How to Get an EIN for Your LLC: The Free IRS Application Guide (2026)
After you form your LLC, one task sits at the top of nearly every next-steps checklist: get your Employer Identification Number. Banks require it before they'll open a business account. The IRS requires it if you have employees or if your LLC has more than one member. Most business credit applications won't process without it. Even as a solo founder with no immediate plans to hire, you almost certainly need one.
Here's the part most founders don't realize until they've already paid for something: the IRS issues EINs for free. Always has. The online application takes roughly ten minutes, delivers your EIN on the spot, and requires nothing beyond information you already have. There is no waiting period, no processing fee, and no reason to use a third-party service.
What Is an EIN and Does Your LLC Actually Need One?
An Employer Identification Number — also called an EIN, FEIN, or Federal Tax ID — is a nine-digit number the IRS assigns to a business entity for tax administration purposes. It works like a Social Security Number for your business: it identifies your LLC on federal tax filings, banking documents, business credit applications, and payroll records.
The name is slightly misleading. You don't need employees to need an EIN. Many single-member LLCs with zero employees still require one, and nearly all multi-member LLCs are required to have one from the start.
When an EIN Is Required for Your LLC
Per IRS EIN guidance, an EIN is required when:
- Your LLC has more than one member. Multi-member LLCs are taxed as partnerships by default; partnership returns (Form 1065) require an EIN.
- Your LLC has or will have employees. If you hire anyone, you need an EIN for payroll tax filings and W-2 reporting.
- You elected corporate tax treatment. If your LLC has elected to be taxed as an S-Corp or C-Corp, an EIN is required.
- Your LLC has a Keogh plan.
- Your LLC was formed by reorganizing or acquiring another business.
When an EIN Is Technically Optional — But Practically Necessary
A single-member LLC with no employees and no special elections is technically not required by the IRS to have an EIN. But "technically optional" is not the same as "you can skip it":
- Banks require it. No major bank will open a dedicated business checking account without an EIN. Operating a business through a personal account is one of the fastest ways to pierce your liability protection.
- Vendors and clients may require it. Clients who need to issue you a Form 1099 will ask for your EIN (or SSN). Using your EIN instead of your SSN protects you from unnecessary exposure of your personal SSN.
- Business credit requires it. Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax Business all use the EIN as the anchor for your business credit profile.
If you're forming an LLC, get the EIN. It's free, it takes ten minutes, and skipping it creates problems you'll have to solve later.
How Do You Apply for an EIN Online at the IRS?
The application is available at irs.gov/EIN, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time. It is not available on weekends or federal holidays. You must complete it in one session — the IRS does not save progress.
Step-by-Step
- Go to irs.gov/EIN. Do not search through a third-party site — the official IRS URL is the only place to apply online for free.
- Click "Apply Online Now."
- Select "Limited Liability Company" as your entity type.
- Select the number of members. Single-member LLCs select "1." Multi-member LLCs enter the actual number.
- Enter the LLC's state of formation — the state where your LLC was legally organized, not necessarily where you operate.
- Select "Started a new business" as your reason for applying.
- Enter the responsible party's name and SSN or ITIN. The responsible party must have a U.S. SSN or ITIN — hard requirement for online.
- Enter the LLC's legal name and address. Match the legal name exactly as it appears in your Articles of Organization.
- Answer the remaining business questions — primary business activity, expected number of employees, formation date.
- Review and confirm.
- Receive your EIN immediately. Download and save the official EIN Assignment Notice (CP575). The IRS only issues it once — if you lose it, you'll need to call 800-829-4933.
Processing Times by Application Method
| Method | Processing Time | EIN Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| Online (irs.gov) | Immediate | On screen + downloadable CP575 |
| Fax (Form SS-4) | 4–5 business days | Faxed back to you |
| Mail (Form SS-4) | Approximately 4 weeks | Mailed to you |
| Phone (international applicants) | Immediate | Verbal confirmation; CP575 by mail |
What Information Do You Need Before Applying?
