How to Get a Copy of Your 501(c)(3) Letter (If You Lost It)
Sooner or later, every nonprofit gets asked for its 501(c)(3) letter. A bank needs it to open an account, a funder wants it before a grant payment, or a state agency asks for it at registration. Then you open the filing cabinet and it isn’t there.
The good news: you can usually get a copy, and you often don’t need to contact the IRS at all.
A 501(c)(3) letter, formally called an IRS determination letter, is the document the IRS issues to confirm your organization is recognized as tax-exempt. To understand what each section of yours says, read our guide on how to read your IRS determination letter.
How Can I Get a Copy of My 501(c)(3) Letter?
Search for your organization on the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search (TEOS). If your letter isn’t listed there, request a copy from the IRS with Form 4506-B.
The order matters. Start with the free search tool, and move to the form only if the search comes up empty. Most organizations never need the second step.
How Do I Find My Determination Letter Online?
Search TEOS by your organization’s legal name or EIN, open your listing, and look for the determination letter in the results. Letters issued in 2014 or later are generally available there. Older letters usually need a request to the IRS.
Can’t find yours? Try a different spelling of your legal name, or search by EIN instead. Our walkthrough on how to look up any nonprofit’s Form 990 for free shows another way to confirm your organization’s records.
Are IRS Determination Letters Public?
Yes, in most cases. The IRS makes exemption letters and applications available to the public, which is why you can often pull yours from the search tool without asking anyone. [ It also means a funder or lender can check your status on their own.
When Should You Use Form 4506-B?
Use Form 4506-B, the Request for a Copy of Exempt Organization IRS Application or Letter, when your letter isn’t on the IRS search tool. Plan for the wait. The IRS can take 45 to 60 days to process a request.
Form 4506-B lets you request a few different things:
- Your determination letter only, which is usually all a funder or bank needs
- Your full exemption application (Form 1023, 1023-EZ, 1024, or 1024-A) with its supporting documents and letter
- An affirmation letter, a current-dated letter confirming your exempt status
Picking the wrong request type, or skipping the explanation the IRS expects, can slow your request down or change what you’re charged. Your free Tax990 account includes a fillable Form 4506-B that walks you through each choice, plus exactly where and how to send it to the IRS.
What If You Need an Earlier Application?
If your organization applied under a different subsection, or lost its exempt status and was later reinstated, a standard request returns only your most recent application. Earlier ones take a separate request. Our overview of automatic revocation of tax-exempt status explains how reinstatement works. If your letter has an error or the wrong effective date, see what to do if your determination letter has an error.
How Do You Keep It From Going Missing Again?
Save a PDF copy where your board and finance team can both reach it, and keep the original with your corporate records. Add your EIN and determination date to the file name so it’s easy to find. Many organizations keep it in the same folder as their annual filings.
Staying current on those annual filings is what keeps your exempt status in good standing. Tax990 is an IRS-authorized e-file provider, and the same free account that holds your Form 4506-B e-files your Form 990 when it’s due.
