EIN Confirmation Letter

Your new company has been formed, the Federal Tax ID Number (also known as an Employer Identification Number or EIN) has been obtained and everything seems to be in place, until your bank asks for confirmation of the EIN issued by the IRS. Now what?

IRS Form CP 575

The IRS sends out an EIN confirmation letter for every EIN application it processes. This EIN confirmation letter is called CP 575, and the IRS only mails the letter to the mailing address listed on line 4 of the SS-4 application. Unfortunately, you cannot get a copy of the IRS EIN confirmation letter online. The IRS will not email or fax the letter, they will send it via mail within eight to ten weeks of issuing your company a Federal Tax ID Number.

What to Do if You Need the Letter Immediately?

Sometimes your bank or a vendor may request to see the official IRS EIN confirmation letter. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for people to misplace the letter; in addition, it seems as if many international business owners never receive the EIN confirmation letter—it appears to get lost in transit.

If either of these scenarios happens to you, don’t worry—there is a solution if you don’t have possession of the IRS EIN letter. You can contact the IRS directly and request a replacement confirmation letter called a 147C letter.

Start by calling the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line toll free at 1-800-829-4933 (or if you are calling outside the United States at 267-941-1099) between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM EST. Press 1, Press 1 again, then Press 3. When you reach them, request a 147C letter. The IRS representative is going to ask you:

• Verification identity questions
• They will ask if you can receive documents via fax. You have to say "Yes"
• Are you near the fax machine - "Yes" (Don't mention that you are using an e-fax)

Provide them with your fax number. If you do not have one and Harvard Business Services, Inc. obtained the EIN number on behalf of your company, feel free to request that the 147C letter be faxed to us at (302) 645-1280. Once the fax has been received, we will email the IRS EIN letter to you as a courtesy.

If you have any questions about obtaining an EIN for your Delaware company or requesting a 147C letter from the IRS, feel free to contact us with your questions at 320-645-7400 x6910 or email us at filings@delawareinc.com . 

Next: What Is an EIN Responsible Party?