that.
Address changes go on Form 8822-B as well.8Internal Revenue Service. Form 8822-B Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business There’s no specific penalty for a late address update, but the practical cost is worse: IRS notices, including demands for tax, may go to an address you no longer read. Getting the records straight before you call spares you a phone conversation that ends with the agent refusing to send the letter.
A Note on Online Access
The IRS Business Tax Account portal lets authorized users view tax transcripts and manage some account details, and your EIN appears on those transcripts.9Internal Revenue Service. Business Tax Account The portal does not currently offer a way to download the CP 575 or request an LTR 147C. For the official letter, the phone call is still the route. A transcript may satisfy an institution that only wants documentation linking your business name to your EIN, but anywhere that specifically asks for a verification letter will expect the 147C.
State Tax Certificates Are Separate
Your federal EIN verification letter is not the same as any state-level tax registration. Most states issue their own numbers for income tax withholding, sales tax collection, or both, and a state sales tax permit is not interchangeable with an income tax withholding ID or a general business license. For a replacement of any state certificate, start with your state’s department of revenue or secretary of state website; most offer online portals where you can log in and download a copy or request a new one.