Letter 147C: How to Get an EIN Verification Letter

Letter 147C, "EIN Previously Assigned," is the IRS letter you request by phone to confirm the employer identification number (EIN) the IRS already assigned to your business. Banks and other institutions often want written confirmation of an EIN, and when the original assignment notice is gone, a 147C is one of the three ways the IRS lists to provide it. The IRS now offers a self-service alternative as well: a digital CP575 that eligible users download from Business Tax Account, which the IRS says can be used as a substitute for Letter 147C.

This page covers federal IRS procedures for confirming an EIN, verified against irs.gov on October 25, 2026. It does not cover state tax ID verification letters, which states issue separately.

What Letter 147C is

The IRS refers to Letter 147C by its title, "EIN Previously Assigned." The name describes its job: it confirms a number the IRS gave your entity in the past, as opposed to the notice the IRS sends when it first assigns an EIN.

On its EIN page, the IRS lists three ways to confirm your EIN:

1. Request an entity transcript.
2. If you are an eligible Business Tax Account user, download a digital CP575, Employer Identification Number Verification Notice.
3. Call the business and specialty tax line and request Letter 147C, EIN Previously Assigned.

People often search for it as an "EIN verification letter." The IRS uses that phrase too, but for the digital CP575 in Business Tax Account, which its account page lists under Tax Records as the "EIN verification letter."

Why a bank or agency asks for it

A business usually needs to prove its EIN when someone else has to match the number to the entity. The IRS says: "You may need to confirm your EIN when you open a bank account for your entity or obtain other business services."

If you have lost the notice the IRS sent when it assigned your EIN, you cannot get it back: the IRS says the original CP575A-J notice "cannot be duplicated or recreated." Once that paper is lost, a 147C, a digital CP575 or an entity transcript is the way to show the number in an IRS document. Our guide to the CP 575 notice explains the original notice and why the IRS will not reissue it.

How to request Letter 147C

Call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. The IRS says residents of Alaska and Hawaii should follow Pacific time. TTY callers can use 800-829-4059.

The IRS says it will "verify your identity and provide the number over the phone if you're authorized to receive it." The EIN page does not define who counts as authorized. The same caution runs through the IRS's online account, which the IRS says gives access to "federal tax information that must be protected from unauthorized disclosure under IRC 6103."

If a tax professional is calling for you

The IRS telephone assistance page sends tax professionals who have a valid third-party authorization to the Practitioner Priority Service rather than the business line. For transcripts, the IRS says third parties with authorization to receive entity information use Form 2848 or Form 8821, entering "Business entity transcript" or "Entity information" on line 3.

How the letter arrives

The IRS's internal procedures manual tells phone representatives to fax Letter 147C if you ask for a faxed copy and to mail it to the address the IRS has on file, and to tell callers to expect a mailed letter in 10 to 14 business days. A letter is generally not mailed if the EIN was assigned, or a 147C was mailed, within the last 30 days. If you need it quickly, ask for a fax. The same manual tells representatives not to fax or mail Letter 147C to a third-party designee named on the EIN application.

The faster alternative: a digital CP575 in Business Tax Account

The IRS added a self-service option. Its Business Tax Account page says: "You can now download your employer identification number (EIN) verification notice from your account. The new CP575 notice is a substitute for the CP575A-J notice series and Letter 147C."

The IRS's CP575 page says the digital CP575 is "available only through Business Tax Account," and answers the question most people have:

"Is the digital CP575 the equivalent of Letter 147C, EIN Previously Assigned? Yes. The digital CP575 is accepted by banks and other institutions as written confirmation of an entity's EIN."

After you sign in, the notice is under Tax Records.

Who can use Business Tax Account

Access depends on the type of business and your role in it. Per the IRS:

• Sole proprietors can register if they have an SSN or ITIN, also have an EIN, and file Schedule C or Schedule F (Form 1040).
• LLCs that file as sole proprietors on Schedule C or Schedule F cannot use it yet. The IRS says Business Tax Account "isn't yet available" for them.
• Single-member LLCs that file Form 1120-S or Form 1065: individual shareholders or partners can get limited access (transcripts), but the IRS lists the Designated Official role, which carries the EIN verification notice, as coming soon. Until then, use Letter 147C or an entity transcript.
• Partnerships filing Form 1065: full access goes to a Designated Official, who must be a general partner or a managing partner of the LLC.
• S corporations and C corporations: a Designated Official must be an officer or managing member, a current employee who received a W-2 for the most recent tax filing year, and authorized to legally bind the business.
• Tax-exempt organizations, government entities and Indian tribal governments each have their own Designated Official roles.

A Designated Official must renew the role every year, during a 6-week renewal window the account flags. The IRS also says its customer service representatives "can't access your Business Tax Account," so a phone agent cannot download the digital CP575 for you.

The other alternative: an entity transcript

An entity transcript "verifies information in IRS records such as employer identification number (EIN), filing requirements and if the business is a single-member or multiple-member limited liability company (LLC)." The IRS offers business transcripts at no cost.

There are two versions. The modified business entity transcript shows the EIN, current name, address and name control. The complete version adds the location address, IRS establishment date and filing requirements. The IRS says eligible business owners can get either through Business Tax Account or the IRS business line.

One quirk: the IRS says the only personally identifiable information hidden on an entity transcript is "a sole proprietor's taxpayer identification number (TIN) and the parent entity's employer identification number (EIN)." The IRS lists the transcript as a way to confirm an EIN, but the pages we checked describe bank acceptance only for the digital CP575, so ask the bank before ordering a transcript for it.

Comparing the three options

If you don't know the EIN at all

A 147C confirms a number; it is not the only way to find one. The IRS suggests checking the original notice, past business tax returns, your bank and the agencies that issued your licenses before calling. Our EIN lookup tool walks through where an EIN is printed for your situation, and our EIN guide covers how EINs work from application to deactivation.

General information, not tax or legal advice

This page describes IRS procedures as published on irs.gov and verified on October 25, 2026. Phone hours, Business Tax Account eligibility and the digital CP575 rollout can change, so check the linked IRS pages before you rely on them. For advice on your own situation, talk to a CPA, enrolled agent or attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a 147C letter?

Letter 147C, EIN Previously Assigned, is an IRS letter that confirms the employer identification number the IRS already assigned to a business. You request it by calling the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line.

How do I get a 147C letter from the IRS?

Call 800-829-4933, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time (Alaska and Hawaii follow Pacific time). The IRS says it verifies your identity and provides the number by phone only if you are authorized to receive it.

Can I get an EIN verification letter online?

Yes, if you are an eligible Business Tax Account user. You can download a digital CP575, Employer Identification Number Verification Notice, under Tax Records. The IRS says it can be used as a substitute for Letter 147C. LLCs that file as sole proprietors on Schedule C or F cannot use Business Tax Account yet.

Will my bank accept the digital CP575 instead of a 147C?

The IRS says the digital CP575 is accepted by banks and other institutions as written confirmation of an entity's EIN and is the equivalent of Letter 147C. If a particular bank asks for something else, ask it which IRS document it needs.

Is a 147C letter the same as a CP 575?

No. The original CP575A-J notice is what the IRS issues when it first assigns an EIN, and the IRS says it cannot be duplicated or recreated. Letter 147C confirms an EIN that was previously assigned. The newer digital CP575 in Business Tax Account can substitute for either.

Does a 147C letter cost anything?

The IRS pages describing Letter 147C do not mention any fee; you request it with a phone call to the IRS. The IRS separately says business transcripts, including the entity transcript, are offered at no cost.