How to Get an EIN: Free IRS Application Step by Step

Quick answer: To get an EIN, apply free on irs.gov using the online EIN application during its operating hours. You need a US principal place of business and the responsible party's SSN or ITIN. Answer the questions in one session, and the IRS issues the number immediately. Fax, mail and an international phone line are the alternatives.

An employer identification number (EIN) is the nine-digit federal tax ID the IRS gives businesses, written like 12-3456789. If you have just started freelancing, formed an LLC or plan to hire someone, knowing how to get an EIN is one of the first admin jobs on the list, and it is far simpler than many people expect. The IRS application is free, there is no waiting period for most US applicants, and the whole thing usually takes 15 to 20 minutes if you have your details ready.

This guide explains who needs an EIN, what to prepare, how to complete the online application step by step, what to do if you cannot apply online, and how to use the number once you have it, including on W-9 forms and invoices. It is general information, not tax or legal advice. The IRS updates its procedures, hours and forms, so confirm the details on the official IRS Get an EIN page before you apply.

What is an EIN and who needs one?

An EIN identifies a business entity for federal tax purposes, much as a Social Security number identifies an individual. Banks, payroll providers, clients and state agencies use it to match your business to its tax filings. Despite the word employer in its name, you do not need employees to get one.

According to IRS guidance, you generally need an EIN if any of these apply:

• You have employees.
• Your business operates as a corporation or a partnership, including a multi-member LLC taxed as a partnership.
• You file employment, excise, or alcohol, tobacco and firearms tax returns.
• You withhold tax on income, other than wages, paid to a nonresident alien.
• You have a Keogh plan or a solo 401(k).
• You are involved with certain trusts, estates, nonprofits, farmers' cooperatives or real estate mortgage investment conduits.

A sole proprietor with none of those features can usually report business income under their own SSN on Schedule C. Our Schedule C guide for freelancers explains that form. Still, a lot of sole proprietors get an EIN voluntarily, for three practical reasons: it keeps your SSN off the W-9 forms you send clients, most banks want one for a business checking account, and it makes the business look more established on paperwork.

EIN, SSN and ITIN compared

Number	Issued by	Who it identifies	Typical use for a small business
EIN	IRS	A business entity	W-9 forms, business bank accounts, payroll, entity tax returns
SSN	Social Security Administration	A US person	Personal returns; a sole proprietor's business income if no EIN is needed
ITIN	IRS	An individual who cannot get an SSN	Filing a personal return; can serve as the responsible party's ID on an EIN application

If you are still deciding how to structure the business, read our comparison of LLC vs sole proprietorship first. The entity type is one of the first questions on the EIN application, and you should form an LLC or corporation with your state before applying, so the legal name you enter matches the state record.

What you need before you apply for an EIN

The online application cannot be saved, and the IRS says it expires after 15 minutes of inactivity. Gather everything first so you can finish in one sitting:

• Legal name of the business. For a sole proprietor, this is your own name. For an LLC or corporation, use the exact name on the state filing. Any trade name (DBA) goes in its own field.
• Entity type. Sole proprietor, partnership, corporation, LLC (with the number of members), estate, trust or another option.
• Responsible party details. The name and SSN or ITIN of the person who ultimately owns or controls the entity. This must be an individual for most applicants, not another business.
• Mailing and physical address in the United States or a US territory.
• Reason for applying, such as starting a new business, hiring employees or opening a bank account.
• Start date and accounting year. Most small businesses use the calendar year, so the closing month is December.
• Expected employees in the next 12 months and the first date you will pay wages, if any.
• Principal activity, for example consulting, construction or retail.

How to get an EIN online: step by step

The online tool is the fastest route and is the right choice for nearly every US-based applicant. Here is how to get an EIN online in practice:

1. Go to irs.gov directly. Type the address yourself or follow the link above. Ignore paid search ads for EIN filing services, which charge for a free government process.
2. Check the hours. In October 2026 the IRS listed Monday to Friday 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. the next day, Saturday 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 6 p.m. to midnight, Eastern Time. Outside those windows the tool is unavailable.
3. Choose the entity type. Select the type that matches your business. For an LLC you will be asked how many members it has and, in some cases, its state.
4. Explain why you are applying. Starting a new business is the most common choice. Each reason can trigger different follow-up questions.
5. Identify the responsible party. Enter the individual's name and SSN or ITIN. The IRS limits each responsible party to one EIN per day.
6. Enter addresses and business details. Use a US address where you can reliably receive IRS mail.
7. Answer the activity and employee questions. Be accurate about whether you expect to pay wages, because that affects the filing requirements the IRS associates with your number.
8. Pick how to receive the confirmation. Choose to receive the letter online so you can download it immediately, rather than waiting for paper mail.
9. Review and submit. Check spelling, especially the legal name. If the application is approved, your EIN appears on screen right away.
10. Save the confirmation letter. Download the PDF, store it with your business records and keep a backup copy. It is the easiest proof of your number later.

