To get an EIN number, apply free on IRS.gov. The online application takes a few minutes and the number is issued immediately once it is approved. This guide covers how to get an EIN number by every method the IRS offers, what each screen asks for, and what to do if you lose the number.
Key takeaways
- An EIN is free. The IRS says you never have to pay a fee for one.
- Online is fastest and the number is issued in the same session, but the tool is only open set hours and cannot be saved.
- Employees, a partnership or corporation, or certain tax filings make an EIN mandatory. Many owners get one anyway for a bank.
- Form your LLC or corporation with the state first, then apply.
- The IRS issues one EIN per responsible party per day, whichever method you use.
What an EIN number is, and who needs one
An EIN, or Employer Identification Number, is a nine-digit federal tax ID for a business, formatted like 12-3456789. The IRS describes it as “a federal tax ID number for businesses, tax-exempt organizations and other entities.” It identifies the business on tax returns and payroll filings the way a Social Security number identifies a person. People sometimes call it an employee identification number; the correct name is Employer Identification Number, and it is the same nine digits.
Before working out how to get an EIN number, check whether you are required to have one. The IRS test is short. You need an EIN if you have employees, if you will need to pay employment, excise or alcohol, tobacco and firearms taxes, or if you withhold taxes on income other than wages paid to a non-resident alien.
Entities that need one regardless of what they do
Some structures need an EIN because of what they are. The IRS lists a partnership, a limited liability company, a corporation, a tax-exempt organization, an estate, a trust (with an exception for certain grantor-owned revocable trusts), a retirement plan or IRA, a real estate mortgage investment conduit, and a farmers’ cooperative. You can also apply when you are not required to: the IRS says an EIN can be requested for banking or state tax purposes.
Sole proprietors with no employees
A sole proprietor with no employees and no excise tax liability is usually not required to have an EIN and can file under a Social Security number. Plenty still get one, because a bank insists or to keep the SSN off invoices and W-9 forms. If you do, you only need one: the Form SS-4 instructions say a sole proprietor “should file only one Form SS-4 and needs only one EIN, regardless of the number of businesses operated as a sole proprietorship or trade names under which a business operates.” A second DBA needs no second number, though incorporating or forming a partnership later does.
An EIN for an LLC
A multi-member LLC needs an EIN, because the IRS treats it as a partnership by default. A single-member LLC is trickier. By default it is a disregarded entity, and the IRS says one “that does not have employees and does not have an excise tax liability does not need an EIN,” using the owner’s number instead. Most still apply: the IRS notes that “most new single-member LLCs classified as disregarded entities will need to obtain an EIN,” because they hire, owe excise tax, need a bank account, or their state requires it. How to get an EIN for an LLC is the same online process as for any other entity: answer yes to the LLC question on line 8a, enter the number of members on line 8b, then pick the matching box on line 9a (Partnership for two or more members, Other with “disregarded entity” for one).
EIN vs SSN, ITIN, and TIN
TIN is the umbrella term. A Taxpayer Identification Number is any ID the IRS uses to administer tax law, and an EIN is one type of TIN. So “is an EIN the same as a tax ID” is a yes with a caveat: it is a tax ID, but not the only kind.
The others are for people. The Social Security Administration issues SSNs and the IRS issues every other TIN. An ITIN, or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, is for certain nonresident and resident aliens, their spouses and dependents who cannot get an SSN. It is nine digits formatted like an SSN, but it begins with a 9. The Form SS-4 instructions add that an EIN “is for use in connection with your business activities only.”
What you need before you apply
The hard part of how to get an EIN number happens before the application opens. Two things have to be true: the entity exists, and you have the responsible party’s tax ID number. Get either wrong and the number ends up attached to the wrong thing.
Form the entity with your state first
Order matters when working out how to get an EIN number for a company. If you are creating a legal entity such as an LLC, partnership or corporation, register it with your state first. Skip that and the IRS says your EIN application may be delayed. Tax-exempt organizations should wait until the organization is legally formed. A sole proprietor has nothing to form.
Identify the responsible party
Every application names one individual as the responsible party. The IRS defines that person as “the person who ultimately owns or controls the entity or who exercises ultimate effective control over the entity.” Unless the applicant is a government entity it must be a natural person, not a company, and you need their SSN or ITIN to apply online.
Do not put a placeholder in the slot. The IRS states that “nominees are not authorized to apply for an EIN,” and that a nominee who applies “puts the entity’s information and privacy at risk.” Anyone filing for you goes in the third-party designee section, needs signed authorization, and loses it once the EIN is issued.
Have the name and address in IRS format
This is the part people get wrong. Enter the business name exactly as it appears on your formation documents. IRS systems accept only letters, numbers, hyphens and ampersands, so a period or an @ is spelled out or replaced with a space, slashes become a hyphen, and apostrophes are removed with no space. Street addresses are capped at 35 characters, so use USPS abbreviations.
