How do I find my EIN online: The Internal Revenue Service assigns a nine-digit EIN, or employer identification number, to organisations with and without employees. According to IRS.gov, it is also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number or business tax ID and is used by the IRS to identify business entities.
EINs are used by businesses to apply for state-issued business licences and to establish business bank accounts. EINs are also necessary for securing business financing and performing other operations-related duties. When filing tax returns for your organisation, you’ll also need a business tax ID number.
Ideally, you should record your EIN when it is issued and keep it in a secure location. You can access your EIN for free if you are having difficulty locating it, though online options are limited. Find out how to locate, change, or obtain an EIN by reading on.
EIN For Your Business: Reasons and Steps to access it
How do I find my EIN online?
If you’ve lost the notice the IRS sent you when you applied for an EIN, there is no free online EIN lookup or tax ID lookup database you can use to conduct a fast search. However, the following steps can be taken to locate it:
1. Examine business records
Your EIN may be printed on a business document, such as your articles of incorporation or a loan application for your company. Or, the information could be recorded on another document in your archives. In either case, it is worthwhile to investigate to see if you will have success. If you have filed a tax return for the business entity, you can locate the EIN there as well.
2. Examine your EIN verification letter
Refer to the electronic notice generated by the IRS when you submitted your EIN application. If you applied for an EIN online, an approval notice that you could print or save should have been generated at the conclusion of the session. If you applied for an EIN through a third party, the IRS also sends a notice of EIN assignment following the completion of your application. If you don’t have the computer-generated notice on hand, examine your records to see if you saved or printed it and filed it away.
3. Contact the IRS
The Business and Specialty Tax Line is open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (local time) Monday through Friday. Call 1-800-829-4933 to speak with a representative who can provide your EIN if you can provide identifying information about your business. But be prepared for a lengthy hold time.
How to locate another company’s EIN?
It is possible to discover another company’s EIN, but you will have to put in some effort. Here are some retrieval methods:
Contact the organisation directly
Try contacting the company to obtain its EIN. Asking to be connected with the accounting or payroll department is a smart place to start if they are unwilling to provide this information.
Obtain a copy of the business’s credit report.
Numerous business credit reports contain EINs. The leading business credit bureaus make these reports readily available. You’ll also learn how the company you’re researching manages its debts and whether it pays on time or struggles to effectively manage its accounts.
Conduct an internet search
To determine the EIN, visit the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission and search for the company’s most recently filed 10-K or 10-Q. Utilise the IRS database to find the EIN of a nonprofit organisation.
Get assistance with your quest
Some online databases charge a fee to conduct an EIN inquiry. However, if you have little success locating the EIN on your own, you should consider hiring a third party to do so.
How to delete or modify an EIN?
Once issued, the IRS cannot revoke an EIN; it will always be associated with your business entity. However, you can request the IRS to close your business account by sending a letter. Your letter should include the legal name, address, and EIN of your company, as well as the rationale for your request. Sending a copy of the notice you received from the IRS when the EIN was issued is also beneficial.
Send this letter to one of the following recipients:
- Internal Revenue Service, Post Office Box 64108, Kansas City, Missouri 64108
- Internal Revenue Service, Post Office Box 84201, Ogden, Utah 84201
Exempt organisations should submit requests for cancellation to:
- Send mail to: Internal Revenue Service, Attention: EO Entity, Post Office Box 6273, Ogden, Utah 84201
- Fax: 855-214-7520
- If you need to change the EIN for your business, you must register for a new one.
How to acquire an EIN?
You can apply for a free EIN online, by mail, or by fax. You are only permitted to acquire one EIN per day, regardless of how you apply.
Apply via the Internet
The online application is accessible Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). The application must be completed in a single session because progress cannot be saved. After 15 minutes of inactivity, the system will time out and require you to reload the application. Immediately after submitting the online application, you will receive an EIN.
Request by mail
To apply for an EIN by mail, complete Form SS-4 (Application for Employer Identification Number) and send it to the address indicated below:
- Internal Revenue Service, EIN Operation, 45999 Cincinnati, Ohio
- Internal Revenue Service, EIN International Operation, 45999 Cincinnati, Ohio (if your lawful residence or place of business is outside the 50 states or D.C.)
You will receive a response via mail after approximately four to five weeks of processing.
Request by fax
To apply by facsimile, you can also send Form SS-4 to the following numbers:
- 855-641-6935
- 855-215-1627 (if your legal residence or business location is outside the 50 United States or the District of Columbia)
- 304-707-9471
- The IRS will fax you a response within one week. Form SS-4s transmitted without a return fax number can add up to two weeks to the response time.
Request by telephone
This option is only available to international candidates. Monday through Friday, between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., call 267-941-1099 to request an EIN. If you want to authorise a third party to apply on behalf of your company, print Form SS-4, complete and sign the “Third Party Designee” section, and mail it to the IRS. Typically, the EIN is issued over the phone.
Why do you need EIN?
If any of the following is true, you’ll need an EIN:
- Your business is either a partnership or a corporation.
- Your company has personnel.
- You possess a Keogh plan.
- You deduct taxes from non-wages paid to one or more non-resident aliens.
- You file a company tax return for alcohol, employment, excise, firearms, or tobacco.
Additionally, EINs are required for businesses operating in specific industries or conducting business with organisations in these industries. These entities include estates, farmers’ cooperatives, non-profits, plan administrators, real estate mortgage investment conduits, and particular trusts.
Obtaining an EIN can be advantageous for a variety of reasons, including the ability to establish a business bank account and obtain business loans. An EIN may also be required if your business requires particular licences or permits to operate. In addition, if you have an EIN, you can generally avoid using your own Social Security number on official business documents.
The conclusion
There are numerous advantages to obtaining an EIN for your business. An EIN functions similarly to your business’s Social Security number, allowing you to apply for loans in the business’s name and perform other crucial business duties. Once you have obtained an EIN for your business, be sure to maintain electronic or paper records of this number, as you cannot retrieve it online if it is lost.
