When you lose your original Employer Identification Number confirmation letter or never received one, you need official proof of your business tax ID. IRS Letter 147c solves this problem. This document, formally called the EIN Verification Letter, provides the same official confirmation as your original CP 575 letter from the Internal Revenue Service. Business owners, HR professionals, and financial teams use Letter 147c to verify their company's tax identification number when opening bank accounts, applying for business loans, setting up payroll systems, or completing vendor agreements.
Understanding IRS Letter 147c matters because you will need official EIN verification throughout your business operations. Banks refuse to open accounts without proper documentation. Lenders require proof before approving credit applications. Payroll providers demand verification before processing employee payments. According to compliance experts at the Society for Human Resource Management, proper tax documentation forms the foundation of compliant HR operations. Without Letter 147c when you need it, business activities grind to a halt while you wait for verification.
The letter contains critical information including your business legal name, complete nine-digit EIN, business address, and IRS confirmation that your number remains active. This official documentation carries the same weight as your original confirmation letter. Financial institutions, government agencies, and business partners all accept Letter 147c as valid proof of your federal tax identification.
Letter 147c contains specific elements that verify your business identity and tax status with the Internal Revenue Service. Each component serves a distinct purpose in validating your organization's legitimacy.
Business legal name appears exactly as registered with the IRS, matching your official formation documents and tax filings
Nine-digit Employer Identification Number displays in the standard XX-XXXXXXX format that identifies your business for all federal tax purposes
Business address shows the current mailing location on file with the IRS for official correspondence and tax documents
IRS verification statement confirms your EIN remains active and valid for conducting business operations
Letter date and reference numbers provide tracking information for IRS records and help verify the document's authenticity
Business structure information may include details about your entity type, such as corporation, partnership, or limited liability company
Modern employee onboarding systems require accurate EIN documentation to process new hire paperwork correctly. Letter 147c provides the official verification these systems need to connect employee records with proper tax identification.
Understanding the differences between these two IRS documents helps you know which one you have and what actions you need to take when either goes missing.
|
Feature |
CP 575 Confirmation Letter |
Letter 147c Verification |
Business Impact |
|
When Issued |
Automatically after EIN application approval |
Only upon specific request by authorized person |
CP 575 arrives without asking, 147c requires action |
|
Delivery Method |
Mail only to application address |
Fax immediately or mail in 4 to 6 weeks |
147c offers faster fax option for urgent needs |
|
Purpose |
Initial confirmation of new EIN assignment |
Verification of existing EIN already assigned |
Both serve as official proof for third parties |
|
Content |
EIN, legal name, address, assignment date |
EIN, legal name, address, active status confirmation |
Essentially identical information for verification |
|
Requesting |
Cannot request, issued automatically once |
Call IRS Business Tax Line at 1-800-829-4933 |
Lost CP 575 requires calling for 147c replacement |
|
Authorization |
Not applicable, sent to applicant |
Only authorized persons can request |
Business owner or designated representative must call |
Banks, lenders, and vendors accept both documents equally for EIN verification purposes. Your new hire paperwork processes work smoothly with either letter as long as the information matches your current business records.
Effective management of your EIN verification documentation prevents delays in critical business operations and ensures you can prove your tax identification whenever needed.
Request Letter 147c immediately when you discover your original CP 575 is missing. Waiting until a bank or vendor demands verification creates unnecessary stress and delays important transactions. Call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 1-800-829-4933 between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM in your local time zone. The representative will verify your identity through security questions before issuing the letter.
Choose fax delivery when the IRS agent offers the option. Fax arrives immediately during your phone call, while mail delivery takes four to six weeks. If you lack fax capability, many online services provide temporary fax numbers that forward documents to your email. This speeds up urgent situations where banks or lenders need verification quickly.
Store multiple copies of Letter 147c in different secure locations. Keep one digital copy in your encrypted cloud storage, one physical copy in your office filing system, and one backup at your accountant's office. This redundancy ensures you always have access when vendors or financial institutions request verification without warning.
Update your responsible party information with the IRS whenever ownership changes hands. The responsible party is the person authorized to request Letter 147c on behalf of your business. Outdated information prevents new owners from obtaining verification and can derail important business transactions during ownership transitions.
Integrate your EIN documentation into your onboarding compliance systems from the start. Your payroll provider needs Letter 147c before processing the first paycheck. Your benefits administrator requires verification before enrolling employees. Having the document ready prevents delays that frustrate new hires and create administrative headaches.
Verify your EIN matches across all business documents before submitting Letter 147c to third parties. Check that your bank applications, vendor forms, and tax filings all use the same nine-digit number. Discrepancies raise red flags and can delay account openings or credit approvals while institutions investigate the mismatch.
Many business owners make preventable errors when requesting or using their EIN verification letter. Understanding these pitfalls helps you avoid delays and complications.
Calling the IRS during peak hours wastes valuable time. Monday mornings and lunch hours generate the longest hold times. Call between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM or between 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM for shorter wait times. Avoid Mondays entirely, as they represent the busiest day of the week for IRS phone lines.
Unauthorized individuals requesting Letter 147c face immediate rejection. Only the business owner, corporate officers, partnership members, trust trustees, or estate executors can obtain the letter. If you need someone else to request it, file IRS Form 2848 for Power of Attorney or Form 8821 for tax information authorization before making the call.
