How to Get an EIN for Your LLC — Step-by-Step Guide

What Is an EIN and Why Your LLC Needs One

Knowing how to get an EIN is one of the first practical steps after deciding to form your LLC. An EIN (Employer Identification Number, sometimes called a FEIN or federal tax ID) is a free, nine-digit number the IRS assigns to identify your business for tax purposes — think of it as a Social Security number for your company.

Since the Corporate Transparency Act took effect, most LLCs need an EIN regardless of size, employee count, or whether they're single-member or multi-member. Beyond that requirement, an EIN is what lets you open a business bank account, apply for financing, hire and pay employees, and file federal tax returns under your business's name instead of your own Social Security number.

How to Apply for an EIN: 4 Ways to File Form SS-4

Every EIN application starts with the same IRS document — Form SS-4. Where and how you submit it depends on where your business is based and whether the applicant has a Social Security Number or ITIN.

Whichever method you use, you'll receive your EIN back through that same channel — online applicants get it immediately, fax and mail applicants get it by fax or mail, and phone applicants receive it during the call.

Information You'll Need Before You Start

Form SS-4 can't be saved partway through — if you start the application and stop, you'll have to begin again. Gather this information first:

• Legal name of the business, plus a trade name if applicable
• Legal name of the person applying
• Mailing address, street address, country, and state where the business is located
• Name and Social Security Number, ITIN, or EIN of the responsible party
• The type of business entity requesting the EIN
• The number of members, if the business is an LLC
• The date the business was started or acquired
• The primary activities of the business
• The reason for the application — starting a new business, hiring employees, opening a bank account, and so on
• The maximum number of employees expected in the next 12 months

Getting an EIN as an International Founder

You don't need a Social Security Number, an ITIN, or U.S. citizenship to get an EIN. This makes an EIN one of the more accessible parts of setting up a U.S. LLC for founders based outside the country — but it does come with one procedural difference: without an SSN or ITIN, you can't use the online application, so you'll need to apply by phone with an authorized representative able to answer questions about your Form SS-4.

Common Mistakes That Delay Your EIN

Most rejected or delayed applications trace back to a small number of avoidable errors:

• Incomplete or inaccurate information — mismatched names, addresses, or responsible-party details are the most common cause of delay.
• Submitting multiple applications — each business entity gets one EIN; filing more than one application for the same entity can trigger system errors and rejections.
• Selecting the wrong business structure type — your EIN application should match the entity type you actually formed (single-member LLC, multi-member LLC, corporation, and so on), since each is taxed differently.

What to Do After You Receive Your EIN

Once you have your EIN, a few housekeeping steps keep it useful:

• Update your business records to include your EIN wherever necessary
• Keep your EIN confirmation in a safe, secure place, plus a backup copy
• Share your EIN with your accountant or bookkeeper for tax filing
• Use it to open a business bank account and apply for financing as needed

Some later changes to your business — a name change, a change in ownership, converting to a different entity type, or dissolving and restarting — can require you to apply for a new EIN. If you're not sure whether a change you're planning triggers that, it's worth checking before you file.

Let CompanySage Handle Your EIN

You can complete Form SS-4 yourself using the steps above, or skip the paperwork: EIN filing is included with our Professional and Professional Plus formation plans, so when you form your LLC or corporation through CompanySage, we can obtain your EIN as part of the process instead of you filing it separately with the IRS. See our pricing page for what's included at each plan level.

Not sure an LLC is the right structure first, or need the operating agreement that usually goes along with it? Start with how to form an LLC, see how the process works for a single-member LLC, or set up your LLC operating agreement alongside your EIN.