147C Letter (2026): What It Is and How to Request One from the IRS

Published: June 18, 2026

A Message from Slava

I'm Slava, founder of Jupid. Before this, I built Anna Money, where we worked with more than 60,000 small businesses and grew to $40M ARR. In all those years of onboarding new accounts, one tiny piece of paper tripped people up more than almost anything else: proof of their EIN.

Here's the pattern I see constantly. You form your LLC, the IRS mails you a confirmation letter, and you file it somewhere safe. Two years later a bank, a payroll provider, or a payment platform asks for that letter before they'll open an account or release a payment. You go looking, and it's gone. Maybe it never arrived. Maybe it got recycled with the junk mail. Either way, you're stuck, because the IRS only mails that original confirmation once and won't print you another copy of it.

The 147C letter is the fix. It's the IRS's official way to re-verify your EIN when the original confirmation is lost. It carries the same weight as the original for almost every purpose, it costs nothing, and you can usually get it faxed to you in a single phone call. Most owners don't know it exists, so they waste days hunting for a document that the IRS will happily reissue in twenty minutes.

This guide walks through exactly what a 147C letter is, when you need one, and the precise steps to request it in 2026 -- including the phone number, the menu prompts, who is allowed to ask for it, and how to get it the same day instead of waiting six weeks.

What a 147C Letter Actually Is

A 147C letter is an official IRS document that verifies your Employer Identification Number (EIN). Its formal name on IRS systems is "Letter 147C, EIN Previously Assigned." You request it when you've lost the original notice the IRS sent when your EIN was first issued.

When you applied for your EIN, the IRS generated a one-time confirmation called the CP-575. That CP-575 is auto-printed exactly once and mailed to you. The IRS will not reprint it -- not ever. So if you lose it, the 147C is the replacement proof. It states your legal business name, your EIN, and your address on file with the IRS, and it's signed and printed on IRS letterhead. For nearly every third party that asks "show me your EIN paperwork," a 147C is accepted in place of the original.

The number "147C" is simply the IRS's internal letter code, the same way the original is coded CP-575. There's nothing to fill out and no form to download. A 147C is generated by an IRS agent on the phone and sent to you. If you've never had to prove your EIN to anyone yet, you may not realize how often it comes up once you start opening business accounts. For a fuller picture of where your EIN lives and how to track it down, see our guide on how to find your EIN number.

147C vs CP-575: What's the Difference

These two documents prove the same fact -- that the IRS assigned you a specific EIN -- but they aren't the same thing, and people mix them up constantly. Here's the clean version.

The practical takeaway: if you still have your CP-575, use it. If it's lost, don't waste time asking the IRS to "resend the CP-575" -- they can't. Ask for a 147C instead. A small number of institutions specifically demand the original CP-575 (some federal grant and contracting processes do this), but the vast majority of banks, lenders, payroll companies, and payment platforms accept a 147C without issue. If you want the deeper background on the original notice, our CP-575 EIN confirmation letter guide covers it in detail.

When You Actually Need a 147C Letter

You don't need a 147C just to have one on file. You need it when a third party asks for documented proof of your EIN and you can't produce the original. The common triggers:

• Opening a business bank account. Banks verify your EIN against IRS records before they open an account, and many ask for the letter directly.
• Setting up payroll. Payroll providers like Gusto, ADP, or your accountant need to confirm the exact legal name and EIN the IRS has on file, because a mismatch causes rejected tax filings.
• Onboarding with a vendor or marketplace. Amazon, Shopify Payments, Stripe, TikTok Shop, and many B2B vendors request EIN verification during account setup.
• Applying for a loan or line of credit. Lenders and the SBA's lending partners frequently ask for EIN documentation.
• Filing or correcting tax forms. If your business name and EIN don't match IRS records on a 1099 or payroll filing, a 147C tells you the exact name-and-number combination the IRS expects.

That last point is the quiet reason a 147C is so useful. It doesn't just prove your EIN -- it tells you precisely how the IRS has your business name recorded. Name mismatches are a leading cause of rejected information returns, and the 147C settles the question. If you registered your business recently, our walkthrough on EINs, registered agents, and what you need to start an LLC covers where the EIN fits into the overall formation process.

How to Request a 147C Letter: Step by Step

There is no online form and no email request for a 147C. The IRS issues it over the phone through the Business and Specialty Tax Line, or by written mail request. The phone route is faster, and most people get the letter the same day. Here's the full process.

Step 1 — Call the Business and Specialty Tax Line. The number is 800-829-4933. It's open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. your local time. (Residents of Alaska and Hawaii follow Pacific time.) Call early -- Tuesday through Thursday mornings have the shortest hold times, and Mondays are the busiest.

Step 2 — Work through the phone menu. The automated system routes you. The current path is:

Press 1   for English
Press 1   for Employer Identification Number questions
Press 3   if you already have an EIN and need to verify it

Menu options change from time to time, so listen for the prompt about an "already-assigned EIN" or "EIN verification" if the numbers differ.

Step 3 — Verify your identity. The agent confirms you're authorized to receive the EIN. Be ready with your legal business name, your business address, the EIN itself if you have it written down somewhere, and your personal identifying details as the responsible party. This is a security step -- the IRS won't hand out EIN information to just anyone who calls.

Step 4 — Ask for "Letter 147C." Say plainly that you need a 147C, the EIN verification letter, because you lost your original confirmation. The agent generates it during the call.

Step 5 — Choose fax or mail. This is the step that decides whether you get the letter today or in six weeks. The agent can fax the 147C to you while you're still on the phone, or mail it to the address on file. Pick fax if you possibly can.

