How to receive an IRS 147C letter by fax

Letter 147C confirms an EIN that the IRS has already assigned. It is different from applying for a new EIN with Form SS-4. If you need evidence for a bank or another organization, ask which IRS document it accepts before requesting one.

Start with the IRS

The IRS lists 800-829-4933 as its Business and Specialty Tax Line. Published hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time; Alaska and Hawaii follow Pacific time. This is a telephone number, not a fax destination. See the IRS EIN page.

Ask for written EIN confirmation and whether Letter 147C can be faxed to you. The IRS verifies identity and authority before disclosing account information. Have the business name, address, EIN if known, and information establishing your relationship to the business ready for the call.

Prepare your receiving number

Use an active fax number you control, with access limited to people authorized to see the letter. DearFax receiving requires Pro or Business and an active workspace fax number. A sending-only account does not provide a return destination.

Open your workspace inbox before calling. Copy the active number from your account, including its area code. Do not give the IRS a number that is still being purchased or transferred. Confirm with the IRS representative that the receiving arrangement meets their disclosure requirements.

Explain that you use an online fax service

Tell the IRS representative that your number uses an online fax service. IRS guidance distinguishes direct electronic fax from a third-party provider that processes and forwards the document. For the latter, it requires written authorization naming the provider; oral consent is not enough. Ask what authorization is needed for your receiving arrangement and follow the representative’s instructions. See IRS electronic fax requirements, section 21.2.3.5.5.

If fax disclosure cannot be authorized, ask about another delivery method. An active DearFax number alone does not satisfy the IRS’s disclosure requirements.

Request fax delivery during the call

Read the number back carefully and follow the representative’s instructions. The IRS manual permits faxing Letter 147C in applicable cases, subject to authentication and disclosure rules. A third-party designee on an SS-4 does not automatically have authority to receive the letter. See IRS EIN procedures, sections 21.7.13.3.9.1–2.

Do not fax a new SS-4 just to obtain a copy of an existing EIN confirmation. Use the IRS’s verification process instead.

Check and save the received letter

When the fax arrives, open the document and check the entity name and EIN. Save it where your organization keeps tax records. If it does not arrive, confirm the number and next step with the IRS; do not assume that an empty inbox means the request was rejected.

Avoid sharing the letter through a public document link or pasting its contents into an AI assistant unless that use is appropriate for your organization’s privacy requirements.

Common questions