EIN guide
An EIN is the federal tax ID number for your LLC. Learn when an LLC needs one, how to apply online, by fax or by mail, and how owners without an SSN apply. FormLLC can prepare your EIN application for you.
A practical starting point
An Employer Identification Number, or EIN, is a nine-digit number the IRS assigns to a business for tax reporting. It is sometimes called a federal tax ID number. Applying for an EIN with the IRS is free. Most LLCs get one: an LLC with employees, more than one member or a corporate tax election needs an EIN, and banks usually ask for one before opening a business account. A single-member LLC owned by a non-U.S. person also needs an EIN to file Form 5472.
Consider the fit
The right application route depends on where the business is based and whether the responsible party has an SSN or ITIN.
The IRS online application is for businesses based in the United States or U.S. territories whose responsible party has a valid SSN or ITIN. When it is approved, the EIN is issued at the end of the session.
Get EIN application supportA foreign owner without an SSN or ITIN cannot use the online application. Instead, file Form SS-4 by fax or mail, or apply by phone through the IRS line for international applicants.
Read the non-U.S. founder guideA single-member LLC with no employees may not need its own EIN for income tax, but many owners get one for banking. A foreign-owned single-member LLC needs an EIN to file Form 5472.
Read the single-member LLC guideNext steps
Wait until the state approves your Articles of Organization, so the EIN application matches the LLC’s legal name and formation date.
Choose the person who controls the LLC and its funds. The IRS asks for this person’s name and tax ID number, if they have one.
Enter the LLC name, address, number of members, reason for applying and start date, using the same facts as your state filing.
Apply online, by fax, by mail or by phone, then save the IRS confirmation letter, CP 575, with your company records.
Prepare the relevant details
6 details to include
Confirm the scope
EIN application routes, eligibility and processing times are set by the IRS and can change. Review the official IRS pages below before you submit an application. Official sources checked 30 October 2026.
Questions answered
Usually, yes. An LLC needs an EIN if it has employees, has more than one member, elects to be taxed as a corporation or must file certain federal returns. A single-member LLC with none of these may use the owner’s tax ID for income tax, but banks usually still ask for an EIN.
Nothing. The IRS does not charge a fee to apply for an EIN. A service provider that helps prepare or submit the application charges for its own help, which is a separate choice.
An approved online application gets an EIN right away. By fax, the IRS generally replies within about four business days if you include a return fax number. By mail, it can take about four weeks.
Yes. A foreign owner without an SSN or ITIN can get an EIN by sending Form SS-4 to the IRS by fax or mail, or by calling the IRS line for international applicants. The online application is not available in that case.
After. The IRS recommends forming the LLC with the state first, so the application uses the approved legal name and formation date.
Check the CP 575 notice the IRS sent when the EIN was assigned, old tax returns, or bank and license records. You can also call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line and ask for a 147C letter that confirms the EIN.
Sometimes. A change of name or address usually does not need a new EIN, but changes such as a new ownership structure or a different tax classification can. Check the IRS guidance for your change.
Continue with FormLLC
FormLLC prepares the company and responsible-party details for the right IRS application route. EIN support is included in our LLC formation plans.