If the tool returns an error and asks you to apply another way, do not keep resubmitting. Note any reference number shown and use Form SS-4 by fax or mail instead, because repeating the same entries usually produces the same result.

Other ways to apply: fax, mail and phone

If your business is not located in the United States or a US territory, or the online tool will not accept your application, use one of the alternative methods. All of them use Form SS-4 and its official instructions.

Method	Who it suits	Typical time to receive the EIN
Online	US-based businesses with a responsible party who has an SSN or ITIN	Immediately, if approved
Fax (Form SS-4)	Applicants who cannot use the online tool	About 4 business days, if you include a return fax number
Mail (Form SS-4)	Applicants without fax access	About 4 weeks
Phone	International applicants only	Usually during the call

The IRS no longer issues EINs by phone to domestic applicants. Fax numbers and mailing addresses depend on where the business is located, so take them from the current SS-4 instructions rather than from an old blog post or forum thread.

Worked example: timing your EIN around your first client

Here is an illustrative scenario. Maya is a freelance designer who forms a single-member LLC on Monday, October 5. She expects a new client to send her a W-9 request on Friday and to pay her first invoice of $3,600 within 30 days.

• Monday: the state approves the LLC filing. Maya applies online the same evening and receives her EIN immediately.
• Tuesday: she opens a business checking account using the EIN and the LLC paperwork.
• Friday: she completes the client's W-9 with the LLC name and EIN instead of her SSN.
• Next week: she sends her first invoice from the LLC with bank details for the new account.

Now compare a slower route. If Maya were based outside the US and had to mail Form SS-4, the IRS estimates about 4 weeks to receive the number. Counting from October 5, that is roughly November 2, about 28 days later. The client's 30-day payment window would be almost gone before she could even return a completed W-9, and many accounts payable teams will not pay a new vendor until the W-9 is on file. The lesson: apply as soon as the entity exists, not when the first payment is due.

The contractor side of this process is covered in our guide to W-9 and 1099 forms for contractors. Under the new rules, a client generally files Form 1099-NEC only once its payments to you reach the 2026 1099-NEC threshold of $2,000, but most will still ask for the W-9 up front.

What to do after you get your EIN

Knowing how to get an EIN is only half the job; using it correctly matters too. Use this checklist in the week after you apply:

• Save the confirmation letter as a PDF in two places.
• Open a separate business bank account so business income and spending stay apart.
• Update your W-9 template with the business name and EIN.
• Register with your state revenue department if you will collect sales tax or pay wages. An EIN is federal only; states issue their own IDs.
• Add the EIN to your payroll provider if you will hire employees.
• Decide whether your invoices will display a tax ID (see below).
• Note the dates for self-employment tax and estimated payments, which still apply to you personally as a sole proprietor or single-member LLC owner.

Using your EIN on invoices

US federal law does not require a tax ID on every invoice, and the client usually gets your number from the W-9. But some clients, especially larger companies and government buyers, prefer to see the EIN on the invoice itself so they can match it to their vendor record. If you include one, put it in the business details block near your name and address, and never print your SSN. Our guide to showing a tax ID on an invoice covers placement and formats in more detail.

You can add an EIN field in our free US invoice generator, which builds a PDF invoice in your browser. It does not apply for an EIN, file taxes or send invoices for you; you download the PDF and send it yourself. If you sell taxable goods, also check our guide to sales tax on invoices in the US, since sales tax registration is a separate state process.

Common mistakes when applying for an EIN

• Paying a third-party site. The IRS application is free. Paid services submit the same information for you.
• Applying before forming the LLC or corporation. If the state has not approved the entity, the name and start date may not match, and the application can be delayed or need correcting.
• Choosing the wrong entity type. A single-member LLC is not a sole proprietorship on the form, even though it may be taxed like one. Pick LLC and enter one member.
• Applying twice. If you are unsure whether you already have an EIN, search your records first. Duplicate numbers create mismatched filings.
• Not saving the confirmation. The online confirmation is easiest to get at the moment of approval. Download it before closing the window.
• Using the EIN as a substitute for state registration. Sales tax permits, state payroll accounts and local business licenses are separate.
• Thinking an EIN changes how you are taxed. It does not. A sole proprietor with an EIN still reports on Schedule C and pays self-employment tax.

EIN application checklist

• Entity formed with the state (LLC or corporation only)
• Exact legal name and any trade name ready
• Responsible party's SSN or ITIN to hand
• US mailing and physical address confirmed
• Start date, accounting year and principal activity decided
• Employee plans for the next 12 months noted
• Online hours checked on irs.gov
• Confirmation letter downloaded and backed up
• W-9, bank account and invoice details updated

For more on federal and state requirements, browse our tax and compliance articles. And if you have not formally registered anything yet, our guide on how to invoice without a registered business explains what you can do in the meantime.

This article is general information, not tax or legal advice. IRS procedures, hours and forms change; check irs.gov or speak to a qualified tax professional about your situation.