If you lost your EIN confirmation letter, ask the IRS for Letter 147C — the official EIN verification letter. Call the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line at 1-800-829-4933 (Monday–Friday, 7am–7pm), and the IRS will fax it within days or mail it within 4–6 weeks. Only the business’s authorized responsible party can make the request.
An EIN is a federal tax ID number the IRS assigns to your business. Letter 147C is the IRS’s formal letter confirming your EIN, legal business name, and address — banks and payment providers treat it as proof your EIN is real.
Why do banks and payment providers ask for Letter 147C?
Your original EIN confirmation (the CP 575 notice the IRS sent when your EIN was assigned) is the document banks expect. But CP 575 is issued once and never reissued — if you lost it, moved offices, or applied years ago and cannot find it, you cannot get another copy. Letter 147C is the IRS’s designated replacement: it verifies the same facts and is accepted by banks, Stripe, PayPal, Wise, and Mercury as EIN proof. If an application stalls on “provide your EIN letter,” 147C is what they mean.
Who can request Letter 147C?
Only an authorized person — the “responsible party” listed on the EIN application, or another individual the IRS recognizes as authorized for the business (such as an officer). The IRS agent will verify your identity with questions about the business: legal name, address, EIN, and the responsible party’s details. If you are calling on behalf of someone else’s company without authorization, the IRS will not release the letter.
How to request Letter 147C: the phone call
There is no online form for Letter 147C — it is requested by phone. Call the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line at 1-800-829-4933, Monday through Friday, 7am to 7pm (US time zones observed). Have ready: the business’s legal name, its EIN, the business address on file, and the responsible party’s information.
Tell the agent you need a 147C letter verifying your EIN. The agent will confirm your identity, then offer delivery options: fax or mail. Fax is the fast route — the letter typically arrives within a few business days if you provide a fax number. Mailed letters take 4–6 weeks. If you are outside the US, arrange a fax number that can receive US faxes (many online fax services provide one) or have it mailed to your US business address.
Tips that save you a second call
Call early in the morning US time for shorter hold times — midday waits can be long. Make sure the address and responsible party details you give match exactly what the IRS has on file; mismatches are the most common reason a request stalls. If your business details changed (new address, new responsible party), update them with the IRS first using the appropriate form, then request the 147C.
What Letter 147C does not do
Letter 147C only verifies an EIN that already exists — it cannot create one, change your business name, or fix a wrong EIN. If you never received an EIN at all, you need to apply for one (free from the IRS; non-residents without a Social Security number apply by fax, typically about 15 days). And never share your EIN or personal ID numbers in insecure channels — the IRS will never email you a 147C unsolicited.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get Letter 147C?
By fax: usually a few business days. By mail: 4–6 weeks. If a bank application is waiting on it, choose fax and confirm the receiving fax number twice before you hang up.
Can my accountant request Letter 147C for me?
Only if they are authorized — for example, holding a valid power of attorney (Form 2848) for the business. Otherwise the responsible party must call personally.
Is there a fee for Letter 147C?
No. The IRS issues it free of charge. Anyone charging you a large fee “to get your 147C” is selling you a phone call you can make yourself.
I never got any EIN letter. Is that the same problem?
Not quite — if no EIN was ever assigned, there is nothing to verify. Apply for the EIN first (free from the IRS), and the IRS will issue your confirmation notice. Letter 147C is only for verifying an existing EIN.
How much does Epics Deals charge for formation and EIN help?
Epics Deals forms LLCs for $130 plus the state fee and guides non-residents through the EIN process. Start at epicsdeals.com or WhatsApp us at wa.link/x6klxo.
Related: How Long Does It Take to Get an EIN in 2026?
Related: Mercury vs Wise vs Relay for Non-Residents 2026
Related: PayPal Business Account for Non-Resident US LLC 2026
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