EIN problems: error codes, Form SS-4, Letter 147C and a lost EIN

Why can't I apply online?

• The IRS online EIN application is not available if your principal place of business is outside the US. You must apply by phone, fax or mail instead.
• Under the Form SS-4 instructions, the online route is for applicants in the United States or US territories.
• If the responsible party has no SSN or ITIN and is not eligible for one, enter "foreign" or "N/A" on line 7b of Form SS-4. The line cannot be left blank. You do not need an ITIN to get an EIN.
• The responsible party must be an individual, not another company (government entities aside).

Online application reference codes

When the online application is rejected, the screen shows a reference number. The IRS does not publish what each number means. Its internal procedures manual (IRM 21.7.13, October 2026 version) only explains how callers are routed:

• The error message points callers in the US to 800-829-4933 and callers outside the US to +1 267-941-1099.
• Because the online route is closed to an owner based in Türkiye anyway, applying directly with Form SS-4 is usually faster than troubleshooting these codes.

Applying with Form SS-4: fax, mail and phone

• Under the IRM, faxes received after 1:00 p.m. Eastern time are treated as received the next business day.
• The SS-4 instructions offer the phone line to applicants with no legal residence, principal place of business or principal office in the US. However, the IRS internal procedures updated in 2026 say that callers on this line applying for a domestic (US-formed) entity will be directed to the other application methods. For a US LLC, fax is the more predictable route.
• You can authorize a representative in the Third Party Designee section of Form SS-4. That authority ends once the EIN is assigned.
• The IRS never charges a fee for an EIN. Any fee you pay goes to an intermediary for its service.

I lost my EIN: where to look

• The confirmation notice the IRS sent when it assigned the EIN (CP 575), or the return fax.
• Returns you filed earlier, such as a pro forma Form 1120.
• The tax details stored with your bank, payment processor or Amazon account.
• If none of these are available, call the IRS. Do not apply for a new EIN: the EIN is the company's permanent number, and a second number for the same company causes problems.

How to request Letter 147C (EIN verification)

Letter 147C ("EIN Previously Assigned") is the IRS letter confirming the EIN it already assigned to your company. Banks and payment processors may ask for it when the original CP 575 cannot be found.

• Who can ask: a person authorized to act for the company (usually the owner of a single-member LLC) or a representative authorized on Form 2848 or Form 8821.
• How: call the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday. From outside the US, the IRS international EIN number is +1 267-941-1099 (not toll-free).
• The IRS first asks about your relationship to the company. If you cannot give the EIN, it verifies your identity with additional questions.
• The letter can be mailed, or faxed to you or your authorized representative on request.
• The IRS Business Tax Account lets eligible users download a digital CP 575, but the account requires identity verification and usually an SSN or ITIN.

When to involve a professional

Name conflicts, multiple EINs issued to the same company or an incorrectly recorded responsible party may require written correspondence with the IRS. In these cases, we recommend working with a licensed US tax professional (a CPA, an enrolled agent or a tax attorney).