Lost Your EIN Letter? How to Get an EIN Verification Letter

You are opening a bank account or verifying a Stripe account, and they ask for your EIN letter. You remember receiving it, but not where it went. This happens to a lot of company owners, and the fix is straightforward, as long as you avoid one big mistake.

What is the EIN letter?

When the IRS assigns an EIN, it issues a confirmation notice, commonly called the CP 575. It shows your company's legal name, its EIN and the address on file. The IRS issues this original notice only once.

Banks, fintechs, payment processors and marketplaces ask for it because it is an official IRS document proving that your company name and EIN belong together.

The replacement: a 147C verification letter

If the original is lost, the IRS can issue an EIN verification letter, known as a 147C. It confirms the same essential information: the company's legal name and EIN. Most banks and platforms accept it in place of the CP 575.

Key points:

• It can only be issued to the company itself, through an authorised person such as the owner, an officer, or someone the owner has authorised to deal with the IRS on the company's behalf.
• It is sent to the address the IRS has on file for the company, or by fax to the authorised person.
• If the IRS record is out of date, the letter may go to an old address. Update the record first.

The mistake to avoid: applying for a new EIN

It is tempting to simply apply for an EIN again. Do not. A second application for the same company can produce a second EIN, which creates real problems:

• your bank account, payment platforms and tax filings end up under different numbers,
• the IRS may send notices for missing returns under one of them, and
• untangling duplicates takes time and correspondence.

A company should have one EIN for life, unless its structure changes fundamentally.

Do you even need the letter?

Sometimes you only need the number, not the letter. You can find your EIN on:

• your company's previous federal tax returns,
• bank account opening documents or statements,
• payment platform settings,
• correspondence from the IRS, or
• documents from the provider who obtained the EIN for you.

If the bank or platform specifically wants an IRS letter, the 147C is the answer.

Name or address changed?

If your company's name or address has changed since the EIN was issued, the IRS record may not match your current documents. A mismatch between the 147C and your company documents can cause a bank or platform to reject it. Update the IRS record first, then request the letter. We can help with both.

How long does it take?

When requested by fax, a 147C can often be obtained the same day or within a few days. By post it takes longer, and international mail adds more time. If you have a bank application waiting, ask us to handle it so it reaches the right person quickly.

If UCB obtained your EIN

If we formed your company or obtained your EIN, we keep a copy of your EIN confirmation. Ask us and we will send it again.

How UCB helps

• We request the 147C verification letter for your company as your authorised representative.
• We check that the IRS record (name and address) matches your company documents, and update it if needed.
• If your company does not have an EIN yet, our EIN service obtains one for $49.

Read more in our EIN guide for non-residents and the EIN responsible party explained.

Lost your EIN letter? WhatsApp us at +91 8105 199 399 or email info@ucbsolutions.com and we will get you a verification letter.