How to Find Your EIN Number (and What to Do If You Lost It)

Lost your EIN, or never saved the letter? It happens often, and you do not need to apply again. The IRS number stays with the company for life. This guide lists the places the number usually appears and what to do if it is nowhere to be found. For the basics, see what an EIN number is.

Where to look first

• The IRS confirmation letter. After you apply, the IRS issues a notice (called a CP 575) with the number. Search your email and your documents folder.
• Your bank account paperwork. The bank asked for the EIN, so it is on the account opening documents.
• Past tax returns. The EIN is printed at the top of company returns and forms, including Form 5472 and Form 1120.
• Payment and tax accounts. Stripe, PayPal and accounting tools store the number you entered.
• Your formation provider. If a service applied for it for you, ask them for a copy of the confirmation.
• Official paperwork you filed with a state or a bank. Licence and loan applications often include it.

If you cannot find it

You can ask the IRS for a letter that confirms the EIN, known as a 147C letter, by contacting the IRS business tax line. The IRS will check that you are the responsible party before it gives you the number. Check irs.gov for the current contact details and how it works for owners outside the US. The IRS does not offer a public lookup for private companies, so any website that promises one is not official.

What you need ready

• The company's exact legal name and address.
• The name of the responsible party (usually the owner) and their tax ID if they have one.
• The date and state where the company was formed.

What not to do

• Do not apply for a second EIN. A company is supposed to have one. A duplicate causes confusion with the IRS.
• Do not pay for an "EIN lookup" site. The IRS does not sell lookups.
• Do not post the number or the letter publicly. Share it only with banks, the IRS and your accountant.

Keep it safe next time

1. Save the IRS letter as a PDF in two places.
2. Add the EIN to your company records file with the formation documents.
3. Note it in your accounting tool and in your bank profile.

Related

If you still need to get one, read how to get an EIN without an SSN or our EIN number for an LLC guide. We also prepare the application in our EIN service. The yearly filing that uses the EIN is covered in the Form 5472 guide. This is general information, not tax advice.