How you check an EIN application depends on how you filed it. Apply online and the IRS issues the number at the end of the session, so there is nothing to check. Apply by fax or mail and there is no online tracker, so you confirm the status by phone.
The IRS issues an online EIN immediately, so an online application has no status to look up. You already have the number.
For a faxed or mailed Form SS-4, the IRS has no lookup page. You call the Business and Specialty Tax Line to ask about a pending application.
The main status number is US toll free and usually cannot be dialed from abroad. Founders outside the US reach the IRS on a separate line that is not toll free.
How do you check the status of an EIN application?
There is one honest answer, and it depends on how you filed. If you applied online, the IRS already issued your EIN, so there is no status to check. If you sent a paper Form SS-4 by fax or mail, there is no online tracker to log into. To check a pending paper application, or to verify a number, you call the IRS. This guide walks each route, including the line non-resident founders use from abroad.
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Applied online? There is nothing to check
The online EIN Assistant issues your number on screen at the end of the session. If your application is approved, the IRS says it issues the EIN immediately. So an online application has no pending status, and the confirmation you can save or print is the number itself.
One nuance catches people out. The number exists the moment it is issued. Even so, the IRS says to wait up to two weeks before a brand new EIN can pass Taxpayer ID Number matching, e-file a return, or make electronic tax deposits. You can use it right away to open a bank account or apply for licenses. If e-file rejects your new EIN, that two week window is usually the reason.
How long do faxed and mailed EIN applications take?
Most non-resident founders never use the online route. Without a US Social Security Number they file a paper Form SS-4 by fax or mail, a path we cover in our guide to getting an EIN without an SSN.
The IRS gives two general timeframes for paper applications. A faxed Form SS-4 comes back generally within about four business days when you include a return fax number. A mailed one takes approximately four weeks. Treat both as the IRS stated estimates, not promises, and confirm the current figures on the live Form SS-4 instructions before you rely on them. For a fuller breakdown across every method, see how long it takes to get an EIN.
Is there an online EIN status lookup or tracker?
No. The IRS does not offer an online EIN status lookup. There is no page where you enter an application reference and watch it progress. For a paper application, the published way to check is to call the IRS and ask. For an online application, there is nothing to track, because the number was issued at once. This guide covers checking your own EIN application or a number issued to your business, not looking up another company's EIN by name.
How to check a pending EIN application by phone
The IRS Form SS-4 instructions tell applicants to call the Business and Specialty Tax Line to verify a number or to ask about the status of an application sent by mail. The number the IRS lists is 800-829-4933, with a TTY line at 800-829-4059. The published hours are Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. taxpayer local time, and Alaska and Hawaii follow Pacific time. Treat the number and hours as current and confirm them on the IRS telephone assistance contacts page before you call, because the IRS updates them without much notice.
When you call, ask whether an EIN has been assigned to your business yet. That is the practical status question for a paper application, since the IRS routes a mailed Form SS-4 check to this line rather than to any web page. If a fax reply you expected never arrived, do not assume the application failed. A status call confirms whether the number was issued, but it is not a way to speed up a paper application, so time it to when you actually need the EIN.
Outside the US and cannot dial the toll free line? Use the international line
The 800-829-4933 line is US toll free, which means it usually cannot be dialed from outside the country. For applicants whose principal place of business is outside the US, the IRS lists a separate phone line at 267-941-1099. That line is not toll free, so normal international call charges apply, and its published hours are Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time.
One honest caveat. The IRS presents 267-941-1099 as its international line for EIN questions, while the pages that mention checking a mailed application status and requesting a replacement letter name the toll free 800 number. So use the international line as the practical way to reach the IRS from abroad, and confirm with the agent that they can handle your specific status or letter request. As always, check the current number and hours on the IRS Form SS-4 instructions first.
How to confirm or recover an EIN you already received
If the IRS already assigned your EIN, the confirmation is the CP 575 notice it sent when the number was issued. Keep it in your permanent records, because the IRS does not reissue the original. Our guide to the CP 575 confirmation notice covers what it is and how to use it.
