EIN Registration · United StatesAn EIN is the first number your US company needs. The application has to match your company exactly.
We prepare Form SS-4, submit it by the route the IRS allows for your situation, and make sure the name, entity type and responsible party match your formation documents.
Business & Incorporation
At a glance
- Authorities
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- Forms & references
- Form SS-4CP 575 noticeLetter 147CForm 8822-B
- Issued by
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- Application
- Form SS-4, free of charge
- Online route
- US-based businesses whose responsible party has an SSN or ITIN
- Fax or mail
- About 4 business days by fax, about 4 weeks by mail (IRS estimates)
Overview
What it is, and why it matters.
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is the nine-digit federal tax ID the IRS issues to businesses. Despite the name, you don’t need employees to need one: banks, payment platforms, clients issuing Forms 1099 and the IRS itself will all ask for it.
The IRS issues EINs free of charge on Form SS-4. The online application is quickest, but it is only available when the business is based in the US and the responsible party has an SSN or ITIN. Founders abroad apply by fax, by mail or through the IRS international phone line, which takes longer.
The details on the application stay with the company for years. The legal name, entity type, responsible party and tax classification need to match your formation documents, and a change of responsible party has to be reported to the IRS on Form 8822-B within 60 days.
Who needs it
Who typically needs it.
- 01
Newly formed LLCs and corporations
Every corporation and multi-member LLC needs an EIN, and so does any LLC with employees.
- 02
Foreign-owned single-member LLCs
An EIN is required so the LLC can file Form 5472 with its pro forma Form 1120, even though it is otherwise disregarded for income tax.
- 03
Sole proprietors hiring staff
You need an EIN before running payroll, and many freelancers get one anyway so they don’t have to give clients their SSN.
- 04
Non-US companies with a US obligation
Foreign entities that hire in the US or have to file a US tax return.
When you need it
The moments that usually trigger it.
- The state has just approved your LLC or corporation.
- Your bank or payment platform has asked for the company’s EIN.
- You are about to hire your first employee.
- A US client has sent you a Form W-9 to complete.
- You have lost the IRS letter confirming your EIN and your bank wants proof.
- The company’s owner, responsible party or address has changed.
Scope
Exactly what we handle.
Our engagement letter lists these specifically, so you know what is included before any work begins.
- 01
Checking that an EIN is needed and that the company doesn’t already have one
- 02
Preparing Form SS-4 to match your formation documents and tax classification
- 03
Identifying the correct responsible party: the individual who ultimately owns or controls the company
- 04
Submitting online, by fax or by mail, depending on what the IRS allows for your situation
- 05
Acting as your third-party designee on the SS-4 where you authorize it, so the IRS can send the EIN to us
- 06
Requesting Letter 147C when the original confirmation has been lost
- 07
Filing Form 8822-B for a change of responsible party or address
The process
How it runs, step by step.
Timings depend on the authority and on how quickly documents come together. We tell you what’s typical for your case at the start.
Start with a conversationCheck the company details
We confirm the legal name, formation date, entity type and owners against your state filing, and agree who the responsible party is.
Prepare Form SS-4
We complete the form, including the entity classification and, for a foreign-owned single-member LLC, the specific wording the IRS instructions require.
You review and sign
You check the form and sign it, including the third-party designee section if we are receiving the EIN on your behalf.
Submit to the IRS
Online where you are eligible, otherwise by fax or mail to the right IRS unit for a US or international applicant.
Deliver and record
We send you the EIN confirmation and add the number to your compliance calendar and bookkeeping records.
What we’ll need
The information to have ready.
A typical checklist. After the first conversation we send a version specific to your situation, so you don’t gather anything you don’t need.
Company
- Formation document as approved by the state
- Legal name exactly as registered, and any trade name
- Business and mailing address
- Main activity and start date
- Number of members, and any tax election made or planned
Responsible party
- Full legal name
- SSN or ITIN, if they have one
- Title or role in the company
If you will have employees
- Date wages will first be paid
- Expected number of employees in the next 12 months
Please don’t email passports or bank statements. Once we’ve spoken, you’ll get access to a secure upload.
Common mistakes
Where this usually goes wrong.
The problems we are most often asked to fix, and what they tend to cost.
- Mistake 01
Naming a nominee as responsible party
The IRS requires the individual who actually owns or controls the company, not an agent, formation service or employee who signs on their behalf.
- Mistake 02
Wrong entity type or classification
Describing a single-member LLC as a partnership, or a corporation as an LLC, leads to IRS notices expecting returns the company should not be filing.
- Mistake 03
Applying twice
A second application for the same company creates a duplicate EIN that then has to be sorted out with the IRS. If you think you may already have one, we check first.
- Mistake 04
A name that doesn’t match the state filing
If the SS-4 name differs from the formation document, banks and payers may reject it, and the IRS record has to be corrected.
- Mistake 05
Not updating the IRS after a change
A new responsible party must be reported on Form 8822-B within 60 days. Out-of-date details can send IRS notices to someone no longer involved.
Worth knowing
The limits, stated upfront.
The IRS issues EINs; we cannot speed up its processing or guarantee when a fax or mail application will be answered.
The IRS does not charge for an EIN. Our fee covers preparing and submitting the application and following it through.
We do not act as your responsible party or provide a nominee; the IRS requires the real owner or controller.
An EIN does not register the company for state taxes. Those are separate state registrations.
Questions
EIN Registration: frequently asked.
If yours isn’t here, ask us directly. We’ll answer in plain terms.
Ask a questionCan I get an EIN without an SSN or ITIN?
Yes. The online application isn’t open to you, but you can apply on Form SS-4 by fax, by mail or through the IRS international phone line. The SS-4 instructions allow “foreign” or N/A in the responsible party’s tax ID box when that person has no SSN or ITIN and isn’t eligible for one.
How long does it take?
Online applications are answered immediately. The IRS says fax applications are generally answered within about 4 business days and mail applications in about 4 weeks, though times vary.
Does my single-member LLC need an EIN if it has no employees?
If you are a US owner with no employees or excise tax obligations, the IRS does not require one for federal tax, though banks usually do. A foreign-owned single-member LLC must have one, because it files Form 5472.
I’ve lost my EIN confirmation letter. What now?
The IRS doesn’t reissue the original CP 575 notice, but it can send Letter 147C confirming the EIN to an authorized person for the company. With the right IRS authorization in place, we can request it for you.
Does an EIN ever expire?
No. An EIN stays with the entity permanently and is never reassigned, even if the business closes. When a business closes, the IRS can close the account linked to it.
Do I need a new EIN if my company changes?
Sometimes. A change of name or address usually doesn’t need one, but changes of ownership or structure, such as a sole proprietor incorporating, generally do. We check the IRS rules for your specific change before you apply.
Related
Often needed alongside this.
The equivalent in our other countries
Speak with a consultant
Talk to us about eIN Registration.
Pick the closest match and we’ll take it from there. You’ll get a written scope and fee before any work begins.
Or use our three-step guide, or email hello@fiscorra.com
