An EIN verification letter — officially IRS Letter 147C, "EIN Previously Assigned" — is the document the IRS sends to confirm your business's EIN, legal name, and address exactly as they appear in IRS records.
If you've lost your original EIN confirmation letter (the CP-575), or a bank, Stripe, or PayPal is asking for proof of your EIN, the 147C letter is how you get it. It's free, and if you request it by fax, you can have it the same day you call.
This guide covers what the 147C letter is, who can request it, and exactly how to get one — including the phone number that works when you're calling from outside the United States.
A 147C letter is an official IRS document that verifies your Employer Identification Number (EIN) and the key details linked to it: your business name, EIN, and registered address, exactly as they appear in the IRS database.
Think of it as a replacement copy of your original EIN confirmation letter (CP-575). If that letter was lost, misplaced, or never arrived, the IRS issues a 147C letter as official verification instead.
Despite what many people search for, there is no "Form 147C" to fill out. It's not a form at all — it's a letter the IRS prints on its letterhead and sends to you after you request it by phone.
Most founders need a 147C letter when applying for:
In short, the 147C letter is your EIN identity card. It tells banks and platforms that the IRS recognizes your business as legitimate and active — and that your name and address match what the IRS has on file. Even a small mismatch between your Stripe application and IRS records can stall verification, and the 147C letter is how you prove which version is correct.
The CP-575 is the EIN confirmation letter the IRS mails you once, automatically, when your EIN is first assigned. The 147C is the EIN verification letter you request later. Both carry the same weight with banks and payment processors.
If a bank asks for your "EIN letter" or a "copy of your EIN letter," either document works. If your CP-575 is gone, don't waste time trying to replace it — request a 147C instead.
The IRS will only release a 147C letter to:
There's one way to request a 147C: call the IRS. There's no online request form, and the IRS never sends 147C letters by email.
Call the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line at 1-800-829-4933 (Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. your local time).
The 800 number is toll-free within the US and generally can't be dialed from abroad. International callers use +1-267-941-1099 (not toll-free), Monday–Friday, 6 a.m.–11 p.m. US Eastern Time. That window covers evening hours in Europe, Africa, and most of Asia — but call as early in the ET day as you can; hold times grow through the afternoon, and Mondays are busiest.
The 147C is one of the fastest documents the IRS issues:
If a bank or Stripe is waiting on you, fax is the only sensible choice.
No— there's no portal where you can click and download a 147C, and the IRS never emails it.
If you don't just need proof — you've lost the EIN entirely — the same phone call solves it. Before requesting the letter, ask the agent to look up your EIN. Once you pass the security questions, they can give you the number over the phone and then issue the 147C letter confirming it.
Before calling, it's worth checking places your EIN may already be recorded: your CP-575, past tax filings (Form 5472/1120 for foreign-owned LLCs), or bank account applications.
The 147C letter is your backup proof of EIN — the document that steps in when the CP-575 is lost or never arrived. It's free, it doesn't expire, and by fax you can have it in hand the same day.
Once you have it, store both your CP-575 and 147C somewhere you can't lose them (a cloud drive, not a paper folder), because banks and payment processors will keep asking for EIN proof for as long as you're in business. It belongs in the same folder as the rest of your post-formation paperwork — and alongside your certificate of good standing, the other document banks ask for most often.
Yes. "EIN verification letter" is the everyday name; "Letter 147C, EIN Previously Assigned" is the IRS's official name for the same document.
Call the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line — 1-800-829-4933 from inside the US, or +1-267-941-1099 from abroad — verify your identity as the responsible party, and ask for the letter by fax or mail.
Yes. Call +1-267-941-1099 (not toll-free), Monday–Friday, 6 a.m.–11 p.m. US Eastern Time. Have a fax number ready and you'll receive the letter as a PDF during the call.
Nothing. The IRS issues 147C letters for free, as many times as you need one.
Yes — the IRS agents can fax the 147c letter to your fax number. There's no email or direct download option.
No. But if your business name or address changes, request a fresh copy so the letter matches your current IRS records.
Form SS-4 is the application you file to get an EIN. The 147C letter comes later, confirming the EIN that application produced.
Elena Rossi leads corporate operations and client support strategies at StartFleet. Drawing on years of direct industry experience in business incorporation, entity structuring, and ongoing regulatory compliance, she ensures that founders have the reliable, up-to-date information they need to scale safely. Elena is passionate about removing the friction from small business growth. In her free time, she is an avid home chef and amateur landscape photographer.
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