Lost ITIN
Lost your ITIN? It’s still yours — here’s how to find it.
Your ITIN stays the same number even if it expires and is renewed, so losing the CP565 letter doesn’t mean losing the number. It’s usually printed on your past U.S. tax returns and IRS notices, and the IRS can confirm it by phone once it verifies your identity. Don’t apply for a new one. If your ITIN has expired from non-use, the fix is a renewal — which we can prepare.
- Where to look for your ITIN first
- What to have ready before you call the IRS
- Expiry check: is your ITIN still active?
- Renewal prepared and CAA-certified if it has expired
- Reply within one business day
- Private service, not the IRS — read our disclaimer
- Passport scan uploadedVerified
- Reason for applying (W-7 box)Verified
- Foreign address verifiedVerified
- Tax return or exception documentsNeeds review
- CAA video verificationPending
This service is built for these situations
You lost your CP565
The ITIN assignment letter is gone, but the number is still on IRS records.
Your tax preparer changed
Your new preparer needs the ITIN from your previous returns.
A bank or payer asks for your ITIN
You need the number for a form and can’t find your paperwork.
You’re filing again after years away
You may need to confirm the number — and check whether it has expired.
Your spouse’s or child’s ITIN is missing
Each family member’s ITIN is on the returns where they were listed.
You received a CP48
A CP48 says your ITIN is about to expire — and it shows the number.
Getting an ITIN from outside the U.S. is full of small traps
The IRS rejects a large share of ITIN applications, and most rejections and long delays come from a handful of avoidable mistakes: the wrong documents, a missing tax return or exception proof, or originals lost in the mail.
Common pitfalls
What usually goes wrong when filing alone
- The CP565 was mailed once, years ago, to an address you no longer use.
- IRS phone lines have long waits, and the U.S. toll-free number often can’t be dialled from abroad.
- Applying for a second ITIN instead of finding the first one creates duplicate records and delays.
- The ITIN you find may have expired from non-use, so a return filed with it can be delayed.
Our approach
How we prevent each of those problems
- We help you check your old returns, IRS notices and preparer records for the number.
- We tell you which IRS number to call from where you are and what details to have ready.
- We check whether your ITIN is likely to have expired before your next return.
- If it has, we prepare your renewal W-7 and certify your passport by video.
What we actually do for you
Find the number
We walk you through where your ITIN usually appears — past returns, CP565, CP48 and other IRS notices — before you spend time on hold.
Prepare the IRS call
If you need the IRS to confirm your ITIN, we give you the right number to call and the details the IRS will use to verify you.
Renew if expired
If your ITIN has lapsed, we prepare the renewal W-7 with the return it needs, certify your passport copy and track it through the IRS.
Compare what each package includes on our ITIN service pricing page.
Lost ITIN Number
Prepared and certified by our CAA team
Get a clear next step for your case
Share your situation and a specialist will reply within one business day. The assessment is free.
- Free to askThe assessment costs nothing. Our packages have fixed prices, fully refundable until we file your W-7.
- Honest directionIf we're not the right fit, we'll say so and point you elsewhere.
- Private by defaultYour details stay with us. We don't sell or share data.
Common questions from non-U.S. applicants
If your question isn't here, contact us — we'll answer honestly, even if the answer is 'this isn't a fit for our service.'
Where can I find my ITIN?
On any U.S. federal tax return you filed with it, on your CP565 assignment letter, and on later IRS notices such as a CP48. Your tax preparer may also have it on file. An ITIN is a nine-digit number that begins with 9 and is formatted like an SSN (9XX-XX-XXXX).
Can I call the IRS to get my ITIN?
Yes. Call 800-829-1040 from inside the U.S., or +1 267-941-1000 (not toll-free) from abroad. The IRS will verify your identity with details such as your name, date of birth and address before it tells you the number. It doesn’t send ITINs by email.
Should I just apply for a new ITIN?
No. Your ITIN stays yours. A new W-7 for someone who already has an ITIN creates duplicate records and slows everything down. If yours has expired, renew it — the renewal keeps the same number.
Could my ITIN have expired?
Possibly. An ITIN that has not been used on a federal tax return at least once in three consecutive tax years expires on December 31 of the third year. You only need to renew when you have a U.S. tax return to file or are listed on one.
How do I renew an expired ITIN?
Renewing uses the same Form W-7 (tick "Renew an existing ITIN") and, unless an exception applies, a federal tax return. We prepare the renewal, certify your passport copy on a recorded video call and file it. The IRS then takes 7 weeks (9–11 weeks from January 15 to April 30 or from abroad).
I now have an SSN. What happens to my ITIN?
Once you get an SSN, use it instead and tell the IRS, so it can combine your earlier ITIN tax records with your SSN. Don’t keep using the ITIN.
Ready to get your ITIN without mailing your passport?
Tell us who needs an ITIN and why. A specialist will reply within one business day with the documents you need and a clear plan.
Or email support@itinnumber.io
- Reply within one business dayA specialist reviews your case and outlines a clear plan.
- Free resubmissionPriority and Complete include one free resubmission if the IRS rejects your application.
- Refund before filingChange your mind before we file your W-7? Full refund, no questions.
Two clocks apply to every ITIN. Ours: we prepare and certify your application within 1–3 business days of receiving your documents and completing the video verification. The IRS’s: it says to allow 7 weeks, or 9–11 weeks from January 15 to April 30 or when you apply from abroad — and nobody can speed that up. We track your application through the IRS wait, follow up once the IRS window has passed, and tell you as soon as your ITIN is assigned. All prices are listed in USD with no hidden fees, and payments are made securely by debit or credit card through Razorpay. The IRS charges nothing for the ITIN itself.