CP 575 and Letter 147C: how to replace your LLC’s EIN letter
Lost your EIN letter or need proof for a bank? Compare CP 575, Letter 147C and IRS entity transcripts, then prepare the right document for your LLC.
A bank, payment processor or broker may ask for official proof of the EIN assigned to a US LLC before it opens or restores an account. Typing the number into an application is not always enough. The provider may need evidence that the IRS assigned that EIN to the entity under a matching legal name and address.
Several IRS records can support that verification. A CP 575 confirms the assignment, Letter 147C confirms an EIN that already exists, and a business entity transcript shows the entity information currently held by the IRS. They overlap, but they do not answer every documentary request in the same way.
CP 575, Letter 147C and entity transcript at a glance
| Record | What it establishes | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Original CP 575 | Initial EIN assignment and the entity details recorded at that time | Permanent LLC file and first financial onboarding |
| Digital CP 575 | Downloadable IRS confirmation available to eligible Business Tax Account users | Current official EIN evidence when the original notice is unavailable |
| Letter 147C | Written confirmation of an EIN previously assigned by the IRS | Lost CP 575 or a provider request for an EIN verification letter |
| Modified entity transcript | EIN, current name, address and e-file name control | Checking the current IRS identity before onboarding |
| Complete entity transcript | The modified data plus establishment date and IRS filing requirements | A fuller review of the entity account |
| Return or account transcript | Return data or activity for a particular tax account and period | Evidence of filing, processing, payments or adjustments rather than EIN assignment alone |
The right choice starts with the recipient's actual question. “EIN document” may mean proof of assignment, confirmation of the current legal name, or evidence that a return was processed. Sending the narrow record that answers the request is usually faster and discloses less information.
What a CP 575 confirms
The CP 575 is the IRS notice confirming an Employer Identification Number. The original CP 575A-J notice series was generated when an EIN was assigned, with the version depending on the type of entity account and its filing requirements. It belongs in the LLC's permanent tax records.
The IRS states that the original CP 575A-J cannot be duplicated or recreated. Losing the notice does not cancel the EIN, but the LLC must use another official route to prove it.
In 2026, the IRS added a digital CP 575 for eligible Business Tax Account users. The notice can be downloaded from the tax account and used in place of the original CP 575A-J series or Letter 147C when written EIN confirmation is required by a bank or another institution.
That distinction matters:
- the original notice records the initial assignment;
- the digital CP 575 is an official downloadable confirmation;
- neither document proves state good standing, ownership or signing authority;
- an EIN does not replace the LLC's formation document or Operating Agreement.
A provider may still ask for Articles of Organization, ownership evidence or a bank resolution because each record proves a different part of the company.
What Letter 147C does
Letter 147C is titled EIN Previously Assigned. It confirms in writing that the IRS has already assigned an EIN to the identified entity. It does not create a new number and does not, by itself, update the LLC's name, address or federal classification.
The taxpayer or an authorised representative can request the letter through the IRS Business and Specialty Tax line. The IRS verifies the caller's authority before disclosing entity tax information or issuing written confirmation.
Letter 147C is useful when:
- the original CP 575 has been lost;
- a bank asks specifically for an EIN verification letter;
- a name and TIN mismatch has interrupted onboarding;
- the records of an existing LLC were transferred without the initial notice;
- the provider needs to distinguish the LLC's EIN from the owner's ITIN or SSN.
If the underlying IRS record is outdated, ordering another 147C will not correct it. The discrepancy must be identified and the appropriate update completed first. A new copy of the same evidence cannot repair a stale name or address.
Why the business entity transcript is often the most useful current record
The IRS now offers business entity transcripts that verify what its records currently say about a company. This is different from a transcript of a tax return.
The modified business entity transcript shows:
- the EIN;
- current entity name;
- address;
- name control used for electronic filing.
The complete business entity transcript also shows information such as the location address, IRS establishment date and filing requirements. A blank field means that the IRS has no information recorded there; it is not an invitation to add an unsupported answer to a provider application.
This transcript is particularly valuable when a financial institution needs more than the nine-digit number. It lets the LLC compare the exact legal name, suffix, address and name control with the data entered during onboarding. It can also reveal that a state-level change has not yet reached the federal tax record.
Eligible owners can obtain the transcript through Business Tax Account or the IRS business line.
Form 8821 allows access to specified tax information, not representation. Form 2848 authorises an eligible individual to represent the taxpayer before the IRS. Choose the authorisation that covers the work being requested.
A tax return transcript is not an EIN letter
“Transcript” is a family of records, not one universal document.
Tax return transcript
This summarises the original return, such as Form 1065 or Form 1120, without the attached documents or subsequent changes. It lets you review the figures filed for that period.
Tax account transcript
This records activity on a tax account, including processing dates, payments, adjustments, interest and balances.
Record of account transcript
This combines return and account information for the relevant form and period.
Business entity transcript
This focuses on the company's federal identity: EIN, name, address, name control and, depending on the version, filing requirements.