Misplaced the number? The IRS lists several places to find it before you call. Look on the CP 575 notice from when the EIN was assigned. Contact the bank that holds your business account. Check any state or local license application you filed. Look on a past business tax return. If none of those work, call 800-829-4933, and the IRS will verify your identity and give the number to an authorized person over the phone.
Lost the paper notice itself? The IRS does not resend the original CP 575. Instead you request Letter 147C, EIN Previously Assigned, from the business and specialty tax line, and it proves the same EIN for banks and other business needs. Our guide to the 147C letter walks the full request.
The IRS also lets eligible Business Tax Account users download a digital CP575 verification notice online. That account needs US style identity verification that many non-residents cannot complete, so the phone route stays the realistic path for most founders abroad. Confirm the current access options on IRS.gov.
What to have ready when you call the IRS
The IRS releases an EIN or its status only to a person authorized to receive it, and only after an identity check. Have these ready before you dial so the call goes quickly.
The exact legal name and mailing address on the application, spelled as you filed them.
The responsible party name and role, since that is who the IRS expects to speak with.
The date and method you applied, whether by fax or by mail, and the fax number you used.
Any confirmation or reference the IRS or your preparer gave you, if you have one.
The IRS will not hand the number to someone who cannot verify their authority, so do not ask a colleague who is not the responsible party to call on your behalf.
Frequently asked questions
Can I check my EIN application status online?
No. The IRS has no online EIN status tracker. If you applied online you already have the number, because the IRS issues it immediately at the end of the session. To check a mailed application or verify a number, call the Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933.
How long does a faxed or mailed EIN application take?
The IRS says a faxed Form SS-4 generally comes back within about four business days and a mailed one in about four weeks. Treat these as IRS estimates rather than guarantees, and confirm the current timeframe on IRS.gov.
I am outside the US, how do I check on my EIN application?
The status line 800-829-4933 is US toll free and usually cannot be dialed from abroad. The IRS international line is 267-941-1099, which is not toll free, Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time. Confirm the current number and hours on IRS.gov before you call.
How do I find an EIN I already received but lost?
Look on the IRS confirmation notice from when the EIN was assigned, your business bank records, a state or local license application, or a past business tax return. If none work, call 800-829-4933, and the IRS will give the number to an authorized person after verifying identity.
Can the IRS resend my original confirmation notice?
No. The IRS does not reissue the original CP 575. Instead you request Letter 147C, EIN Previously Assigned, by phone, and it proves the same EIN for banking and other business purposes.
How do I know if my EIN is active?
An assigned EIN is active straight away for opening a bank account and applying for licenses. The IRS says to allow up to two weeks, though, before a brand new EIN can pass Taxpayer ID Number matching, e-file a return, or make electronic tax deposits. So an assigned number and a number that works in every IRS system are not always the same on day one. Confirm the current guidance on IRS.gov.
I got my EIN online but cannot e-file yet, why?
The number is issued immediately, but the IRS says to wait up to two weeks before a brand new EIN can be used to e-file a return or make electronic tax deposits. It works right away for opening a bank account and applying for licenses.
How this article was prepared
The status routes, phone numbers, and timeframes here are drawn from the IRS Instructions for Form SS-4, the IRS Employer Identification Number page, the IRS Get an EIN page, and the IRS telephone assistance contacts for business customers. Last reviewed July 2026. This is general information and not legal or tax advice, and CORPBOLT is a formation service, not a law or accounting firm. Treat every IRS phone number, TTY number, and timeframe as the agency's current figure, so verify them on the live IRS pages before you rely on them.
A quick note on CORPBOLT: CORPBOLT files Form SS-4 for non-resident founders as your third-party designee, so the application is handled for you while you stay the responsible party. The EIN is included from $599/year (Launch) or as a $199 add-on on the $349/year Foundation plan. The EIN itself is free from the IRS, so that fee covers the filing work, not the number. Start your US LLC.
Official references
Approval note: Eligibility and approval decisions are made by each bank, fintech, and payment processor. Requirements can vary by provider, country, business model, and account history.
