A CP 575 G notice is the letter the IRS sends to confirm that your business has been assigned an Employer Identification Number. It contains the nine-digit EIN, your entity’s legal name and address as filed, the effective date of assignment, and the entity type. The IRS issues exactly one original per EIN, and applying for the number through the IRS is always free.
What the Letter Contains
The CP 575 G is a short, structured document. At the top is the newly assigned EIN, formatted as XX-XXXXXXX. Below that sits the full legal name of the entity exactly as entered on Line 1 of Form SS-4, along with the mailing address you provided on the application.1Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4 (Rev. December 2025) Future IRS correspondence goes to that address unless you update it.
The notice also lists the effective date of the EIN assignment, the entity type (LLC, corporation, partnership, and so on), and the reason you gave for requesting the number, such as “started a new business” or “hired employees.” The IRS uses these fields to route your account to the right filing requirements. If the entity type is wrong, you could end up assigned to the wrong tax return form.
How You Receive It
When the notice arrives depends on how you applied. If your business has a U.S. address and you applied online at IRS.gov, the EIN comes back immediately at the end of the session and you can view, print, and save the assignment notice right then. The IRS still mails the formal CP 575 G afterward, but the online confirmation carries the same information.2Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4 (Rev. December 2025)
Faxing Form SS-4 typically returns the EIN by fax within about four business days. Mailing the form is the slowest route, and the IRS advises applying at least four to five weeks before you need the number. Phone applications are limited to international applicants with no U.S. address.2Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form SS-4 (Rev. December 2025)
One warning worth repeating: the IRS never charges a fee for an EIN. If a website asks for payment to process your application, it’s either a middleman marking up a free service or a scam.3Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number
Check the Notice for Errors Right Away
The moment your CP 575 G arrives, compare every field against your original Form SS-4. Look at the legal name character by character. A misspelling or missing word here will cause tax return rejections down the road. Check the entity type, the address, and the effective date. Problems are cheapest to fix now. Waiting until you’ve filed a return with incorrect information creates a record mismatch that gets progressively harder to untangle.
If you find an error in the legal name or entity type, call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933.4Internal Revenue Service. Telephone Assistance Contacts for Business Customers The caller must be either a principal officer listed on the application or an authorized representative. If you’re using a third party such as an accountant, the IRS will want a completed Form 2848 (Power of Attorney) or Form 8821 (Tax Information Authorization) on file before discussing the account.
Have your original Form SS-4 handy during the call. The agent will verify your identity, walk through the correction, and initiate a new CP 575 G reflecting the corrected information. Turnaround varies from a few weeks to several months depending on complexity and IRS processing volume. Until the corrected notice arrives, hold off on opening bank accounts or filing returns. Proceeding with mismatched information is the single most common way businesses end up with IRS account problems in their first year.
Why Third Parties Ask for It
Banks, state agencies, and business partners treat the CP 575 G as the definitive proof that your EIN is real and was legitimately assigned by the IRS. A verbal confirmation or a screenshot of the online application won’t satisfy most of them.
Commercial banks typically require a copy before they’ll open a business checking or savings account. State revenue departments ask for it when you register for sales tax permits, withholding accounts, or unemployment insurance. Lenders reviewing a commercial loan application will want to see it to verify the business’s federal tax identity. Your EIN also goes on every federal payroll and information return the business files, including Form 941 for quarterly payroll taxes5Internal Revenue Service. About Form 941, Employers Quarterly Federal Tax Return and Form 1099-NEC when you pay a contractor $600 or more in a year.6Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 941 (Rev. March 2026)
Because the IRS only issues one original, losing it creates friction every time a third party asks for proof.
Keep It Permanently, and What to Do If You Lose It
The CP 575 G isn’t a document you file once and forget. Keep the original, or a high-quality scan, permanently. Most business records fall under retention rules of three to seven years,7Internal Revenue Service. How Long Should I Keep Records but the EIN is permanent, and banks or government agencies can ask for proof of assignment at any point during the business’s existence. Store the notice in a fireproof safe or a secure digital backup.
If the original is lost, the IRS will not send a duplicate. What you can get instead is Letter 147C, an EIN verification letter that serves the same practical purpose by confirming your assigned number, legal name, and address.8Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number
The fastest way to get a 147C is by phone. Call the Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933, available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time, and ask for the letter. After verifying your identity, the agent can fax it to you during the call. You can also request it by mail, but expect four to six weeks.8Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number
If you don’t know the EIN itself, check old tax returns, ask your bank, or look at state license applications where you previously provided the number. You can also request an entity transcript from the IRS.8Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number
If You Received a CP 575 G You Didn’t Request
Getting a CP 575 G in the mail for an EIN you never applied for can be a sign of identity theft, but not always. Before reporting fraud, check whether a spouse, business partner, accountant, or bank requested the number on your behalf for a legitimate purpose such as setting up a trust or estate.9Internal Revenue Service. If You Received an EIN You Didn’t Request
If you rule out a legitimate explanation, report the identity theft by submitting Form 14039-B (Business Identity Theft Affidavit). You can submit the form online through an ID.me account, fax it to 855-807-5720, or mail it to Internal Revenue Service, Ogden, UT 84201. If you already received a separate IRS letter about the fraudulent EIN, use the address or fax number on that letter instead.9Internal Revenue Service. If You Received an EIN You Didn’t Request Don’t ignore an unexpected notice. Someone may be using your identity to open accounts or file returns in a fictitious business name.
Updating an Address or Responsible Party Later
If the mailing address on your CP 575 G was correct when filed but has since changed, you don’t need to request a corrected notice. File Form 8822-B (Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business) with the IRS.10Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business The IRS will also update your address automatically when you file your next tax return with the new address.11Internal Revenue Service. Address Changes
Form 8822-B also handles a change that catches many business owners off guard: updating the responsible party. The responsible party is the individual who owns or controls the entity and manages its finances, typically the principal officer for a corporation or the general partner for a partnership.12Internal Revenue Service. Responsible Parties and Nominees If that person changes, you must notify the IRS within 60 days using Form 8822-B.10Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business Missing this deadline doesn’t trigger a specific penalty, but it can create authorization headaches later when someone needs to speak with the IRS on the entity’s behalf.