The application must be completed in a single session — there is no save function. Gather the following before you begin:
Information About the LLC
- Legal name of the LLC — exactly as in your Articles of Organization.
- State of formation.
- Date of formation or the date the LLC first began doing business.
- Physical address. P.O. boxes are not accepted as physical addresses.
- Mailing address (if different).
- Primary business activity — plain-language description is fine.
Information About the Responsible Party
- Full legal name of the responsible party.
- SSN or ITIN. Required for the online application.
As of a 2019 IRS rule change, the responsible party must be an individual (natural person), not another entity. If your LLC is owned by a trust or another entity, identify the individual who ultimately controls the LLC.
What If You Need to Apply by Mail or Fax?
Downloading Form SS-4
Form SS-4 is the paper application for an EIN. It's a single-page form available for free download from irs.gov.
Fax Application
- Domestic applicants: 855-641-6935
- International applicants (foreign-owned LLCs): 304-707-9471
The IRS will fax your EIN back within 4–5 business days.
Mail Application
Mail Form SS-4 to: Internal Revenue Service, Attn: EIN Operation, Cincinnati, OH 45999. Processing takes approximately four weeks.
Foreign-Owned LLCs
If your LLC has a foreign national as the responsible party without a U.S. SSN or ITIN, the online application is unavailable. Use fax/mail via Form SS-4 or call the IRS International Taxpayer Service at 267-941-1099 for immediate verbal EIN confirmation. Foreign-owned LLCs may also be subject to Form 5472 filing requirements.
Why Should You Never Pay Someone to Get Your EIN?
The IRS charges nothing to issue an EIN. A significant secondary market has grown up around EIN filing services charging $50–$300 to complete the same IRS application you can complete yourself for free.
When you pay a third-party service for EIN filing, here is exactly what happens: someone at that company goes to the same irs.gov/EIN page you would go to, fills in the same fields using the information you provided, clicks the same confirm button, and downloads the same CP575 PDF. The process takes them the same ten minutes it would take you.
The One Exception
If you're working with a CPA or business attorney on a more complex engagement — multi-entity structures, trust-owned LLCs, foreign-owned U.S. business with additional reporting obligations — EIN filing may be included as one step in a broader professional engagement. For the typical single-member LLC owner forming a straightforward business in their home state, there is no version of this exception that applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get an EIN before my LLC is approved by the state? Technically yes, but not recommended. Wait for state approval, confirm your LLC's exact legal name, then apply for the EIN.
What do I do if I lost my EIN? Check the original CP575, prior year's federal tax return, bank account opening documents, or any prior payroll filings. If none yield the number, call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933. An IRS representative can verify your identity and provide your EIN verbally. Request a 147C letter as official confirmation.
Can a foreign-owned LLC get an EIN? Yes. Use Form SS-4 submitted by fax (international: 304-707-9471) or call 267-941-1099. Foreign-owned single-member LLCs may also have separate Form 5472 filing requirements.
How many EINs can I have? The IRS allows one EIN per responsible party per day through the online application. EINs are assigned to entities, not individuals.
Can I change my EIN if my LLC changes structure? Generally no. Routine changes (new members, name changes, address changes, tax classification elections) do not require a new EIN. Structural changes that create a new legal entity (converting to a corporation, merging into a new entity) do require a new EIN.
The Bottom Line
Getting an EIN for your LLC is one of the rare administrative tasks that is exactly as simple as it should be. If you haven't formed your LLC yet, see How to Form an LLC: The Complete 50-State Guide. Once you have your Articles of Organization and know your LLC's exact legal name, complete the EIN application.
Once you have your EIN, open your business bank account the same week. The combination of your state-issued formation documents, your EIN, and a business checking account in the LLC's name is the foundation of the liability protection you formed the LLC to get.
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