Providing incomplete or incorrect information during the IRS security verification stops the request cold. The representative will ask for your business legal name exactly as it appears on IRS records, your complete EIN, your business address, and the responsible party's name. Have all documents ready before calling to avoid fumbling through files during the verification process.
Failing to update your business address with the IRS creates serious problems. When you request Letter 147c by mail instead of fax, the IRS sends it to the address in their system. If your company moved without notifying the IRS, the letter arrives at your old location. Update your address using Form 8822-B before requesting mail delivery.
Confusing Letter 147c with a new EIN application causes unnecessary complications. Letter 147c only verifies an existing number. If you genuinely need a new EIN because of business structure changes or entity formation, complete Form SS-4 instead. According to resources on understanding federal tax identification, requesting the wrong document delays your business operations.
Accepting photocopies or unofficial documents from previous owners during business acquisitions creates liability. Always request a fresh Letter 147c directly from the IRS after purchasing an existing business. This confirms the EIN remains active and prevents fraud or identity theft issues that could surface later.
Different sectors rely on EIN verification in specific ways that reflect their unique compliance requirements and operational needs. Understanding these applications helps you anticipate when you will need Letter 147c.
Healthcare organizations face particularly strict identification requirements. Hospitals, medical practices, and clinics need Letter 147c when enrolling with insurance networks, applying for Medicare and Medicaid provider numbers, and establishing relationships with medical suppliers. Healthcare mergers and acquisitions require fresh verification as ownership structures change. Administrators also need the letter when setting up payroll systems for medical staff and processing essential onboarding documents for new clinical employees.
Construction and contracting businesses use Letter 147c frequently when bidding on commercial projects and government contracts. General contractors must provide EIN verification to bonding companies before obtaining surety bonds. Subcontractors submit the letter when establishing accounts with equipment rental companies and building material suppliers. State licensing boards often require fresh verification when renewing contractor licenses or adding new business classifications.
Technology startups and software companies need Letter 147c when raising venture capital funding or applying for business credit lines. Payment processors like Stripe and PayPal require verification before activating merchant accounts that allow companies to accept customer payments. Cloud service providers demand the letter when setting up enterprise accounts with significant spending limits. Tech companies also present Letter 147c during due diligence processes when potential acquirers investigate the business.
Obtaining your EIN verification letter follows a straightforward sequence that takes between 15 minutes and six weeks depending on your delivery method preference.
First, gather all required information before calling the IRS. Locate your current business legal name exactly as it appears on formation documents. Find your nine-digit EIN from previous tax returns, bank statements, or any documents showing your federal tax ID. Confirm your current business address. Identify the responsible party name and their Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. Having this information ready prevents delays during the verification process.
Next, call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 1-800-829-4933 during operating hours of 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM local time, Monday through Friday. When the automated system answers, press 1 for English service. Press 1 again for general business tax questions. Press 3 when asked about already having an EIN but needing verification. This routing connects you with representatives trained to issue Letter 147c.
Then, complete the security verification when the IRS representative answers. They will ask for your business legal name, EIN, business address, and responsible party information. Answer all questions accurately using the exact information in IRS records. Any discrepancies will halt the request until you can provide correct details or update your business information through proper channels.
After successful verification, choose your delivery method. If you select fax, provide your fax number and the IRS will transmit Letter 147c immediately during the call. The entire process from connection to delivery takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes. If you choose mail delivery, the IRS sends the letter to your registered business address within four to six weeks. Plan accordingly if you need verification for time-sensitive transactions.
Finally, verify the received letter contains accurate information. Check that your business legal name, EIN, and address all match your current records. Confirm the letter displays the official IRS header and includes proper reference numbers. Make multiple copies immediately and store them securely in different locations for future use.
The landscape of EIN verification and tax documentation continues evolving as technology advances and regulatory requirements shift. Understanding emerging trends helps you prepare for changes in how businesses prove their tax identification.
Digital verification systems will increasingly replace paper letters for routine business transactions. The IRS is exploring electronic verification portals that let authorized third parties confirm EIN information instantly without requiring businesses to provide physical documents. Banks and lenders participating in pilot programs already access real-time EIN validation for account opening and loan applications. This reduces fraud while speeding up verification processes from weeks to seconds.
Blockchain technology may soon create immutable records of business tax identification. Some states experiment with distributed ledger systems that store formation documents and EIN assignments in tamper-proof databases. These systems would let businesses generate verification certificates on demand without calling the IRS or waiting for mail delivery. The technology also helps prevent identity theft by creating permanent audit trails of who accessed verification information.
Automated compliance checking will integrate EIN verification directly into business software platforms. Modern payroll systems, accounting packages, and HR management tools increasingly validate tax identification numbers automatically during setup. This prevents errors before they create compliance problems and reduces the administrative burden on HR teams managing new hire documentation.
Enhanced security measures will make requesting Letter 147c more rigorous as identity theft concerns grow. The IRS continues strengthening verification procedures to prevent unauthorized access to business tax information. Future requests may require multi-factor authentication, biometric verification, or digital identity certificates from authorized representatives. While these changes increase security, they also require businesses to maintain better records of authorized personnel.
Preparing for these changes means investing in flexible business systems that adapt quickly to new verification methods. Maintain current digital records of all tax documentation. Train your team on proper EIN management procedures. Build relationships with financial institutions and vendors that embrace modern verification technologies. Organizations that stay ahead of these trends will navigate compliance requirements more smoothly while spending less time on administrative tasks.