The EIN and IRS forms · A term for founders abroad
What is a 147C letter?
The IRS's confirmation of an existing EIN, issued on request by fax or post, and the usual replacement when the original CP 575 is lost.
Checked against the IRS's instructions and the states' own rules. Reviewed by Saais Patel, compliance reviewer.
Term 1 of 105 in the glossary, filed under 0–9.IRS: instructions for Form SS-4
147C letter, for a founder abroad.
A 147C letter is the IRS's confirmation of an existing EIN, issued on request. It shows the company's name, address and EIN, and it's accepted almost everywhere the original CP 575 is. It doesn't change or replace the number.
How to ask for one
- Call the IRS: the Business and Specialty Tax Line, 800-829-4933, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time inside the US, or the international line, 267-941-1099, from abroad.
- Be someone who can ask: the responsible party, or a person authorised on Form 2848 or 8821. Expect identity questions about the company.
- Have a fax number ready: the IRS can fax the letter during the call. Otherwise it's posted, which is slow abroad.
CP 575 and 147C letters compared says which of the two a bank accepts as proof of your EIN.
Sources: IRS: instructions for Form SS-4.
Read next · guide · 2 minCP 575 and 147C: the two letters that prove your EIN, and how to get the second oneWhat founders ask next.
- What's the difference between a CP 575 and a 147C letter?
- The CP 575 is the original notice, posted once when the EIN is assigned. The 147C is a confirmation the IRS issues on request, any time later. Both prove the EIN.
- Can I request a 147C letter online?
- No. It's requested by phone, by the responsible party or someone authorised on Form 2848 or 8821.
- Will a bank accept a 147C letter?
- Almost always. Banks, payment processors and marketplaces treat it as proof of the EIN, the same as a CP 575.
03 · See also
- The EIN and IRS formsCP 575 letterThe IRS notice confirming a newly assigned EIN, posted once to the address on the application; the document banks usually ask to see.Read the term
- The EIN and IRS formsEINThe nine-digit tax number the IRS assigns to a business, and the first thing every US bank, payment processor and marketplace asks for.Read the term
- The EIN and IRS formsSSNThe US personal tax and benefits number for citizens and people authorised to work; not something a founder abroad has or needs to own a US company.Read the term
- The EIN and IRS formsITINA personal US tax number for people who must file a US return but can't get an SSN; not needed to form a company or to get its EIN.Read the term
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