An employer identification number (EIN) is a type of TIN for businesses, organizations, non-profits, etc. Most individuals and organizations need a tax identification number to track their financial activities and comply with federal and state tax laws. The person calling must be authorized to receive the EIN and can answer the questions on IRS Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number. It’s helpful to fill out the form before calling because the IRS employee will need that information. You can receive your EIN by phone and use it immediately to file a tax return or make a payment. If you provide a fax number on the application, you should receive a fax with the EIN within four business days.

Review Your Other Business Documents

If you don’t form your entity with your state first, your EIN application may be delayed. The EIN (Employer Identification Number) is assigned to businesses and entities, such as corporations or partnerships. It’s used for business tax reporting and filing, including employment taxes. An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is also known as a federal tax identification number, and is used to identify a business entity.

If you receive income or have any taxable activity, such as a business or other entity, the government expects you to pay taxes. And to file taxes, the IRS requires that you provide a taxpayer identification number, or TIN. In short, you need to find your TIN whenever you are engaging in activities that require tax identification or reporting, such as filing taxes, applying for credit, or receiving government benefits. Keeping your TIN handy ensures that you are always prepared to meet your legal and financial obligations. These identifiers are designed to provide a simple, consistent format to ensure that the IRS can track individuals and entities efficiently for tax reporting and compliance.

Related Content

  • It is very important that each individual business with filing and payment responsibilities have its own EIN.
  • All supporting documents that are not in English or French must be accompanied by an official translation of the original document.
  • You also must submit evidence of your identity, age, and U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status.
  • They review the applicant’s documentation and forward the completed Form W-7 to IRS for processing.

Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range, can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service. Certain conditions must be met, such as the adoption has to be pending and the child should be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. 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. To verify a TIN in Hong Kong, individuals and businesses can use the official Inland Revenue Department (IRD) online tools for verification.

ET, Monday through Friday, but you must complete the application in one session, and it expires after 15 minutes of inactivity. If you’re ever unsure where to find your TIN, contacting the IRS or reviewing any IRS-related documents you’ve received throughout the year can help. With TaxDo, you can automate Tax ID validation, monitor changes, and ensure continuous compliance, all from a single, user-friendly dashboard or through API connectivity. In Hong Kong, tax identification number the Business Registration Number (BRN) also serves as the VAT number for businesses. For businesses engaged in taxable activities, such as trading or providing services, the BRN automatically functions as the VAT number. Acceptance Agents are entities (colleges, financial institutions, accounting firms, etc.) who are authorized by the IRS to assist applicants in obtaining ITINs.

If you do not wish to apply for your EIN online, other ways exist, including by fax, mail, or telephone (for international applicants only). While immediate access to your EIN is available when you apply online, it may take up to six weeks to receive it when you apply by fax or mail. An EIN is public information in that you can find the number in various public records, including business filings and tax documents. While an EIN identifies a business for tax purposes, a business tax ID number doesn’t provide sensitive information about the owner like a Social Security number.

If you applied for an EIN but haven’t received it by the time you must file a tax return or make a payment

If questions 11 through 17 on Form SS-4 do not apply to the applicant because he has no U.S. tax return filing requirement, such questions should be annotated “N/A”. A foreign entity that completes Form SS-4 in the manner described above should be entered into IRS records as not having a filing requirement for any U.S. tax returns. Failure to respond to the IRS letter may result in a procedural assessment of tax by the IRS against the foreign entity. If the foreign entity later becomes liable to file a U.S. tax return, the foreign entity should not apply for a new EIN, but should instead use the EIN it was first issued on all U.S. tax returns filed thereafter.

Eligibility to Get Tax Identification Number for UAE Residents

Get Forbes Advisor’s ratings of the best lending platforms and helpful information on how to find the best loan based on your credit score. Once you find your EIN, store it somewhere you won’t lose it, like in a filing cabinet with other important business documents. Keeping thorough records can make it easier to find your EIN if similar situations arise in the future.

EIN Lookup: How To Find Another Company’s EIN

  • Conversely, the IRS can take up to seven weeks to process an ITIN application regardless of whether the applicant mailed or submitted their ITIN form in person.
  • Keep in mind that in order to be eligible for a business tax identification number, you’ll need to be a U.S.-based business and the applicant (you) must have a valid individual tax identification number.
  • To obtain an ITIN, you must complete IRS Form W-7, IRS Application for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.
  • If you qualify for our assistance, which is always free, we will do everything possible to help you.
  • You can also look up a nonprofit’s EIN by visiting the IRS website and using the Tax Exempt Organization Search tool.
  • Technically, a Series LLC only requires a single EIN regardless of the number of protected series it has.

However, the EIN is a taxpayer ID for a company and will often be found on business forms. You don’t need an ITIN to apply for an extension of time to file your tax return. You must have an ITIN assigned to you, your spouse (if filing jointly) and your dependent by the due date of your tax return (including extensions) to be eligible to claim certain credits. You can submit an ITIN application for a dependent claimed for this credit even if the tax return has no tax to be reduced by it.

How Do I Apply For An EIN?

It is also used by estates and trusts which have income which is required to be reported on Form 1041, U.S. Once you have this information, you’re ready to fill out the online application through the IRS website. Once your information is validated during the application process, you can submit your application and immediately get your business tax identification number in a PDF from the IRS.

IncNow offers a service to assist new business owners with the IRS Form SS4 to obtain a Taxpayer ID whether or not they are a U.S. citizen. To obtain the number, you can fill out a simple online form at IRS.gov/EIN or ask an incorporation service to assist you. Should you want help getting the EIN, you can name a third party designee on the IRS Form SS4.