IRS EIN Confirmation Letter CP 575 and How to Get a Copy

The IRS EIN number letter is the CP 575 notice, issued once when the IRS assigns an employer identification number (EIN). The IRS cannot reprint that notice, but eligible owners can download a digital CP 575 online or call 800-829-4933 for Letter 147C. Both replacements serve as written proof of the EIN.

Key Takeaways

• The CP 575 notice is issued once and the IRS cannot copy or recreate the original.
• A digital CP 575 downloads from the IRS Business Tax Account for eligible entity types.
• Letter 147C comes from the Business and Specialty Tax Line, 800-829-4933, by fax or mail.
• Banks accept the CP 575 notice, the digital CP 575 and Letter 147C as proof of an EIN.
• A missing EIN letter never calls for a second EIN, and the IRS charges nothing for these letters.

What Is an IRS EIN Number Letter?

An IRS EIN number letter is an official IRS document that shows a business's nine-digit EIN in writing. Two IRS documents fill this role: the CP 575 notice and Letter 147C. The IRS issues the CP 575 notice when it assigns the number, and it issues Letter 147C later as a verification letter.

People search for the same paper as an irs letter with ein number, an EIN confirmation letter or an EIN verification letter. Every EIN number letter from IRS processing centers shows the same nine digits. The name changes, while the purpose stays the same.

According to the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Advocacy, the United States has 36.2 million small businesses. Each of those businesses can be asked to prove its EIN to a bank, a lender or a state agency. Owners who still need the number can request EIN application support with the state filing.

The graphic below shows four numbers behind the EIN letter, each from the IRS or the SBA Office of Advocacy.

The first of the two documents, the CP 575 notice, comes earlier in time. That order makes the CP 575 notice the next topic.

What Is a CP 575 Notice?

A CP 575 notice is the IRS confirmation that an EIN was assigned to a business. The CP 575 notice is issued once, at the moment the IRS assigns the number. The notice shows the nine-digit EIN, the legal name, the business address and the date of assignment.

According to the IRS, the original CP 575A-J notice series cannot be copied or recreated. The letters CP stand for a computer-generated notice, so no IRS employee can print a second original. Owners who lose the paper need a different IRS document.

The way the notice reaches the owner depends on the application method. That delivery path is the next question.

How Do You Get a CP 575 Notice When You Apply?

You get a CP 575 notice when you apply, and the delivery path depends on how the application was filed. Online applicants print the confirmation letter at the end of the session, according to the IRS. Fax and mail applicants wait for the notice to arrive by mail.

• Online: the IRS issues the EIN immediately, and the owner prints the confirmation letter.
• Fax: the IRS faxes a cover sheet with the EIN in about 4 business days. The notice is mailed to the form address.
• Mail: the IRS takes about 4 weeks to process Form SS-4.

The online session expires after 15 minutes of inactivity, so a closed browser can end the chance to print. A third-party designee who applied online cannot download the notice, because the IRS mails it to the responsible party. Owners who lost the number itself can recover the EIN through the IRS phone line before asking for any letter.

A missing letter is never a reason to apply again. The IRS limits each responsible party to 1 EIN per day, and a second EIN for the same entity creates mismatched records. The correct fix is a replacement EIN letter.

Can You Get a Replacement EIN Letter From the IRS?

Yes, you can get a replacement EIN letter from the IRS, but the IRS will not reprint the original CP 575 notice. The IRS offers three replacements: a digital CP 575, Letter 147C and an entity transcript. According to the IRS, those are the 3 ways to confirm an EIN. The table below sets the original notice beside the three replacements.

The table shows one document that cannot be replaced and three that can. An entity transcript is an IRS account record. It satisfies a request for proof when the requester does not insist on a letter. The digital CP 575 is the newest of the three, so the digital CP 575 comes first.

How Do You Download a Digital CP 575 Online?

You download a digital CP 575 online through your IRS Business Tax Account (BTA). The digital CP 575 is an EIN verification notice that substitutes for Letter 147C. According to the IRS, banks and other institutions accept the digital notice as written proof of the EIN.

Access is limited to certain entity types. According to the IRS, Business Tax Account is open to six entity groups. Those groups are sole proprietors with an IRS-issued EIN, S corporations, C corporations, governments, tribal governments and tax-exempt organizations. Users must register and meet the account access requirements before the download appears.

The IRS list does not name partnerships, so partnership owners take the phone route below. The IRS suggests printing several copies of the digital notice and keeping one in a long-term file. The phone route is the standard path for every other entity.

How Do You Request Letter 147C From the IRS?

You request Letter 147C from the IRS by calling the Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933. The line is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time, according to the IRS. Alaska and Hawaii callers use Pacific time, and the TTY line is 800-829-4059.

The call follows five steps, listed below in order.

1. Gather the legal name, the IRS address, the EIN and the responsible party's Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).
2. Call 800-829-4933 and choose the option for employer identification numbers.
3. State the request as "I need Letter 147C, EIN Previously Assigned."
4. Answer the identity questions the agent asks about the entity.
5. Choose fax or mail delivery for the letter.

The graphic below repeats the five steps of the call in the same order.

The IRS sends Letter 147C by fax or by mail and never by email. A fax arrives while the caller waits on the line, and mail takes longer. According to Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) 21.7.13, the IRS does not mail Letter 147C within 30 days of assignment.

