IRS Letter 147C: Get Your EIN Verification Letter

Most foreign LLC owners meet Letter 147Cthe same way: a bank, Stripe, or a payroll provider asks them to “verify your EIN with an official IRS letter,” and the original confirmation is nowhere to be found — or was never sent to them in the first place, because a formation company applied on their behalf.

Letter 147C is the IRS’s answer to that request. It is free, it can arrive in minutes, and it is genuinely one of the easier things on this site to obtain. The obstacle is that it cannot be requested online— you have to make a phone call.

What Letter 147C Actually Is

Letter 147C is an EIN Verification Letter: an official IRS document confirming that a specific EIN is assigned to a specific legal entity name. It is the IRS restating, on its own letterhead, what it already has on file.

That distinction matters because of what it is replacing:

That second row is the whole reason this letter exists. Once the CP 575 is gone, it is gone. Letter 147C is not a lesser document or a workaround — it is the official, permanent answer, and every bank and processor that asks for “EIN verification” accepts it.

Who Asks for It, and Why

Common triggers for a non-resident LLC owner:

• Opening a US business bank account— Mercury, Relay, and traditional banks all verify the EIN against the legal entity name. See opening a US bank account as a non-resident.
• Payment processor onboarding or review — Stripe and PayPal may request it, particularly if the name on the account does not exactly match IRS records.
• A name mismatch anywhere.If your bank has “Acme LLC” and the IRS has “Acme Holdings, LLC,” the 147C is what resolves the discrepancy.
• A new accountant or filing service confirming your EIN before preparing a return.

How to Request It

Step 1 — Call the right number

The toll-free domestic line generally will not connect from abroad, which is why the international line exists. Calling early in the window usually means shorter hold times.

Step 2 — Pass identity verification

You must be someone authorized to receive the entity’s tax information — the responsible party on record, an owner, or an officer. Have this ready before you dial:

• The LLC’s exact legal name as registered
• The EIN, if you have it (you can still proceed without it)
• The business address the IRS has on file
• Your own name and role in the entity
• Your formation state and approximate formation date

Step 3 — Choose fax, not mail

You cannot request the letter by fax, but the IRS can send it by fax. When the agent asks how you want it:

Stay on the line until the fax arrives and you have confirmed it is readable. It is far easier to have the agent resend immediately than to call back and re-verify from scratch.

Practical Notes for Non-Resident Callers

• It is free. The IRS charges nothing for Letter 147C. Any service charging you a fee is charging for the phone call, not the letter.
• Budget for the call itself. 267-941-1099 is not toll-free, and hold times can be long. A VoIP service with cheap US calling is worth setting up first.
• Mind the time zone.The international line runs on Eastern Time, which is an awkward window from Asia and Oceania — the late-evening ET slot is often early morning locally.
• Save it properly. Once it arrives, store the PDF with your permanent LLC records. You can request another, but not having to is better.

Key Takeaways

• Letter 147C is the IRS’s official EIN verification letter— the accepted substitute for a lost CP 575, which is never reissued.
• It must be requested by phone. From abroad, call 267-941-1099.
• Always choose fax delivery— minutes instead of weeks.
• It costs nothing.
• Failing identity verification usually means the IRS has the wrong responsible party on file — fix that with Form 8822-B.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a 147C letter?

Letter 147C is an EIN Verification Letter— an official IRS document confirming that a specific EIN belongs to a specific business name. Banks, payment processors, and payroll providers request it when they need third-party proof of your EIN. It serves the same verification purpose as the original CP 575 confirmation notice, which the IRS issues only once and never reissues.

Can I request a 147C letter online or by fax?

No. The request itself has to be made by phone (or by mail, which is far slower). There is no online portal and no fax-in request form. What canbe faxed is the IRS’s reply — when you call, the agent can send the completed letter to a fax number while you are still on the line.

How do I request a 147C letter from outside the US?

Call the IRS international line at 267-941-1099, open Monday to Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern. It is not a toll-free number, so expect international call charges. The domestic Business and Specialty Tax line (1-800-829-4933) generally cannot be reached from outside the US.

How fast does a 147C letter arrive?

By fax, often within minutes— frequently before the call ends. By mail, typically four to six weeks, and longer to an international address. If a bank or processor has given you a deadline, always take the fax option.

Who is allowed to request a 147C letter?

Only someone authorized to receive the entity’s tax information — typically the responsible party listed on the EIN record, an owner, or an officer. The agent will ask identity-verification questions about the entity. If the IRS still has a formation company’s employee listed as the responsible party, you may not pass verification, which is a signal to file Form 8822-B.

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

They serve the same verification purpose but are not the same document. The CP 575 is the original notice issued once when your EIN is first assigned, and the IRS does not issue duplicates of it. Letter 147C is the official replacement you request when the CP 575 is lost, and third parties accept it in place of the original.