Here's what each delivery option looks like in practice:

FAX delivery:
  - Agent faxes the 147C while you are on the call
  - You receive it within minutes
  - Best for: you have a fax number (physical or online fax) ready

MAIL delivery:
  - Sent to the business address the IRS has on file
  - Arrives in roughly 4 to 6 weeks
  - Best for: you have no fax access and aren't in a hurry

If you don't own a fax machine, a free or low-cost online fax service works perfectly -- the IRS only needs a working fax number to send to. The key is to confirm that number with the agent before you hang up.

Who Is Allowed to Request a 147C

The IRS only releases EIN information to people authorized to receive it. For a 147C, that means one of the following:

• The responsible party named on the original EIN application -- typically the owner, a managing member of the LLC, or a corporate officer.
• An authorized third party with a valid power of attorney (Form 2848) or tax information authorization (Form 8821) already on file with the IRS.

If you're the owner who set up the EIN, you qualify automatically. If you want your accountant or bookkeeper to call on your behalf, they'll need a Form 2848 or 8821 in place first -- the IRS won't take their word for it over the phone. A nominee or unrelated person cannot request a 147C, and the IRS is explicit that nominees aren't authorized to handle EIN matters at all. This is a privacy protection, not red tape: your EIN is the key to your business's tax identity, and the IRS guards who can pull it.

A Worked Example: Same-Day 147C

Here's how a typical request plays out, start to finish, for an LLC owner who needs the letter to open a business bank account.

Maria's situation:
  - Formed "Riverside Design LLC" in 2024
  - Got the EIN online, but the CP-575 was lost in a move
  - New bank requires EIN verification before opening the account

Tuesday, 7:10 a.m. local time:
  1. Calls 800-829-4933
  2. Menu: presses 1 (English), 1 (EIN), 3 (verify existing EIN)
  3. Hold time: about 12 minutes
  4. Agent verifies: legal name, address, responsible-party details
  5. Maria asks for "Letter 147C"
  6. Chooses FAX delivery, gives her online-fax number
  7. 147C arrives in her fax inbox at 7:34 a.m.

Total elapsed time: ~25 minutes
Cost: $0
Result: bank account opened that afternoon

The whole thing fits inside a coffee break. The only way it goes sideways is if your information doesn't match IRS records -- which is exactly why knowing the precise name-and-EIN combination on file matters so much.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Asking the IRS to "resend the CP-575." They can't. The original is printed once. Ask for a 147C instead, and you'll get an answer instead of a dead end.

Choosing mail when you needed it yesterday. Mail delivery runs 4 to 6 weeks. If a bank or vendor is waiting on you, that delay can stall the whole deal. Set up a fax number before you call and ask for fax delivery.

Having an unauthorized person call. The IRS won't release EIN information to anyone who isn't the responsible party or a properly authorized representative on file. If your assistant or a friend calls "to save you time," they'll be turned away. File a Form 2848 or 8821 first if someone else needs to handle it.

Calling on a Monday at noon. Mondays and midday hours have the longest waits. Tuesday through Thursday between 7 and 10 a.m. local time is the sweet spot.

Not writing down your EIN afterward. Once you have the 147C, save a digital copy somewhere you'll actually find it -- and store your EIN in your records so you never have to do this again. Losing the proof twice is a self-inflicted wound.

Verify and Store Your EIN Automatically: How Jupid Helps

The reason a lost EIN turns into a scramble is that most owners have no single, reliable place where their core business details live. The CP-575 ends up in a drawer, the EIN is half-remembered, and the exact legal name on file with the IRS is anyone's guess until something gets rejected.

Jupid is an AI accountant that lives in WhatsApp and iMessage. You connect your bank account, and Jupid handles the categorization and bookkeeping in the background, auto-sorting every transaction with 95.9% accuracy and keeping your financial records current without spreadsheets. Because your books, filings, and business identity sit in one place, the details you scramble for -- your EIN, your legal name, your filing history -- are exactly where you need them when a bank or vendor asks.

When tax season comes, Jupid handles automatic filing built on numbers that already match your records, so there's no last-minute reconstruction. And because it learns how your business categorizes spending over time through transaction learning, the system gets more accurate the longer you use it. You can ask questions in plain language -- "what's my EIN again?" or "how much did I spend on contractors this quarter?" -- and get an answer in chat instead of digging through a filing cabinet.

A lost EIN confirmation shouldn't cost you a week. Try Jupid and keep the details that run your business in one place you can actually reach.

Action Checklist

• Confirm you actually need EIN proof (a bank, vendor, lender, or payroll setup is asking)
• Check whether you still have your original CP-575 before requesting a reissue
• Have your legal business name, address, and EIN handy before you call
• Confirm you're the responsible party -- or file Form 2848/8821 if someone else will call
• Set up a fax number (online fax works) so you can choose fax delivery
• Call 800-829-4933, Tuesday-Thursday between 7 and 10 a.m. local time
• Work the menu: 1 (English), 1 (EIN), 3 (verify existing EIN)
• Ask the agent specifically for "Letter 147C"
• Choose fax delivery to receive it the same day
• Save a digital copy and record your EIN so you never repeat this

Sources

• IRS — Employer Identification Number (how to verify a lost EIN, request Letter 147C)
• IRS — Telephone Assistance / Business and Specialty Tax Line (800-829-4933, hours)
• IRS — About Form 8821, Tax Information Authorization
• IRS — About Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative
• SBA — Get federal and state tax ID numbers

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This guide is for general educational purposes and does not constitute tax, legal, or accounting advice. IRS phone menus, processing times, and procedures can change. Confirm current details with the IRS directly at 800-829-4933 or irs.gov, and consult a qualified tax professional for your specific situation.