A filed Form 1120 or Form 1065 may contain the EIN, but it does not necessarily replace a CP 575, Letter 147C or entity transcript. It answers a broader tax-return question and may disclose financial information that a basic bank review does not need.
Where Form 4506-T fits
Form 4506-T requests specified return and account transcripts from the IRS. The request must identify the taxpayer, matching address, tax form and period. An incomplete or illegible form may be rejected.
It should not be treated as a universal substitute for Letter 147C. When the goal is to prove the EIN, current entity name and address, the digital CP 575, Letter 147C or business entity transcript is normally the more direct record. When a lender wants evidence that a particular return was processed, the correct return, account or record of account transcript becomes relevant.
The IRS does not mail Form 4506-T transcripts to third parties. Lender access through an authorised participant follows a separate IVES process using Form 4506-C. Before signing any consent, the LLC should know who will receive the record, which periods are covered and what data will be disclosed.
Which document should an LLC provide?
The bank asks for an “EIN letter”
Start with the CP 575 already held in the LLC file. If it is missing, check whether an eligible official can download the digital CP 575 or request Letter 147C. Confirm whether the institution accepts a PDF, an IRS fax or a scanned copy.
The provider reports a legal-name mismatch
Compare the name on the entity transcript with the bank application. The IRS restricts punctuation in business names, so a formatting difference does not by itself mean a different entity. Keep the legal name intact and check which field the provider needs: company name, DBA or name control.
The provider wants proof of address
A complete entity transcript may show the address on the IRS record. That does not automatically replace the operating address or owner residential evidence required for KYC. Legal, registered, mailing, operating and residential addresses serve different purposes.
A lender asks for tax history
An EIN confirmation is not enough. Identify the exact return, account or record of account transcript for the requested form and period.
The LLC has not filed a return yet
An EIN and entity transcript may exist even when there is no return transcript for a period with no processed filing. “No record of return filed” does not, by itself, invalidate the EIN. It describes the return record for that period.
Legal name, DBA, address and responsible party
The formation document establishes the LLC's state-law name. Form SS-4 connects that identity to the EIN record. A DBA or trade name may be used commercially, but it does not replace the legal name in federal identity verification.
The address held by the IRS may be a mailing or location address and need not match the registered office maintained with the state. The responsible party is the individual who ultimately controls or directs the entity for EIN purposes. That role is not automatically identical to member, manager, beneficial owner or bank signatory.
Before submitting an onboarding file, compare:
- Exact legal name on the Articles of Organization.
- EIN and name on the CP 575, 147C or entity transcript.
- Current IRS address.
- Trade name used on the website, invoices and processors.
- Members, managers and signatories in the Operating Agreement and resolutions.
- Responsible party and controlling-person data requested for KYC or KYB.
If the responsible party changes, Form 8822-B may be required. The IRS explains that a change of name, address or responsible party does not by itself require a new EIN.
Recovering an EIN is not the same as applying again
When the number cannot be found, the IRS recommends checking the original notice, prior business returns, the company's bank and state or local licence records. An authorised person can then contact the IRS if the number remains unavailable.
Applying for another EIN simply because the letter is missing can split the company's record. A new EIN is generally tied to specified ownership or structural changes, not to losing a document. The sound approach is to recover the existing identifier and align the records built around it.
Share tax evidence deliberately
IRS records contain confidential company information. A provider should receive only the evidence needed for its review and through a secure channel. A generic request for “company proof” is not a reason to send every tax return, owner record and corporate document.
A well-scoped file may contain:
- the official EIN evidence;
- Articles of Organization for state identity;
- Operating Agreement when ownership or authority must be shown;
- Certificate of Good Standing when active state status is requested;
- banking resolution for authorised signatories;
- the address evidence appropriate to the field being verified.
Keeping those functions separate protects information and gives the reviewer a clearer answer.
Practical questions about CP 575, Letter 147C and transcripts
Can the IRS issue another copy of the original CP 575?
No. The IRS says the original CP 575A-J notice cannot be duplicated or recreated. Depending on the request, the LLC can use a digital CP 575, Letter 147C or a business entity transcript.
Does Letter 147C change the EIN?
No. It confirms an EIN previously assigned. It does not create a new number or automatically amend the entity record.
Does a business transcript show the full EIN?
Business entity transcripts are an exception to the general masking rule and can display the EIN for entity verification. Other transcript types usually mask part of taxpayer identifiers.
Must every bank accept all three records?
The IRS identifies the digital CP 575 as written confirmation for banks and other institutions, but each provider controls its documentary policy. Check the required record, format and recency before sharing it.
Need an EIN letter for your bank? We can help
Start with the bank’s exact request and the documents you already hold. Exentax checks what the provider needs to establish, reviews the EIN, name and address, and determines whether your current document answers the request. You get a clear next step, not another list of forms to work out alone.
Where confirmation needs to be recovered or details updated, we coordinate the request and the appropriate authorisation. We then help prepare the response to the bank or processor and follow up on documentary queries. The aim is practical: keep your LLC’s records ready for the accounts and payment services your business needs.