How to get an EIN number online, step by step
The online IRS EIN application is how to get an EIN number in one sitting, and it is the method the IRS recommends. You answer a short series of questions, submit, and if the application is approved the number appears on screen straight away. Each stage asks for the following.
- Check you are eligible. You need a domestic organization with its principal place of business in the US or a US territory, and you must be the responsible party or their authorized representative, holding that person’s SSN or ITIN. A principal place of business abroad rules it out.
- Start it in one sitting. The IRS warns you cannot save the form, and the session expires after 15 minutes of inactivity. Have the formation documents and the responsible party’s number ready.
- Choose your entity type. Line 9a on Form SS-4: sole proprietor, partnership, corporation, estate, trust, nonprofit and so on. A disregarded single-member LLC picks “other” and enters “disregarded entity.” A two-member LLC accepting partnership treatment picks partnership.
- Enter the legal name, trade name and address. The legal name on line 1 must match the formation document. A sole proprietor puts their own name there and the business name on line 2, where a DBA belongs.
- Name the responsible party. Full name plus SSN or ITIN. A responsible party ineligible for either enters “foreign” or N/A on line 7b, and the application then goes in by fax or mail, because the online tool requires an SSN or ITIN.
- Give a reason for applying. Line 10 takes exactly one answer and cannot be blank: started a new business, hired employees, banking purpose, changed type of organization, purchased a going business, created a trust, created a pension plan, or other. Some options ask a follow-up question.
- Set the closing month of your accounting year. Line 12 wants the last month of your tax year. For an individual owner that is usually December, since the IRS says an individual’s tax year is generally the calendar year; partnerships and corporations follow their own rules. A fiscal year ends on the last day of another month.
- Submit and save the confirmation. If approved, the EIN appears at once. Print or download the confirmation letter before closing the window, because that is the document banks ask to see.
The application is only open certain hours
In Eastern Time the tool runs Monday to Friday from 6:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m. the next day, Saturday from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Sunday from 6:00 p.m. to midnight. Outside those windows it will not open.
One EIN per responsible party per day
The IRS caps issuance at one EIN per responsible party per day. The Form SS-4 instructions say the limit exists “to ensure fair and equitable treatment for all taxpayers,” and it applies to every method: online, telephone, fax or mail. Several entities under one responsible party means one a day.
How to get an EIN number by fax, mail, or phone
If the online tool is closed or you are not eligible, you can still apply for an EIN: Form SS-4 goes in by fax or mail, and applicants outside the US can call. The difference is speed.
| Method | Who it is for | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Online | A business based in the US or a US territory | irs.gov, during the hours above |
| Fax Form SS-4 | US applicants who cannot use the online tool | 855-641-6935, with your fax number on the form |
| Mail Form SS-4 | US applicants | IRS, Attn: EIN Operation, Cincinnati, OH 45999 |
| Phone | International applicants only, Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern | 267-941-1099 |
Use only one method per entity, or you risk two EINs for one business: the IRS is clear that “a business entity should have only one EIN.”
Applicants without a US Social Security number
A responsible party with no SSN or ITIN who cannot get one is not shut out, but the online route is. The Form SS-4 instructions say to enter “foreign” or N/A on line 7b, and an entry there is required. Where the form goes next depends on where the business is, not on the missing number. A business with a legal residence or principal place of business in any of the 50 states or DC faxes Form SS-4 to 855-641-6935 or mails it to the EIN Operation in Cincinnati, OH 45999. A business with no legal residence, principal place of business or principal office in any state or DC, which the IRS says can happen if you are in a US territory or abroad, faxes the form to 855-215-1627 from inside the US or 304-707-9471 from outside, or mails it to the IRS EIN International Operation in Cincinnati. The phone line on 267-941-1099, which is not toll-free, is narrower still: it is only for applicants with no legal residence, principal place of business or principal office in the US or its territories.
What to do once you have your EIN
The number works for most purposes the moment it is issued, with a short delay on anything running through IRS matching systems. The IRS says you can use it immediately to open a bank account, apply for business licenses and file a paper tax return, then wait up to two weeks to pass TIN matching, e-file a return, or make electronic tax deposits.
The first stop is usually a bank. A business account keeps business and personal money apart, and the application asks for the EIN and often the confirmation letter. Our guide to the best business bank accounts in the USA compares the options.
After that the EIN is what you use to run payroll, register for state and local taxes, apply for licenses and permits, and identify the business on federal returns. Lenders ask for it too, so have it before you start a business loan application. It is also the number your bookkeeping sits under, which makes claiming small business tax deductions easier at year end. Getting the EIN is one step in the wider job of how to start a small business.
