There is no online form to request an IRS 147C letter. To get the letter itself, you have to call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933 and ask a representative to fax or mail it. The one genuinely online alternative is an Entity transcript, which you can view and download through the IRS Business Tax Account and which confirms most of the same details the 147C shows.
The Online Option That Does Exist: Entity Transcripts
If what you actually need is IRS confirmation of your EIN, business name, address, and filing requirements, you can pull an Entity transcript online right now. The transcript also indicates whether an LLC is single-member or multiple-member, and for tax-exempt organizations it shows exempt status and group exemption details.1Internal Revenue Service. Get a Business Tax Transcript
Access runs through the IRS Business Tax Account at IRS.gov/businessaccount. Sole proprietors, partnerships, S corporations, and C corporations can all view transcripts, but the designated official for the business must have full access.2Internal Revenue Service. Business Tax Account Once you’re in, you can print or download the document immediately.
Whether a bank or licensing agency will accept an Entity transcript instead of a 147C depends on the institution. Many will, at least as a temporary measure. Call the third party first and ask. If they insist on the actual 147C letter, you’ll need the phone route.
If you’d rather not use the online account, you can also request an Entity transcript by mail using Form 4506-T or by calling the Business and Specialty Tax Line.1Internal Revenue Service. Get a Business Tax Transcript
How to Request the 147C by Phone
Call 800-829-4933. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. your local time. Businesses in Alaska and Hawaii follow Pacific time.3Internal Revenue Service. Telephone Assistance Contacts for Business Customers
Work through the automated prompts until you reach a live agent. Before they process anything, they’ll verify:
- Your business legal name, exactly as it appears on your EIN application or most recent IRS filing.
- The business mailing address currently on file with the IRS.
- The nine-digit EIN itself.
- Your full name, title, and Social Security Number or ITIN as the authorized officer, partner, or owner.
- A brief reason for the request, such as opening a bank account or replacing a lost CP 575.
Once the agent confirms your identity and authority, they’ll process the 147C. This is where you make the choice that decides how long you wait.
Fax or Mail: Pick Fax
Ask for fax delivery. The representative can send the letter during the call itself, so have a working fax number ready before you dial. This is the closest thing to receiving the 147C instantly, and many office supply stores and online fax services can give you a number if you don’t have one.
Mail delivery goes to the address on file and takes about four to six weeks. The IRS does not offer expedited shipping or email delivery. If you need the letter sent to a different address, tell the representative during the call.
Update Your Records Before You Call
The 147C shows whatever the IRS currently has on file. If your name or address has changed since you got the EIN, fix that first, or the letter will show outdated information a bank may reject.
For an address change, file Form 8822-B (Change of Address or Responsible Party — Business). Processing generally takes four to six weeks.4Internal Revenue Service. Form 8822-B Change of Address or Responsible Party — Business
For a name change, corporations and partnerships can check the name-change box on their current-year return (Form 1120 or Form 1065). If the return is already filed, send a signed written notification to the IRS address where you filed. Sole proprietors send a written notification signed by the owner.5Internal Revenue Service. Business Name Change
Having Someone Else Call for You
The IRS will not discuss your account with anyone who isn’t authorized. If you want a CPA, attorney, or other representative to request the letter, file the authorization first.
Form 2848 (Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative) lets a designated individual act on your behalf with the IRS, including receiving confidential tax information.6Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 2848 Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative If your representative only needs to receive information rather than take action, Form 8821 (Tax Information Authorization) is the narrower option.7Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8821, Tax Information Authorization
Either form has to be on file before the representative calls, and processing takes a few weeks, so submit early. Your representative will need the same verification details listed above.
If Your Business Is Outside the United States
International businesses can’t use the toll-free number. Call the IRS International Taxpayer Service Call Center at 267-941-1000, which is not toll-free. Hours are Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern time.8Internal Revenue Service. Contact My Local Office Internationally The verification questions are the same.
If the Mailed Letter Doesn’t Arrive
If you asked for mail delivery and nothing has arrived after six weeks, call 800-829-4933 again. Confirm the address on file, reference the date of your first request, and this time ask for a fax.3Internal Revenue Service. Telephone Assistance Contacts for Business Customers Before you sit on hold again, check whether the party asking for the 147C would accept an Entity transcript instead; pulling one online takes minutes.1Internal Revenue Service. Get a Business Tax Transcript