IRS letter help

Getting a 147C letter

You need proof of your business's EIN, and the original IRS notice is gone.

Letter 147C confirms your EIN, and you request it by calling the IRS at 800-829-4933.

Follow the call steps, and give your details only on a call you placed yourself.

Go to the steps Check if it is real

Which numbers matter?

800-829-4933

This is the Business and Specialty Tax Line that sends Letter 147C to your business.

Dial it yourself, and never use a number from an unexpected email or text.

800-829-4059

This TTY line reaches the same business line if you are deaf or hard of hearing.

Use this TTY number if you need TTY to request your letter.

What changed recently?

Since August 6, 2026, designated officials can download a digital EIN verification notice in Business Tax Account. Banks and financial institutions accept it instead of Letter 147C.

Source: Business Tax Account digital notices (IR-2026-87, August 6, 2026).

What is it?

Its full name is Letter 147C, EIN Previously Assigned. Banks and lenders ask for it when you open an account or apply for credit and cannot find the original EIN notice. The IRS EIN page explains it.

How do I request it by phone?

Call 800-829-4933. The IRS verifies who you are and gives the number by phone if you are authorized to get it. Ask for the letter too. Have the business name, address, and your role ready.

Say: I am calling to request Letter 147C, EIN previously assigned.
Say: The business is (name), at (address). I am the owner, a partner or an officer.
Say: Please fax the letter to my number, or mail it to the address on file.

Henrietta, who runs a two-person bakery, made this call before a loan meeting and read the script straight off her phone.

Is there a faster way?

If you use the IRS Business Tax Account, you can download a digital CP575 there. The IRS says it can stand in for both the original notice and Letter 147C, and banks accept it.

Can I use my CP575 instead?

The original CP575A to J notices cannot be copied or recreated. The digital CP575 is the replacement. See our CP575 page.

What should you read next?

Questions people ask

How do I get a 147C letter?

Call 800-829-4933, Monday to Friday, from 7 in the morning to 7 at night, local time. Ask for Letter 147C.

Can I get a 147C letter online?

Not the letter itself, but the digital CP575 in Business Tax Account is accepted in its place.

Is a CP575 the same as a 147C letter?

The IRS says the digital CP575 is the equivalent of Letter 147C and banks accept it.

Who can request a 147C letter?

Someone authorized for the business, such as the owner or an officer. The IRS verifies your identity on the call.

Sources

Employer identification number. Published by irs.gov.
Understanding your CP575 notice. Published by irs.gov.
Business Tax Account digital notices (IR-2026-87, August 6, 2026). Published by irs.gov.

Last checked October 2026

What to do now

Call the Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933 from your own phone.
Ask for Letter 147C, EIN Previously Assigned, and give the business name and address.
Answer the identity questions, and state your role as owner, partner or officer.
Ask the IRS to send the letter by fax or mail it to the address on file.

Still not sure the letter is real? Call the IRS at 800-829-1040 and use that number, not one printed on the letter you doubt.