Tax ID Letter Example: CP 575 Sample and 147C Replacement

An IRS tax ID letter example most people are looking for is Notice CP 575, the single-page document the IRS mails after assigning an Employer Identification Number. It confirms your EIN and the legal name and address of your business as registered with the federal government. The IRS issues CP 575 exactly once and warns on the notice itself that no duplicate will be generated.¹ If yours is missing, the replacement is called Letter 147C, and banks, payroll providers, and licensing agencies treat the two documents interchangeably.²

What a CP 575 Looks Like

The layout is standardized. The upper-left corner shows “Department of the Treasury / Internal Revenue Service” and the address of the service center that issued the notice. The upper-right block lists the notice number (CP 575 followed by a letter suffix such as “G”), the date it was issued, and your nine-digit EIN.¹

The body opens with the heading “WE ASSIGNED YOU AN EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.” A short paragraph confirms the specific EIN and notes it will identify your business accounts, tax returns, and documents even if you have no employees. Directly below sits your legal business name and address exactly as the IRS has them on file. The notice cautions that any variation from this exact name and address on future filings could delay processing or cause a second EIN to be assigned by mistake.¹

Further down, the letter lists a four-character “name control,” which is the first four letters of your business name and is required for electronic filing. The bottom of the page carries a tear-off stub to return with any written correspondence, plus a closing reminder to keep the notice in your permanent records and give copies to anyone who needs proof of your EIN.¹

Reading the EIN on the Notice

An EIN is nine digits split by a single hyphen: two digits, then seven (XX-XXXXXXX). That format distinguishes it from a Social Security number, which uses two hyphens.³ The first two digits identify the IRS campus that assigned the number. Prefixes 20, 26, and 27, for instance, indicate an online application; 10 and 12 come from Andover and 50 and 53 from Austin.⁴ The detail rarely matters day to day, but a prefix that matches a known IRS campus can quickly reassure a bank or vendor who questions whether the number is real.

Why You Only Get the CP 575 Once

This is the fact that catches most new business owners off guard. The CP 575 is printed and sent a single time. The notice states plainly: “This notice is issued only one time and the IRS will not be able to generate a duplicate copy for you.”¹

If you applied online, the IRS lets you print the confirmation at the end of the session, but you cannot return later to retrieve it. The online application also cannot be saved partway through, so it has to be completed in one sitting and the confirmation printed or saved before the browser closes.⁵ Mail and fax applicants receive the CP 575 by postal mail from the issuing service center. Either way, scan the original as soon as it arrives and store the digital copy somewhere separate from the paper.

Getting a Replacement: Letter 147C

When the original CP 575 is gone, the IRS replacement is Letter 147C, formally titled “EIN Previously Assigned.” It carries the same core information: the nine-digit EIN, the legal business name, and the IRS contact block. For every practical purpose where a CP 575 is requested, a 147C works in its place.²

Calling the IRS Business Line

To request the 147C, call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933. The line runs Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time (Alaska and Hawaii follow Pacific time).⁶ Work through the automated menu to the EIN prompt and choose the option for a confirmation letter. Wait times vary, and during peak filing season they can stretch beyond an hour.

Once an agent picks up, expect a security interview. You’ll need the exact legal name of the business (including any “LLC” or “Inc.” suffix as originally submitted), the mailing address on file, and your own Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. The agent will also confirm your role. Only officers, partners, or sole proprietors of the entity can request the letter directly. A third party such as an accountant can call only if Form 2848, Power of Attorney, is already on file authorizing them.⁷

Fax or Mail

The agent can send the 147C by fax or by mail. Fax is dramatically faster; if you have a fax number ready, the letter can come through during the same call. Mail delivery generally runs two to four weeks depending on IRS workload and season. The IRS will not send the letter by email, because agency policy prohibits transmitting documents containing taxpayer identification numbers that way.⁸

Other Ways to Verify Your EIN

If the phone route isn’t practical, two other IRS documents can confirm the number, though not every institution accepts them in place of the CP 575 or 147C.

Business Entity Transcript

A business entity transcript shows the EIN, current business name, address, name control, and filing requirements. Eligible business owners can request one through the IRS Business Tax Account portal or by calling the same 800-829-4933 line.⁹ Two versions exist: a modified transcript with basic identifying details, and a complete version that also shows the IRS establishment date and specific filing obligations. Some institutions accept a transcript as proof of your EIN. Others insist on the CP 575 or 147C by name. Before relying on a transcript to open a bank account, confirm with the bank that they’ll take it.

Business Tax Account Portal

The IRS Business Tax Account lets designated officials view certain notices and letters online, pull tax transcripts, and check business profile information.¹⁰ Whether your original CP 575 or a downloadable 147C equivalent shows up depends on your access level and what the IRS has made available for your account. Worth checking if you already have access; not a reliable sole backup.

If You’ve Lost the EIN Itself

If the letter is gone and you don’t remember the number, the IRS suggests looking at old business tax returns, contacting the bank where you opened the business account, or checking with any state or local agency where you used the EIN on a license application. Failing all that, calling 800-829-4933 and passing identity verification will get you the number over the phone.²

When You’ll Be Asked to Show the Letter

The most common trigger is opening a business bank account. Federal regulations require banks to run a Customer Identification Program before opening any account, and for a business entity that means collecting a taxpayer identification number along with the legal name and a physical address.¹¹ Most banks satisfy this by asking for the CP 575 or 147C rather than taking your word for the number.

Payroll setup is another frequent reason. A payroll provider needs your EIN to set up federal tax withholding and file employment tax returns such as Form 941, and they typically want a copy of the IRS letter rather than a number typed into a form.¹²

The letter also matters when you fill out Form W-9 for a client or vendor. The W-9 requires your taxpayer identification number and legal name, and the IRS warns that the TIN must match the name on line 1 to avoid backup withholding.¹³ Having the CP 575 or 147C in front of you lets you copy the name and number exactly as the IRS has them, which prevents mismatches. State and local licensing boards, merchant service providers, and larger vendor contracts round out the usual list of requests.

If the Letter Has an Error

Check the letter carefully when it first arrives. The CP 575 includes a tear-off stub for reporting corrections if the name or address is wrong.¹ Using even a slightly different name variation on later tax filings can cause processing delays or trigger a duplicate EIN assignment.

For changes that happen after the initial notice, Form 8822-B updates a business mailing address, physical location, or responsible party. When the responsible party changes, the IRS requires Form 8822-B within 60 days.¹⁴ There’s no financial penalty for missing that deadline, but deficiency notices and demand letters may go to the old address or the old responsible party, with penalties and interest accruing whether you see them or not.¹⁵

1
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. CP 575 G Notice of Employer Identification Number Assignment
2
Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number
3
Social Security Administration. RM 01103.015 Composition of the Employer Identification Number (EIN)
4
Internal Revenue Service. Valid EINs
5
Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number
6
Internal Revenue Service. Telephone Assistance Contacts for Business Customers
7
Internal Revenue Service. About Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative
8
Internal Revenue Service. Sending and Receiving Emails Securely
9
Internal Revenue Service. Get a Business Tax Transcript
10
Internal Revenue Service. Business Tax Account
11
eCFR. 31 CFR 1020.220 – Customer Identification Program
12
Internal Revenue Service. About Form 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return
13
Internal Revenue Service. Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification (Form W-9)
14
Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business
15
Internal Revenue Service. Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business