Employer identification number

An EIN is a federal tax ID number for businesses, tax-exempt organizations and other entities.

You can get an EIN for free directly from the IRS in minutes. Apply online.

On this Page

Who needs an EIN

Before you apply

Ways to apply for an EIN

Who is a responsible party

When you can use your EIN

When to get a new EIN

When you no longer need an EIN

Lost or forgot EIN

Multiple EINs or entities

EIN you didn’t request

Retirement trust EIN doesn’t work

Who needs an EIN

You need an EIN if you:

• Have employees
• Will need to pay employment, excise or alcohol, tobacco, and firearms taxes
• Withhold taxes on income, other than wages, paid to a non-resident alien

If you don’t need an EIN for federal tax purposes, you can still request one for banking or state tax purposes. EINs are not intended for other activities, such as state tax lien auctions, sales or lotteries.

You also need an EIN to operate any of these entities:

• Partnership
• Limited liability company (LLC)
• Corporation
• Tax-exempt organization
• Estate
• Trust PDF (except certain grantor-owned revocable trusts)
• Retirement plan or individual retirement account (IRA)
• Real estate mortgage investment conduit
• Farmers' cooperative

Find more in Understanding Your EIN, Publication 1635 PDF.

Before you apply

Form your entity first: If you’re forming a legal entity (LLC, partnership, corporation), you must form your entity through your state before you apply for an EIN. This includes tax exempt organizations.

Tax exempt organizations: Don't apply for an EIN until your organization is legally formed. Most organizations (see exceptions) are subject to automatic revocation of their tax-exempt status if required returns or notices aren't filed for 3 consecutive years

A political organization must file Form 8871, Political Organization Notice of Section 527 Status within 24 hours of its creation and is not tax exempt until then. You must have an EIN to file Form 8871.

Ways to apply for an EIN

If your principal place of business is in the U.S., you can get an EIN in these ways:

• Apply online. Get an EIN now, free, direct from the IRS.
• Fax Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number to 855-641-6935. You’ll get your EIN in 4 business days.
• Mail Form SS-4 to Internal Revenue Service, Attn: EIN Operation, Cincinnati, OH 45999. You’ll get your EIN in about 4 weeks.

International EIN applicants

If your principal place of business is outside the U.S., you can apply for an EIN by phone at 267-941-1099 Monday – Friday, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET or submit Form SS-4: by:

• Fax 855-215-1627 (within the U.S.) or 304-707-9471 (outside the U.S.).
• Mail to Internal Revenue Service, Attn: EIN International Operation, Cincinnati, OH 45999.

You can apply only for 1 EIN per day, whether online or by phone, mail or fax.

Who is a responsible party

On the EIN application, you must name the person in charge of the entity and its assets, called the responsible party. The application must generally include the responsible party’s:

• Name
• Social Security, individual taxpayer ID, or employer identification number (for entities)
• Signature

Nominees are not authorized to apply for an EIN. A nominee who applies for an EIN puts the entity’s information and privacy at risk.

Report beneficial owners to FinCEN when required

Some corporations, limited liability companies, and other entities may be required to report information on your beneficial owners (the people who ultimately own or control your company) to the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

When you can use your EIN

You can use your EIN immediately for most business needs. For example, when you:

• Open a bank account
• Apply for business licenses
• File a tax return by mail

Wait up to 2 weeks to:

• Pass an IRS Taxpayer ID Number (TIN) Matching Program
• E-file a tax return
• Make tax deposits and pay electronically – See Circular E, Employer’s Tax Guide, Publication 15, when you receive your EIN and EFTPS Express Enrollment for New Businesses, Publication 4275 PDF

If you’re waiting for an EIN

If your tax return is due and you haven’t received your EIN, write “Applied For” and the date that you applied for it in the space shown for the number.

If you don't have your EIN by the time a deposit is due send your payment to the service center address for your state. Make your check or money order payable to Internal Revenue Service and show your name (as shown on the SS-4), address, kind of tax, period covered, and the date you applied for your EIN.

When to get a new EIN

You need a new EIN, in general, when you change your entity’s ownership or structure.

You don’t need a new EIN to change your business name, address or responsible party.

Find more on when to get a new EIN.

When you no longer need an EIN

If you no longer need your EIN, we can’t cancel it, but we can deactivate it.