If a filing deadline arrives before the EIN does, the IRS says to write “Applied For” and the date you applied in the space for the number.
Lost EIN, wrong details, and closing an EIN account
Getting the number is only half of it, because it then has to stay correct. An EIN is permanent: once the IRS assigns one to a business entity it becomes that entity’s permanent federal taxpayer ID number, which limits what you can do about mistakes later.
How to find a lost EIN number
Work through the IRS list before calling. Look for the notice the IRS issued when you applied, ask the bank that holds your business account, check agencies where you applied for state or local licenses, and look at past business tax returns. If that fails, call the IRS at 800-829-4933, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. They verify your identity and give the number over the phone if you are authorized.
Getting an EIN confirmation letter
If you need proof of the number rather than the number itself, the IRS gives three routes: an entity transcript, a digital CP575 notice if you are an eligible Business Tax Account user, or Letter 147C, EIN Previously Assigned, from the business and specialty tax line.
Changing the responsible party or the address
Use Form 8822-B, which covers a change of business mailing address, business location, or the identity of the responsible party. The deadline is the part people miss: a change of responsible party must be reported within 60 days. None of these changes needs a new EIN.
When you do need a new EIN
The rule is ownership or structure. You need a new EIN when your entity’s ownership or structure changes, and not for a change of name, address or responsible party. A sole proprietor needs a new number on incorporating, forming a partnership or declaring bankruptcy, but not for a name change or for running several businesses. An LLC needs one if it terminates and forms a corporation or partnership.
Cancelling an EIN
You cannot cancel an EIN. The IRS says it cannot cancel the number but it can deactivate the account. Send a letter with the entity’s EIN, legal name, address, the assignment notice if you have it, and your reason, to the IRS at MS 6055, Kansas City, MO 64108 or MS 6273, Ogden, UT 84201. Outstanding returns must be filed and any tax owed paid first.
Never pay a website for an EIN number
Paid filing sites are the reason people believe an EIN costs money. Many services charge to submit the same free form, and some are built to look like the IRS. The IRS warning is blunt: “Beware of websites that charge for an EIN. You never have to pay a fee for an EIN.” The Small Business Administration repeats it, telling owners not to apply on sites that charge a fee.
How to get an EIN number is a question with one correct answer: irs.gov. If a page asks for a card number before it will submit your Form SS-4, close it. A paid service is no faster and adds a stranger to a form carrying your responsible party’s SSN.
Need the whole business set up, not only the paperwork?
UENI builds your website, writes the copy, sets up the domain and a business email, and gets you found on Google, usually live within about a week. See how the done-for-you website service works.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get an EIN?
Online, the IRS issues the number immediately at the end of the session if the application is approved. By fax it comes back in about four business days when you give a fax number. By mail it takes approximately four weeks, and the Form SS-4 instructions suggest posting the form four to five weeks ahead.
Does getting an EIN cost money?
No. The IRS issues EINs free and says you never have to pay a fee for one. Sites that charge to file Form SS-4 are selling a service, not the number. The Small Business Administration also advises against applying on any website that charges a fee.
Does a sole proprietor need an EIN?
Not usually. A sole proprietor with no employees and no excise tax liability can file under a Social Security number. You do need one to hire employees or if you owe employment or excise taxes, and many apply anyway because a bank asks. One EIN covers every trade name.
Do I need an EIN for my LLC?
A multi-member LLC needs one, because the IRS treats it as a partnership by default. A disregarded single-member LLC with no employees and no excise tax liability does not strictly need one, but the IRS notes most new ones end up getting an EIN for employment tax, a bank account or a state rule.
How do I find my EIN number?
Check the notice the IRS sent when you applied, ask the bank holding your business account, check state or local license applications, and look at past business tax returns. If it is still missing, call the IRS at 800-829-4933 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. local time, Monday to Friday.
Is an EIN the same as a tax ID?
An EIN is a tax ID, but not the only one. Taxpayer Identification Number is the umbrella term, covering the SSN, the EIN and the ITIN. The Social Security Administration issues SSNs and the IRS issues the rest, so an EIN is the business version.
Can I get an EIN without an LLC?
Yes. A sole proprietor with no registered entity can apply, and so can estates and trusts. The rule about forming first applies only when you create a legal entity: register the LLC, partnership or corporation with your state first, or the application may be delayed.
Sources
- IRS, Get an employer identification number
- IRS, Employer identification number
- IRS, Instructions for Form SS-4 (12/2025)
- IRS, Taxpayer identification numbers (TIN)
- IRS, Single member limited liability companies
- IRS, When to get a new EIN
- IRS, If you no longer need your EIN
- IRS, About Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party
- US Small Business Administration, Get federal and state tax ID numbers