A written request by mail also works, but the written route runs slower than the phone. Owners who hold an open IRS notice can get IRS letter help while the EIN is being confirmed. The agent releases the letter only to a person tied to the entity.

Who Can Request an EIN Letter for a Business?

Only an authorized person can request an EIN letter for a business, and the agent checks that status during the call. The IRS releases the letter to a person tied to the entity. The list below shows who qualifies for each entity type.

• Sole proprietorship: the owner named on the application.
• Partnership: a listed partner.
• Corporation: a principal officer, such as the president.
• Single-member LLC: the sole member.
• Trust or estate: the trustee, executor or administrator.

A CPA or enrolled agent (EA) can call for the owner. The IRS must hold a signed Form 2848, Power of Attorney, first. Form 8821 lets a designee receive tax information without representing the owner. Founders who set up a new company can use founder checklists to keep these authorizations current.

The caller must also match the details the IRS holds on file, and old details cause failed calls. Those details are the next thing to fix.

What Should You Fix Before Requesting the EIN Letter?

Fix the name, address and responsible party on file before requesting the EIN letter, because Letter 147C repeats the IRS record. A stale record produces a letter that a bank may reject. The steps below clean the record in a working order.

1. File Form 8822-B to change the business address, and allow 4 to 6 weeks for processing.
2. File Form 8822-B to report a new responsible party, which is due within 60 days, according to the IRS.
3. Report a business name change on the return or in a signed letter to the IRS.
4. Confirm the legal name matches the state filing documents and the bank forms.

A new business name does not create a new EIN, according to the IRS. A DBA that becomes a corporation or partnership does need a new EIN, so review a DBA conversion first.

The legal name must read the same on bank forms, payroll forms and the IRS record. The letter repeats that name exactly. Owners who confirm the name against the state filing documents avoid a mismatch.

Once the record is clean, the letter goes to the bank, and the bank sets the rules for what it accepts.

Which EIN Letter Do Banks and Lenders Accept?

Banks and lenders accept the CP 575 notice, the digital CP 575 and Letter 147C as proof of an EIN. Each of the three documents works as written proof of the EIN. A bank that wants an IRS letter for EIN number proof does not need one specific form.

The graphic below compares the CP 575 notice with Letter 147C.

Banks also verify the people behind the entity. According to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bank must identify each individual owning 25 percent or more of an entity. The bank adds one control person. The EIN letter proves the entity, and the owner IDs prove the people.

A lender reviewing a loan file asks for more than the letter, and bank-ready financials sit beside it.

Card issuers ask for the same proof when an owner applies for a business card. Proof only works when the letter is accurate and the legal name is spelled the same way everywhere. A card application repeats the same number, so the letter needs a check on arrival.

What Should You Check on the EIN Letter When It Arrives?

Check the legal name, the nine-digit EIN, the mailing address and the issue date on the EIN letter when it arrives. A wrong name or number means the IRS record needs a correction before a clean letter can be issued. Call the IRS back and ask for the record to be fixed.

Give a bank a scan or a high-resolution copy, and keep the original in the business file. The IRS issues Letter 147C at no charge, so a second copy costs nothing. Every IRS EIN number letter belongs beside the formation records.

Vendors who need another company's number use a Form W-9, and company EIN lookup methods avoid the IRS entirely. Several side questions remain about EIN letters.

What Else Do Owners Ask About IRS EIN Letters?

Owners ask about online lookups, email delivery, printing problems, duplicates, shared numbers, LLCs and CPA help. The short answers below cover each topic.

Can I Look Up an EIN Online?

You can look up an EIN online only from your own records, because the IRS keeps no public list of business numbers. Past returns, bank files and payroll records show the number. A lookup shows the digits only, so a bank that wants proof still needs the letter.

Will the IRS Email My EIN Confirmation Letter?

No, the IRS will not email your EIN confirmation letter, because the IRS sends sensitive documents by fax or mail. The IRS delivers Letter 147C by fax or mail only. An online applicant prints the confirmation page during the session instead.

Why Can't I Print My EIN Confirmation Letter Online?

You cannot print your EIN confirmation letter online after the application session ends. The print window closes when the session closes. A third-party designee also cannot print the notice, so the IRS mails it to the responsible party.

Can I Get a Duplicate EIN Letter?

The IRS issues no duplicate EIN letter of the original CP 575 notice, but the IRS does issue a replacement. Letter 147C can be requested again whenever a new copy is needed. Each request costs nothing.

Can Two Businesses Share One EIN Letter?

Two businesses cannot share one EIN letter when each business is a separate entity. Each entity gets its own EIN and its own letter. The rules on one EIN limits explain when a single number can cover more than one activity.

Does an LLC Get an EIN Letter?

An LLC gets an EIN letter when the LLC applies for an EIN. The LLC then holds a CP 575 notice like any other entity. The IRS letter follows the application, not the entity label. The LLC EIN requirements show when an application is required.

Can a CPA Help You Get an EIN Letter?

Yes, a CPA can help you get an EIN letter by calling the IRS under a signed Form 2848. We request Letter 147C for clients and file each letter with the formation records. The firm is led by founder Nischay Rawal, CPA, EA, and the office line is (305) 872-3096.

More about the team is on the NR CPA bookkeepers page. That page lists every service, and each service page explains the filings and records the firm handles for owners nationwide.

Owners who still need an EIN can start with formation paperwork from the same team.