EIN · checked 23 October 2026

How to check if your business EIN is active

An EIN doesn't expire, and the IRS never reissues one to another business. So if your bank, Stripe or Amazon says it "can't verify" your EIN, the fix is usually proof from the IRS that the number and name match: a 147C letter.

Get a 147C EIN verification letter

1. Call the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line: 800-829-4933 from the US, or +1 267-941-1099 from outside the US (not toll-free). Lines are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. US Eastern, Monday to Friday.
2. Ask for an EIN verification letter (147C). You're not applying for a new EIN.
3. Be ready to confirm the business name, address and your role. The IRS will only talk to someone authorised for the business, such as the owner or responsible party.
4. Choose fax or post. Fax is much faster; post can take several weeks, longer abroad.

Why a bank or platform might reject your EIN

• Name mismatch. The legal name on the IRS record has to match what you typed, including "LLC" and punctuation. The 147C shows the exact name the IRS has.
• A recent EIN. A brand-new EIN can take up to about two weeks to reach the IRS's permanent records, so checks can fail at first.
• Typo. Check it against your EIN confirmation letter (CP 575) or a 147C.

What "inactive" really means

People often worry that missing filings deactivated their EIN. They don't: the number stays assigned, though the IRS may still expect returns. If you formed a foreign-owned single-member LLC, missing Form 5472s are the real problem. Missed one? If you closed the business, the IRS can close the account but the number still exists. Closing an LLC properly.

Don't have an EIN yet?

Non-US founders can get one by phone or fax without an SSN or ITIN. How to apply.

Check everything my company owes

Sources: Numeral, how to request a 147C letter (phone numbers, hours, fax or mail); Gusto, what is a 147C; IRS SS-4 instructions (international line). Read 23 October 2026. General information, not tax advice.