An EIN or Employer Identification Number is a nine-digit number assigned by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with or without an employee including the sole owner. It is also known as a federal tax identification number or business tax ID. The IRS can identify US companies, similar to individual Social Security Numbers (SSNs).
Companies use EINS to apply for business licenses in state and open business bank accounts. Additionally, EINS is required to secure business finance and file business tax.
Ideally, you’d be aware of the EIN when it is issued and would like to keep it in a safe place. If you are struggling to find it, you can access your EIN in several ways without paying a fee – however there is no IRS online tool to search for an EIN. Read on to learn how to find, change, and get your EIN.
Do you need ein?
According to the IRS, an EIN is required if any of the following is true:
- You open a new business.
- Operated as a partnership or business.
- Your organization has employees.
- There is a Keogh plan.
- You withhold taxes on non-wage income paid to one or more non-resident aliens.
- You will file your company with alcohol, employment, excise tax, firearms or tobacco tax returns.
- Change the business structure.
- File for bankruptcy.
- You acquire a business and merge into a new business.
Companies operating in certain industries and businesses operating with organizations within these industries also need an EIN. They include real estate, farmer cooperatives, nonprofits, planning managers, real estate mortgage investment conduits, and selected trusts.
Obtaining an EIN is beneficial for many reasons, and you can do things that allow your business to open a business bank account or take out a loan under the business’s name. If a company requires a specific license or permit to do business, an EIN is also required. Additionally, EINs allow you to avoid using your own Social Security Number in your business documents.
EIN Lookup: Best Options
If you get the wrong notification you received from the IRS when you apply for an EIN, there is no free online EIN search or tax ID lookup database that you can use to perform a quick search. However, you can:
1. Check the business documents
EINs may be printed in business documents stored in business files. Before using any other method, it is worth looking for documentation to see if the EIN is readily available. Documents to find where you might find your ein:
If you do not have any documents on hand, contact your bank or licensing authority to obtain the documents that list your EIN.
2. Please check the EIN confirmation
Please refer to the notifications that were electronically generated by the IRS when you applied for an EIN. If you applied for an EIN online, an approval notification should have been generated at the end of a session that could be printed or saved.
If you apply through a third party, the IRS will mail you an EIN assignment notification by mail after the EIN application is completed. If you don’t have that notification, search the record to determine whether you saved or printed a computer-generated notification to determine whether you submitted it.
3. Call the IRS
Business and Professional Taxes are open Monday through Friday through Friday from 7am to 7pm. Call 1-800-829-4933 to speak with an assist who can provide you with an EIN if you can share your business identification data. But be prepared to wait for a long time.
How to search for another business EIN
It is possible to find an EIN for another company, but you will need to do some legwork. Here are some ways to get it:
Please contact the company directly
Call your organization to request an EIN or submit a taxpayer identification number and authentication form W-9 request. You may need a valid reason to request this information, such as making regular payments to the company for services offered.
You will see that they don’t want to provide this information, but seeking something related to the Accounting Department or Payroll Bureau is a good starting point.
Get a copy of your company’s credit report
Many Business Credit Report Include EINS. These reports are easily accessible from major business credit agencies. You too Gain insights About how the company handles its debts and whether they are struggling to pay on time or effectively manage their accounts.
Perform an online search
Browse the Security Exchange Committee website and search for recently submitted 10-K or 10-Q to identify your EIN. These reports are submitted regularly to the SEC if the company is a publicly available company. If you are searching for nonprofit EINs, use the IRS database instead.
Get help with search
Some online databases allow you to search for EIN in exchange for a fee. However, if you don’t have much luck finding your own EIN, it may be worth the cost.
How to cancel or change your EIN
The IRS cannot cancel an issued EIN. This will remain connected to the business entity forever. However, you can contact the IRS by email to request that you close your business account. Your letter must include the company’s legal name, address and EIN as well as the reason for the request. It is also helpful to send a copy of the notifications you received from the IRS when the EIN is issued.
Send this communication to one of the following:
- Internal Revenue Agency, MS 6055, Kansas City, MO 64108
- Internal Revenue Agency, MS 6273, Ogden, UT 84201
The exemption organization must submit a cancellation request as follows:
- Email: Internal Revenue Agency, ATTN: EO Entity, Email Stop 6273, Ogden, UT 84201
- Fax: 855-214-7520
If you need to change your company’s EIN, you will need to apply for a new company.
How to get ein
You can apply for Ein online for free, via email or fax. Regardless of how you apply, please note that you are allowed to get one EIN every day.
Apply online
The online application is available Monday through Friday from 7am to 10pm. You cannot save the form progress, so you must enter the application at once. Note that the system times out after 15 minutes of inactivity and requires the application to restart. You will receive your EIN immediately after submitting your online application.
Apply by email
Complete Form SS-4 (Apply for Employer Identification Number), mail it to the address listed below, and apply for ein by mail.
- Internal Revenue Agency, ATTN: EIN OPEATION, Cincinnati, OH 45999
- Internal Revenue Agency, ATTN: EIN International Operation, Cincinnati, OH 45999 (if your legal residence or establishment is outside of 50 states or the District of Columbia)
It takes about four weeks to process and receive a response via mail.
Apply by fax
You can also apply the form SS-4 by sending it to the following number:
- 855-641-6935
- 855-215-1627 (if the location or business’s legal residence is outside the 50 states or the District of Columbia, but you are faxing it from within the US)
- 304-707-9471 (If your legal residence or business is outside of 50 states or the District of Columbia and you are faxing from outside the United States)
The IRS will reply via fax within 4 business days. Form SS-4S submitted without a return fax number will delay response times for up to 2 weeks.
Apply over the phone
This option is limited to international applicants. Call 267-941-1099 Monday through Friday from 6am to 11pm to request an EIN. If you wish to allow another party to apply on behalf of the company, print out the SS-4, fill out and sign the “Third Party Designators” section and send it to the IRS. In most cases, the EIN is issued during the phone call.
Conclusion
There are many good reasons why getting an EIN for your business is good. An EIN is very similar to a business’s Social Security number, allowing you to pursue loans with the name of the business and other important business tasks. Once you have your EIN for your business, make sure to keep this important number of electronic or paper records. This is because if this number is lost, you can’t get it online.
